Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-25
N |LLER At OFFICE O
Goes to Branch in Union
Building.''
A COLD RECEPTION
employees EVIDENTLY NOT
PLEASED AT HIS RETURN.
He Remains Short Time and Retires-
His Statement-No Strike
for Thirty Days.

There was no strike of the booKbinders
this morning when w. A. Miller reported
for duty and took charge at the branch
bindery of the government printing office
in the Union building and the arbitration
committee of the local union authorizes
the statement that there is no likelihood Of
such an outcome of the situation.
1t was exactly 1920 O'Clock when Miller
entered the building prepared to take up
the work of assistant foreman to which he
has been reinstated by executive action.
Peter Frank was temporarily holding the
position in the absence of Miller and IS
the latter entered the big room, again the
head of the branch from which he had
been summarily dismissed by Public Printer
Palmer, hundreds of heads We're turned
toward him, men and women alike dis
! playing their feelings by their contempt
uous glances at the obnoxious exmember
of their union.
He Presents a Letter.
Miller spoke to Frank and received a
nod from the latter but no word of greet
ing from anyone there with the single ex-
ception of an elderly workman who was
at the moment at the water cooler. Turn
ing to Frank he presented him with the
following letter:
Government Printing Office,
Office of the Foreman of Binding.
July "a, 1903.
Mr.. Peter Frank.
Assistant Foreman.
Sir: w A Miller has been reinstated in
his old position and you will take your
former position Please instruct Mr.. Chas.
+. Weston to report here.
Very respectfully,
z. J. Byrne,
Foreman of Binding.
L., NJ
showed no disposition to take up his tasks.
and presently turned to his assistant and
told him that he would not be there for to-
day, it being short day. FRANK again
nodded and Miller withdrew. His reception
had been decidedly discouragfng to a man
who has put up such hard fight for Justice
at the hands of the administrators of the
| law and who has so dramatically received
| what he sought. He acted as If his victory
| were not especially pleasing to him.
Mr.. Miller's Statement.
To a reporter for The Evening Star who
| accompanied him to the Union building
| from the printing office Miller said that 1t
| could be plainly seen that he had no friends
| there and that 1t was because he had en-
| deavored to administer the law as he found
| 1t and had declined to be coerced by the
| members of the Bookbnders' Union. lie
| was given an opportunity to state his Side
of the case and said:
| Il have held this position since July 2,
1900 When I went in l found 1t necessary
| to make many improvements In the office
| and machinery. l established a system OF
| record by which an account of all work
| dore could be kept. l also introduced ma
| chinery to facilitate the work and, If It
| met with approval chea pening the work
| also. l have turned out 81, 100000 worth OF
| work If any complaint has been made, l
| do not know of it. P j. Byrne, who pre-
| coded me- in two years-the men working
| twelve hours a day-turned out SS22,trO
worth of work In two years I turned out.
| working eight hours a day 81 100000 worth.
The Post Office Department in 1872 sent
| In a request for a less expensive route
| book and letters returned by carriers.
| had samples made and they were sub
| mitted, and the department saved on orders
| at hand 81 800. The BookhinderS' Union,
| through committee, objected.
Rules of Binders Union.
| "The binders operate under rules that no
| other labor union would tolerate. They are
| antiquated and interfere with the govern
ment work. They keep down the output
and tie the hands of the foreman, who is
forced to be a member of the union.
! The arbitration committee of the union
| restricts the amount of work done in a
| day. They the real heads of the bind
| cry. going to men and crIntermanding or
| ders given by the foreman. Thus when
! arranged for the post office work Mr. Bar
rett told me they objected to my cheaper
! ing the work, they also objected to i'm
+ provements. To Mr. Barrett / said: This
! is none of your business. l am looking
| after the interests of the government
They then began to lay for me to get
me out. I was charged with ordering more
| work to be done on certain binding They
| went through the burlesque of trial, and
after holding court suspended me from the
| union. This would have had no effect If
Mr.. Palmer the public printer. had had a
| little frmness. He is very old and yielded
| on account Of his age, and asked me to lay
| off fifteen days to satisfy this sentence.
Il had already been compelled to report
| Barrett and Stockman, and they were the
| men behind the movement. Another assist
| ant foreman who was jealous of me joined
| with these men during my absence and had
me transferred to branch in another
| building. Thus 1 forced from the de-
| partment which l had spent two years in
| in proving.
! Threatened With Removal.
"Then threats were made that 1 would be
permanently removed, and In April l got
notice to attend a meeting of the executive