The San Francisco call., 1903-09-30
UNIONS FAIL
To SWERVE
ROOSEVELT
President Refuses
to Dismiss
Miller.
Gives Final Answer to
American Fedora
tiOn Leaders.
Cannot as Chief Executive
Discriminate Against
Non-UniOn Men.

WASHINGTON. Sept 29.-An impor-
tant consultation took place at the White
House to-day between President Roose-
velt and five members OF the executive
council of the American Federation OF
Labor, including President Gompers and
John Mitchell. head of the Miners Union,
during which the case OF Foreman W. A.
Miller of the Government Printing once,
who was dismissed because he had been
expelled from the local Bookbinders'
Union and afterward was reinstated by
direction of the President. was the prin-
cipal topic of discussion. The conference
was granted at the request of the labor
leaders. The Miller case was very fully
presented by the members of the execu-
tive council. Then the President made a
statement in which he announced that his
decision not to dismiss Miller was final.
and that the question of NliIler's personal
fitness must be settled in the regular rOu-
tine of administration.
EQUAL JUSTICE TO ALL
The statement in part follows:
las regards the Miller case, I have little
to add to what I have already said. In
dealing with it. I ask you to remember
that am dealing purely with the relation
of the Government to it's employees. I
must govern my action by the laws of
the land. which I am sworn to administer.
and which differentiate any case in which
l the Government Of the United States is a
/ party from all other cases whatsoever.
These laws are enacted for the benefit OF
the whole people, and cannot and must
not be construed as permitting discrimi-
nation against some of the people. am
I President of all the people of the United
/ States, without regard to creed, color,
birthplace. occupation or social condition.
My aim is to do equal and exact justice
as among them all. In the employment
and dismissal of men in the Government
service. 1 can no more recognize the fact
that a man does or does not belong 70
a union as being for or against him than
I can recognize the fact that he is Pro-
testant or a Catholic, Jew or gentle,
as being for or against him.
'In the communication sent me by
various labor organizations protesting
against the retention Of Miller in the
Government Printing Office the grounds
alleged are two fold First. that he is a
non-union man; second, that he is not
personally fit. The question of his per-
sonaI fitness is one to be settled in the
not be allowed to conflict with or to COM
plicate the larger question of Govern
mental discrimination for or against him
or any other man because he is or Is not
a member of a union. This is the only
question now before me for decision, and
as to this my decision is final
LABOR LEADERS DISSATISFIED.
From the manner of the labor leaders
as they came from the White House il
was evident that they were not entirely
| satisfied with the result of their interview
They declined to be interviewed. Gompers
referring the reporters to the statement
THAI would be given out by the Presidents
secretary regarding the Miller case.
! While he was talking one of his associ-
ates wished it to be impressed on the re-
porters that the Presidents statement
should be understood by them to be an en-
tirely independent statement" and not
as an answer to the councils request.
The council also brought to the atten-
ton Of the President several matters OF
legislation in which it is interested.
Among these is the enforcement of the
eight-hour and the anti-injunction bills
which passed the House of Representa-
tives at the last session of Congress. The
President, Gompers said, expressed him
self as favorable to the principles Of the
short-hour work day and reiterated his
deep concern for the interest of the wage
earners Of the country.
-S-s