Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-07-15
A REMARKABLE ORDER.
The Brotherhood of Railway
Postal Clerks---How It
Was Made Up.
The Order Practically Ruled by a
"Grieynnce COmmittee''-HOw
IL Was Broken Up,
lChicaso telegram.J

Chicago telegram.
The secret constitution and work of the
Brotherhood of Railway Postal Clerks
show it 10 be in many respects most re-
markable organization. From the tiist page
to the last there are traces of vast scheme
of boycotting the Government. The broth
erhood seems formed so,ely to fnd place
for Grievance Committee, which, so far
rs the Government is concerned becomes
the brotherhood, and has full and arbitrary
power to speak and act Tor every clerk on
its rolls.
The objects of the order are stated to be
for mutual aid and protection, and for a
more perfect union, that We as n body NAV
be the better enabled to resist encroach-
ments made upon our rights as citizens and
our III lnhood as officials by indiscrimnate
removals from Office of any of our men,
bers without sufficient cat Sc and upon char0-
es filed and faiily and fully investigated,
and that we may also be the better enabled
to administer to the wants and necessities
of sick and INDECENT brothers, and in other
respects TO cultivate more fraternal feel
ing among our members.
The first annual meeting of the Grand
Lodge is fixed at indianapolis, July 13, and
its composition is entered upon in painful
details. But its presiding officer, known as
the Grand Chief Clerk, is shorn Of oil ex.
ecutive functions, which all appear lodged
In the Grievance Committee. There is q
per capita tax of 81 upon all members of
the brotherhood, which, together with the
usual fees for lodge charters and the sale
OF rituals, will bring in fair income if
the membership is reasonably large.
The bylaws define the regulations of
membership, and state that no person shall
be admitted to membership in this brother
hood whose reputation for honesty, sobrie-
ty, and industry can be seriously assailed,
and all applicants must be recommended
by two members of the lodge as in every
way worthy of membership. The initiation
fee is 81. 1t is provided that member
who shall die in the service, or who shall be
discharged from his position for alleged
causes upon which there has been no con-
viction, shall be entitled to a sum from the
benevolent fund of the Grand Lodge equal
TO an amount to be raised by an assessment
OF 81 each upon all the members of the
brotherhood, said amount 10 be paid to his
widow or heirs (if married mani or if an
unmarried man the same my be disposed
of by will or be paid to those dependent
on him for support.
The following language is used:
ITO all the bylaws, rules and regula-
tions we bind ourselves by the most solemn
pledges of honor, uniting ourselves in the
fraternal bands of brotherly love. We
pledge to each other our lives, our honor,
and our lasting fidelity aud feAlty, admon-
lshing our brethren to be true to the princi-
pies that characterize true manhood. Con-
tinue TO give the work your most faithful
and honest Efforts aud this important
branch of the Government service, which
your skill and genius aided so largely in
consummating, will so down the ages as an
impeishable monument to your memories" +"
The officers of the lodge are rather pecu-
liarly named. They are the Chief Clerk,
the Second Clerk, tho Third Clerk, the
Transfer Clerk, and the Short Stop. The
Chief Clerk is the presiding officer, the
Second Clerk is the secretary, the Third
Clerk is the treasurer, the Transfer Clerk
is sort of general utility man, while the
Short Stop is supposed to stop interlopers
at the door. The power of the presiding
officer, following the lead of smaller socie-
ties, is practically unlimited between the
meetings of the lodge, and he can do about
as he pleases.
To become a member it is necessary 10
have received permanent appointment as
postal clerk, commission from the Post
master General being evidence OF that fact,
and also to be in active service at the time
of application. The usual procedure is
carried out in the way of initiation until the
candidate has taken the oath, then he, "by
further attesting his allegiance, will sur
render to the lodge, through the Chief
Clerk, his resignation as q postal clerk,
which will be placed in the hands of the
Grievance Committee, to be used by said
committee under the orders of the lodge
only in case of extreme emergency and in
concert and conjunction with all the men,
bers of the same"
This Grievance Committee, while il is
but one of the three standing committees
in the lodge, thus becomes the most inn
poFtant one of the lot, being CLOSELY
modelled after the Executive Boards of the
Knights of Labor. Their duty, as laid
down in the constitution, is to take
charge of all matters relating to the
official relations of the brotherhood of
Railway Clerks with the Postmaster Cen
eral and other officials in the Railway Mail
Service; and when in the opinion of the
committee an exigency shall exist for the
exercise of arbitrary action they shall at
once take the necessary steps TO
prosecute any plan or scheme that
may, in their judgment, be the
means OF consummating desired OBJ
ject. They shall not, however, resort to
extreme measures until an amicable ad-
justment of all difficulties may be deemed
lnpractlcaDle, and without the knowledge
or consent of the lodge.
This goes further than any trades union
ever thought Of going, and makes one COM
mittee, armed with the designations from
the service of every member of the lodge,
the autocrat of its affairs. 1t is, perhaps,
as dangerous an arrangement for the clerks
under any regime as can we'll be imagined.
The whole scheme Of the brotherhood
seems built up around the central ida of
this irresponsible Grievance Committee.
The leaders who contrived the machin-
cry of the brotherhood were solely planning
a huge strike to coerce the Postmaster
General into the agreement, for il seems
scarcely possible that a body of men who
intended founding permanent society
would have placed such unlimited rower
in the hands of one committee and effec-
tually gagged a minority by holding over th Q
heads of Its members their forced resigna-
tions ready to be turned over to the Post
Office Department the moment the COM
mttee determined TO strike. The entire plan
shows the hands of good organizers and
bears the marks Of months of study, which
il doubtless received.