The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-07-22
UNION FILES CHARGES
AGAINST v. A. MILLER
Public Printer Declines to
Discuss Case.
LABOR CIRCLES AGITATED
No Word Received From Assistant
Foreman in Reply to Letter
Of Reinstatement.

The Public Printer. Mr.. Palmer, has |
not yet received reply from William
a. Miller. In answer to the letter sent
him last Wednesday. informing him of
his reinstatement to the Government !
Printing once. Mr. Miller's where
abouts are not known at the Govern
ment Printing Office. but it is supposed
that he is at his home in Minneapolis,
MINI.
A statement was made by the union
to Mr.. Palmer this morning. consisting
presumably of the charges against Mil
| Ter and the steps that would be taken
by the union should the authorities per-
sist in reinstating Miller. Mr.. Palmer
declined to discuss this statement.
Labor Circles Agitated
Nothing for a long time has caused
such stir in labor circles as the order
/ issued by the President to Public Printer
Palmer TO reinstate w. A. Miller, who
was assistant foreman in the bindery of
the Government Printing once.
| special meeting OF local union No. 4
of the International Brotherhood OF
Bookbinders was held last night to take
action in the premises. 1t was decided
to petition the President through the
| Secretary of Commerce and Labor, to
reconsider his order. In the meantime,
! the union will file charges against Mil
ler TO the effect that he Is unfit TO
hold position in the Government Print
ing Office. having spoken disrespectfully
of Mr.. Palmer. and having treated the
l men under him in a contemptuous, not
| TO say ungentlemanly, manner.
The union realizes that the President.
with only such information as he had
concerning Mr.. Miller's case, could not
very we'll do otherwise than he did. 1t
does no. find fault with the Presidents
ruling that membership in a union
is no bar to the holding OF a Federal
position.
President Not Fully Informed.
But the union claims that the PresI-
dent had not been fully advised as %
the reasons why Miller should not hold
his position In order to reopen The
case. they will file charges both with
the Department OF Commerce and Labor
and with the Civil Service Commission.
They contend that Miller would not
have been expelled from the union with
out just cause.
whether OF not they will refuse TO
work, should Miller take advantage OF
the Presidents order and return to his
former position, has not been fully d.
termined. although there is a rule OF The
union which forbids its members WORK
ing IN the same shop with non-unlon
men.
The talk OF a general strike In the
Government Printing Office is not taken
very seriously. as IL is believed that the
, affair will be adjusted satisfactorily to
all.
Believes President Misinformed.
e Secretary Morrison. OF the American
: Federation OF Labor, believes that the
y President has been misinformed as to
: the merits Of the case and that he will
? reconsider his action when he hears the
side to be presented by the Bookbinders
: Union.
= John Hayes. president Of the Knights
OF Labor. said:
> 81 regret that the President should
: have felt 1t necessary to refer to the re-
u port Of the strike commission in this
connection and the fact that there was
: ono member OF organized labor on that
! commission. Mr.. Clark. OF the Order o.
IS Railway Conductors. TO whom the Presi.
. dent referred, is not recognized by trade
- unions as a representative of organized
labor His organization partakes more
of the nature Of an insurance company
- and none of US can accept Mr.. Clark al
" a representative Of organized labor II
. any capacity"
n Women May Leave Union.
" The opinion is offered by an old EN-
: ploye of the Government Printing Of1c
is that the precedent established IN tn
rs Miller case, whether Miller returns Z
~ the Office or not. will work mischie
in AMONG large element of the Printin
Office. especially among the women VIII
ne compose the auxiliary union. This unto
D. was several years in organizing, and
was but a few months ago that it wa
strong enough 20 force a handful c
no women into the organization.
he It is now believed q number Of thes
he women will resign from the union, feel
n ing that the Civil Service Commissio
ca will stand by them should the member
or OF the auxiliary union demand their dis
h missal. It is said several former en-
he ployes, who claim they were remove
all from the Printing Office at the instanC
"a of the uniors, viii now appeal TO n
Civil Service Commission and ask fC
es' reinstatement.
ia
nd WILL FEED PRISONERS
At HOUSE OF DETENTI0