Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-08-05
The PRESIDENTS POSITION.

IHe PRESIDENT POSlIlON.
Our Democratic contemporary in 4
short editorial anent the Miller con
trOvcrsy in the government printing
office at Washington says the prcsi-
dent has suddenly jammcd into the
labor unions Of he country"
As this trouble Is likely to be made
much Of In a political way 1t Is just
as well to state the facts and set the
president right in the matter.
On May 18th last William A. Nil.
Ter was removed by the public print.
or from lis position as assistant fore
man of the government book bind.
cry. The only reason assigned for
his removal vas his expulsion from
the local union of the International
Brotherhood of BOokbinders. If there
was any other reason il was appar.
emily not developed by the ~invesii
cation which the president directed
Secretary C~ortclyou 10 make. The
president therefore directed the pub.
liz printer To rcinStatc Miller in his
old position, declaring that he appear
cd 10 have been removed in violation
OF the civIi service law. In his let.
ter ordering the reinstatement of
Miller the president sale:
There IL no objection to the en-
ployes of the government printing Of
flee constituting themselves into a
body If they desire to do so, but no
rules or resolutions of that union can
be permitted to override the laws of
the United States, which il is my
sworn duty to enforce"
From the above il is apparent GOV
eminent Printer Palmer acted with
out authority and in violation of the
civil service laws when he removed
Miller on complaint Of the bOokbind.
crs union, the latter having expelled
him, il Is stated. for seeking legisla-
ton harmful to the interests of the
society" and by furnishing 'to a Ger.
tain member of congress price schef-
uies Oh po~okp'hderles ID oher cities'
WIN Il view I'D siloWihs that the DOCK
binders in the government printing
nIi.n uFnrn nat 1nIny uy.H t.t.nt
oh''' were hot uoihs snhicleh'
"o'"'
No doubt The union had a right to
cXpel Miller. That was clearly a mat
ter within the province of the organ
lzation. But how about the govern
ment in whose employ Miller was and
for whose interests he was working?
lie was not a "scab" but a union man
in good standing up 10 the time these
charges were preferred. Having ex-
PEELED Miller from the union and ne be-
ing reinstated in his position as as
~sistant ~boOkbinder because his remoy-
al was in violation of the civil ser
vice laws, a situation exists the out
come of which is yet to be det2rmin-
'cy. The bylaws of the union forbid
the members to work with "scabs"
and Miller is again AT work.
The members of the bookbinders
union admit that President Roose-
Welt has only done his duty in the
premises nllner the 'aw' anu as a Joo
III the government printing ONCE as
a deslrable one ana not easily regain
ed when once abandoned, especially
nhder the present clVil service reg
hlaiioils' the me VIII thlhk seriously
before going on a slrike'
the controversy is losing It's per
sonar ana INDIVIDUAL aspec IN the
prihcipie I'M Jaw involved. Inc pres
ldehi is not opposed 10 organized Ia
Dor III the departments OF the govern
ment. IN iart ne Is IN sympathy WIN
such organizations, nut the govern
ment cannot discriminate between uh-
Ion n non-nnlon labor boih nave