The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-26
UNCLE SANS STRIKE.

UNCLE SAM'S kline,
The governments labor problem be-
comes more and more interesting AS al
ready stated, the trouble in the Govern
ment Printing Office grows out OF the
fact that William A. Miller, assistant
foreman in the bookbndery department
was expelled from the local union, ana
as the union has a rule which prohloi.s
It's men from working with ono who has
been expelled, the Public Printer, on mo-
ton Of the union. dismissed Miller from
the service. Thereupon Miller made an
appeal to the President, claiming that
under the Civil Service rules. he coulu
not be dismissed upon such count and
when the President understood the facts'
he ordered that Miller be reinstatco.
Miller has now returned to work and II
remains to be seen whether or not the
union men In the office will work Win
him or 60 out on a strike.
Members OF the union claim that Miller
was expelled from the organization De-
cause he was O man of foul mouth ana haa
been guilty Of ungentlemanly conduct 10.
ward union men. employed under h'tn'
But be that as 1t may, the fact Is that ne
was dismissed from the government seq
vice because he had been expelled from
the union. In other words he was as
missed from the government service oy
the Bookbinders' Union.
1t would appear from q statement re-
Gently given out by j. L. Feeney, FORM
erly president Of the Bookbinders Union,
that this case Is not unprecedented. tnas
the union has for long time enforced
,ts rules In the Government Printing Of
fee. He says that the Public Printer
Is a thorough union man and that IN
Milers case. he simply acted as thoIsh
he we're private employer. we nave
heon recognized as a union" says Mr..
Feeney .by every Public Printer SINE
the government bought the plant IN lsol'
and can cite many instances wherein the
union was consulted and It's rules anu
laws unheld by predecessors OF the pres
ent Public Printer
He declares also that the civil oervice
Commission has recognized the union ana
cites the following case:
1--WE have a very strict rule IN our
constitution" says he, that no person
ran become O member of our union WY
has not served al least four years APP
s,renticeship to the trade OF oookpi.iu =
ing. The Civil Service rules were 20 ZIG $,
effect that any person VINO mas seiVe ~
three years Is eligible for appointment NJ
tI,s Government Printing once. Durihs
a last eight years we have rejected sew
.ra, new appontees from the Civil Ser
vs.e Commission, who could not prove
that they had served four years. and our
action IN each case was sustained by
both the Public Printer and the Com
mission.
"About year ago we rejected man
who had been appointed In the olnuery
,who was only paper cutter, haV'hg
d lscovered on Investigation that he had
d OF served the required four years APP
u renticeship. The man was appoolntec
In accordance with the rules Of the Civ.i
Service Commission, and after ms re-
1ection by the union. he protested and ap.
lealed his case to the Commission and
to the President Of the United States.
believe the Public Printer told the Com.
mission why the man could not work II
the b ndery. short time afterWard ouI
upltsr had some business with the Com
mission, and in the presence of the tul
beard = Commissioners Proctor. Foulkt
and Garfield. as president of the union
reported this case, and stated 1t was IN
Just for the Commission to appoint
man whom we could not accept. bri'
hlnn long distance to work. which HI
would not be permitted to perform be
cause of his rejection by the union, ane
consequent discharge from the govern
ment service. We requested that the ap
premiership. The man was apo ntet
amealded. making 1t four years insteat
of three. and on motion OF mmiss!one
Prorter the rule was amended as W.
SUGGESTED. That is a case wherein tn
unioip was recognized by the government
al authorities. and respect shown for on
rules and regulations"
OTHER Instances of the same characte
fare cited by Mr. Feeney. all going t
show that the government has recognize
the u11 ion and that the union has prac
ticaily dominated the printing office.
Pres adent Roosevelt also recognized tn
m!ner,f union. when he called representa-
t1yes OF the union into conference wit
the Pennsylvania mine-owners. and h
has publicly declared that he believes
organized labor, But the President ha
now taken the stand. and he must malr
| tain It, that the Constitution OF II
| United States holds over the consttutio
)of a E,bor organization, and that tn
| Civil Service laws cannot be supersede
by rules and regulations OF the uniol
| He holfh, that the printers employed
the government office may organize
much as they please. and each and ever
ono OF them may join union II
please. vat that the government cann'
discriminate against workman becau'
he does bot belong to union,
The outcome will be watched with kee
interest all over the country.
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