Evening star., 1903-07-22

vised him toItakel a vacation for that
length of times which he did. The public
printer then iremoved him to the super
vision Of another division where he at once
began to curse ana villify all officials Of
the boekbinders union. the highest officials
OF the government printing office, and to
threaten the men under him with all that
his power and hatred could inf1ict. His
course OF slant1er Of the union of which he
was member and his repeated efforts to
injure the best interests of the members
became so serious that the arbitration COM
mittee was Compelled to take cognizance
Of the NATTER -
witnesses were examined and Miller was
also summoned to appear in his own behalf.
was again notified. and as the constitution
makes 1t obligatory upon all members to
answer a summons of the arbitration COM
mittee. and failure to obey subjects the
delinquent to a fine Of IS for each onenSe,
two fines Of s. each were imposed.
when he was notified Of the fines he re-
piled disclalming the right of the committee
to summon member holding the position
he at that time held, but paid the fines un-
der protest
The Investigation
THE result of the examinations of the
witnesses before the arbitration committee
was of such a grave nature that charges
were formally preferred against him by
the committee. trial committee was ap-
was given opportunity to object to any
member thereof.
There was a prosecuting officer for the
union. and Miller was notified of this and
OF his right to secure two members of the
union to represent him at the trial He was
accorded every right under the constitution
or an exha uSttVe. fair and impartial trial,
and on this occasion it is to be noted that
he appeared in his own defense.
The result of this investigation was
placed before the union and proven beyond
the shadow of a doubt. He had used the
vilest and most obscene language against
members of the union and officials of the
government printing office. he had attempt
ed to influence legislation by reporting to
members of Congress that the men at the
office were not doing as much work they
should do; he was found to have secured
private papers of the association and to
have given them to a member of Congress
to further his own ends, and numerous
other crimes against the organization OF
which he was at that time a member.
There was no alternative but to eXpel
him from the international brotherhood,
and this done.
I'VE desire it to be understood that the
union never requested his discharge from
the service of the government, but We do
wish to make it plain that our constitution
forbids us to work with a man who has
been expelled from our ranks.
President Barrett's Statement.
President Barrett said this morning to
reporter for The Evening Star that the
union had behind them the Allied Printing
Trades Council and the American Fedora
ton Of Labor, and that they would fight to
the end the reinstatement Of Miller.
HE has for long time said President
Barrett, "been disturbing element and no
union man will work with him. We could
not, If we would unless we violated the
rules of our organization which forbid US
to work with an expelled member. There
are go members Of the Bookbnders' Union
in the District of Columbia, and of these
there 524 employed in the government
service.
I'VE make no threats whatever. but are
unanimous in our intention to support the
rules which we ourselves made, and we
cannot work with non-unon man. We
do not expect any strike. 1t will not go
that far. President Roosevelt IS far-See-
ing man and has shown himself to be the
friend of organized labor, but in this in
stance an error has been made in several
quarters. Miller is not fit man for the
association Of self-respecting men. to say
nothing of his villification of his superior
officers and his vicious attacks on the
bookbinderA
He the personification of deceit,
talking violently against our union to
others and upholding it to the members.
After repeated offenses of this character we
gave him a trial and expelled him. His
discharge came as a sequence Of that ex-
pulSlOn. There Is only one way In which
peace in the bindery can be maintained, and
that is the dismissal of Miller. He has
been reinstated now and will have to be
discharged again. This we ask the Presi-
dent to do, and 1t seems but just that
man Of the character of Miller should be
prohibited from business or personal asso-
citation with decent men.
I'm the extreme event that we are COM
PEELED to walk out we will be supported by
the allied branches of our trade We would
regret most deeply to have to resort to such
action, hut we cannot and will not work
with w. A. Miller
View Of Civil Service Commission.
At the civil service commission the Miller
affair Is a closed incident. The commission
acted within it's authority in reviewing the
appeal of the discharged assistant fore
man and asking for his reinstatement at
the hands Of Public Printer Palmer. On
top of this came the letter of the President
to Secretary Cortelyou. instructing that of
ficer to see that the order was carried out.
Everything was strictly in accordance with
the rules governing the civil service, and
anything that may be done in the matter
after this will have to be brought to the
attention Of the commission through the
regular channels.
President Gompers Of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor would say no more than
that in every case where unions were
known to be right they We're upheld by the
parent body of labor. and that If the book
binders were found to be right in the Mil
Ter case they would be backed by the feders
alton.