Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-25
TIE POINT ALLOWED
Labor Leaders Will Not Con-
tend for Union Shop.
DISPUTE GOES OVER
WILL PROBABLY NOT BE TAKEN
UP UNTIL NOVEMBER.
It is Believed That It Has Been Re-
moved From Enthusiastically Ex-
preston From President Desired.

While the members of the executive coun-
Gil of the American Federation Of Labor
will not dispose of the case of VIM. A. Mil
Ter, the foreman of the bindery division OF
the government printing office who was
reinstated by the President, and the still
more important matter relating to Mr.
Roosevelt's declaration concerning the
"open shop" during their present meeting
here, their discussions have resulted In
quite clearly outlining a policy for the set
tlement of this dispute which it is believed
will relieve 1t Of all political significance.
The Miller case is in itself regarded as a
very small factor in this controversy. In
the present situation 1t has become impor-
tant merely because the local bookbinders'
union has taken such stand that 1t cannot
consistently, in the view of a large number
Of the members of that organization, con-
tinue to work alongside of Miller If the
President declines to remove him. But the
general belief is that the committee aD-
pointed by the President to investigate the
M. Her case has unanimously recommended
his dismissal and there is a strong feeling
that the nature of the charges against Mil
Ter is such that the President will concur in
this recommendation. This feeling is so
strong among labor leaders here that they
have dismissed the NJ ller practically
from considera ton.
AApo1Sd4S Ia q 441IO11tys
The real bone of contention, which has
for several days occupied much of the
time of the executive council. is in relation
to the Presidents manner in referring to
the "open shop policy Among members
of the council and other of the most prom
inent labor leaders there is no idea of COM
batting this principle of the open shop"
far the government is concerned.
Discussion has won over to the side of
conservatism a great majority. If not all,
of the prominent leaders There are still a
few very radical men in the local book bind
ers union, who would demand that the
President declare in favor of the employ
ment Of only union men in the government
printing office, and in the event of his fail
ure to do SO would go on strike. But these
men constitute a small minority. AS the
subject has been discussed their con ention
has been made to appear more and more
untenable.
From the beginning of the discussion the
conservative members of the executive
council wanted to proceed slowly to avoid
a mistake. Every day their view has had
more and more weight. Today the feeling
was practically unanimous that in the first
place it would be nexcusable on their part
to act on this matter until the President
has taken final action on the Miller case
after receiving the report of the committee
appointed by him to investigate 1t. That
determination precludes the possibility of
action at the present meeting.
Expression Of Friendliness Desired.
The members of the council now look for
ward only to having President Roosevelt
il some degree modify his reference to the
open shop even If it be in the form of
expression of friendliness to the prin-
ciple of trade unionism.
They object to what they regard as the
curtness of his reference to the open shop
paragraph of the anthracite coal commits
sion's report. That "open shop" paragraph
was a bitter disappointment to all the labor
leaders at the time 1t was first made public.
Many of them then declared that it would
be quoted to their detrment on many occa-
sions They now say that had the President
In quoting 1t In the Miller case made fur
ther reference to trade unionism with an
expression of sympathy for the principle of
labor organizations its sting would to a
large degree have been removed. They
would have liked him to suggest the right
of union men to refuse to work by the side
of non-union men as measure for promot-
Ing their welfare, and to have made clearer
that the application of the union shop
could not be made to the work Of the gov
ernment because of constitutional reasons.
The conservative leaders are ready to de-
fend the general proposition that the gov
ernment cannot do anything to discriminate
in favor of any organization.
They have reasoned that If the cOnten-
ton of the trade organizations should De
upheld by the government to the effect
non-union man should work for the gov
ernment, then at some other time, or in
some other trade, it also might be de-
clared that no union man should be en-
ployed where the non-union men might
be in the majority
The Right to Strike.
This reasoning the part of the leaders
here has not affected the general propo-
sition of the right of bookbnders to refuse
work nv the side of
If they see fit to take that course. They
might strike and leave the employ of the
government, allowing the government to
fill their places best it could 1t is also
maintained that a sympathetic strike Of
printers would be entirely within their
rights, and it is declared that there would
be no hesitation to order these strikes if
the reasons for them should appear suffi-
cient In such an event the attitude of
unionism would be that il the govern
ment could not supply itself with suff1-
cfent non-un1on men 1t would have to ac-
cede to the contention of their organization
that only union men be employed.
Whether or not any organization would
fit to order strike in the government
printing office would depend upon the OBJ
lection that might be made to the non
union men employed. If these nom union
men were not especially offensive toward
the general principles of unionism there
might be no reasons for a strike on their
account But If they represented nom
unloniS-n in way that would be especially
Objectionable to the union a strike might
be resorted to- it is declared that the case
of Miller is one In which the man has be-
come especially offensive to unionism.
This view of unnionism under the govern
ment represents the conservative opinion
that prevails among the members of the eX-
ecutive council of the Federation of Labor
That view does not antagonize the policy Of
the "open shop" in every instance. So it
does not demand that the President declare
against the "open shop in order to remove
the objection of the Federation of Labor to
his course. But what the leaders do want
is some expression of sympathy from him
toward the principle of unionism as a
means for the advancement of workingmen.
Victory for Conservatism.
This expression, they believe, could easi-
ly be embodied in any further order he may
make in relation to the Miller case The
conservative leaders consider that they have
won great victory in having impressed
upon others less conservative the idea that
the "open shop" policy in the case of the