Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-10-01
CONCLUSION OF
The MILLS CASE
The Conference With the Pres.
ident Fails to Bring the
peirlsed Decision.
UNION MEN ARE SATISFIED
Prominent Leaders of Labor Were In
eluded in the comnittee-Roose-
Welt Says He Cannot Recognize
Mans Union Obligations.

Washington, Oct. 1.-Samuel Com.
pers, president of the American Feder-
alton of Labor; Mr.. Mitchell. the head
of the United Mine Workers organiza-
ton, and four or five other members Of
the executive council of the American
Federations Of Labor were in confer
ence with the president for a long time
with regard to the case of Foreman
Miller of the book bindery of the gov
eminent printing office, whose dis
charges sought by the labor leaders.
The president granted an interview
to the following members of the execu-
tive council Of that body: Samuel Com
pers, James Duncan, John Mitchell,
James O'Connell and Frank Morrison.
Various subjects of legislation in the
interests of labor as we'll as executive
action were discussed. Concerning the
case Of William A. Miller the president
made the following statement:
I thank you and your committee for
your courtesy, and appreciate the OPP
portunity to meet with you. 1t will all
ways be a pleasure to see you or any
representa- tives of your organizations or
OF your federation as a whole.
AS regards the Miller case, 1 have
little to add to what have already.
said. In dealing with 1t / ask you to-
remember that I am dealing purely
with the relation of the government to
Its employees. must govern my ac-.
ton by the laws of the land, which I
differentiate any case in which the
government Of the United States Is a
party from all other cases whatsoever.
Those laws are enacted for the benefit
of the whole people, and can not and
must not be conserved as permitting
discrimination against some of the
people. l am president of all OF the
nj ha Irif
regard to creed, color, birthplace, oc-
cupation or social conditions. My aim
Is to do equal and exact Justice as
among them all. In the employment
and dismissal of men in the govern
ment service I can no more recognize
the fact that man does or dnea not
belong to union as being for or
against him than l can recognize the
fact that he Is Protestant or Cath
Ole, Jew or a Gentle, as being for
or against him.
In the communications sent me by
the various labor organizations pro-
testing against the retention of Miller
In the government printing office the
reasons alleged or tWofold viz: a.
That he is non union man, and (2)
That he is not personally fit. His per-
sonal fitness is one to be settled in the
routine of administrative detail, and
cannot be allowed to conflict with or
to complicate the larger question of
government discrimination for or
against him or any other man because
he Is or Is not member of union.
This Is the only question now before
me for decision; and, as to this, my
Necision is final"
Labor Leaders Satisfied.
The conference had been asked fol
by the labor leaders. From their man
ner as they came from the White
House it was evident that they were
entirely satisfied with the result of
their interview. They declined to be
interviewed. Mr.. Gompers referring the
reporters to the statement that would
be given out by the presidents secre-
he was talking one of his associates
wished 1t to be impressed on the re-
porters that the presidents statement
should be understood by them to be an
entirely independent statement" and
not as an answer to the councils re-
quest.
The council also brought to the at
tention of the president several mat
ters of legislation in which 1t is inter-
ested. Among these were the enforce
ment of the eight hour and the anti
injunction bills which passed the house
of representatives at the last session of
congress. The president, Mr.. Gompers
laid, expressed himself as favorable
to the principles of the short hour work
day and his deep concern for the inter-
est of the wage earners of the country.
The president also was asked by his
visitors to take up the case of Ephriam
W. Clark, who is confined in the
Thomaston, Me-, Jail, under sentence
of life imprisonment for mutiny. The
lpresident was asked to extend execu-
| tive clemency in Clark's case.