The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-19
WOMEN employees AT odds
Trouble Brewing at the Govern
ment Printing Office.

Coercion Charged Against the Fee
mnlc Branch of the brotherhood of
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Said to Have
Been Made by Union PHrtisans.
Women EMPLOYEES of the Government
Printing Office are engaged in a contro-
versy, said to involve the positions of fe-
males not members of the "Women's Bin
derry Union, No. A.. branch of the In
ternational Brotherhood of BOokbinders.
Two factions appear TO have arisen in
the Office and now, it is said, war is on
in earnest between the female workers.
The trouble seems to have arisen be
cause certain women employed in the
bindery do not care to join the union.
There are now about 100 members of that
body, it is said. and those outside claim
that coercion is frequently used to force
them to join the organization. Whether
this is actually the case is uncertain. but
it is certain that a feeling of unrest per
vades all quarters of the big Government
print shop. One woman at least goes
so far as TO say that she was threatened
with the loss of her position unless she
agreed to the proposals of the majority,
and became a member of the union at
considerable cost to her. Others say they
feel unpleasantly the pressure of the or
sanizatiOn, in one way or another, but
fear to speak, lest they incur organized
opposition.
one of the woman employees talked with
a Times reporter last night She said
that she had been subjected to unusual
pressure to join the organization, and
her position, she claims, has been put in
jeopardy because of her defamation to Go
so. She has been in the bndery for about
fiVe years and has seen various changes,
including the passing of Public Printer
benedict and the induction into office of
Frank w. Palmer, the present chief.
According to this woman, the WOmens
Bindery Union has been in existence
about six years. At first but n few women
joined, and for time the organization
appeared to be such in name only. AS
time went on, however, the union became
larger, causing some fractional feeling to
arise between members and those rot
members of the body. When Mr.. Palmer
took charge of the Printing Office the re-
porters informant believed the union was
not known to him, or if at all, only in
vague way She said the demands of the
union increased until within a few weeks
past not alone herself, but others, have
been warned to join the union or take the
consequences. Just what these conSe-
quences will be is a bit doubtful, but
number Of positions may be affected.
The president of the Women's Bindery
Union is Miss Kate V. SmOot. living at
329 L Street northeast She was attend
ing meeting of the union at the Typo
graphical Temple last night when seen by
reporter for The Times.
We have just sworn in fifty new men,
bers, she said. The organization has
been in existence about six years, she
continued, and is doing very well. Miss
Smoot appeared disinclined to talk about
any charges brought BY those not in the
organization, but finally said: The WO-
mems Bindery Union is conducted solely
for the benefit of female employees Of the
Government Printing Office. There are,
of course, skeptical women who do not
want to join, and these de not have to
do SO. II is true we have attempted to
persuade such women to join us TO point
out to them the advantages to be had
from the organization, but beyond this
moral suaSion, neither | nor any other
connected with the union has gone
Miss Smoot said emphatically that there
was no such thing as threat being made
by any member of the union. She eX-
planned the benefits of joining the organi-
zation. In case of death Miss smoot
says, a payment of S75 is made to reia-
ttves by the association; where sickness
causes absence from work. s. weekly is
forthcoming from the funds of the So
sessed and paid separately. according to
the exigencies of the individual case.
Mr.. Palmer, Public Printer. was seen
by reporter last night at his home. 1888
T. Street northwest. He said he knew Of
the organization among women of the
hindery, but nothing more regarding IT,
He was not acquainted with its work
ings, he said You can say for me-"
thority from me to threaten dismissals
from the Government Printing Office
Such dismissals could not be made with
out my knowledge and personal action
to my notice of unjust action by mem
bers of the womens union, should Ger
tainly take steps to bring the matter to a
fair and equitable settlement"