Evening star., 1903-07-21
The Action Of the President,

The Action Of the President.
At the same time an investigation was be-
ing made by the Department of Commerce
and Labor, and. as soon as the result of the
ruling of the civil service commission was
made known to the President he sent the
following letters to Secretary COrtelyou:
oyster BAY. N. Y, July IL, 1903.
My Dear Secretary Cortelyou:
I'm accordance with the letter of the civil
service commission of July & the public
printer will reinstate Mr.. w. A. Miller in
his position Meanwhile l will withhold my
final decision of the whole case until have
received the report of the investigation on
Miller's second communication, which you
notify me has been begun today. July Is.
..On the face of the papers presented,
Miller would appear to have been removed
in violation of law. There is no objection
TO the employees of the government printing
office constituting themselves into union
if they so desire; but no rules or resolutions
of that union can be permitted to override
the laws of the United States, which it is
my sworn duty to enforce.
Please communicate copy of this letter
to the public printer for his Information
and that of his subordinates. Very truly
yours , THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Hon. George b. Cortelyou, Secretary OF
Commerce and Labor
OYSTER BAY. n. Y. July A. 1903.
In connection with my letter of yeSter-
day | call attention to this judgment and
award by the anthracite coal strike COM
mission in it's report to me of March IS last
1T is adjudged and awarded that no
perSOn shall be refused employment or in
my way Disseminated against on account
IF membership or non-membership in any
labor organization and that there shall be
no discrimination against or interference
with any employe who is not a member of
la her of l,h
organization
Il heartily approved of this award and
judgment by the commission appointed by
me- which itself included a member of a
labor union. This commission was dealing
with labor organizations working for pri-
vate employers 1t is. of course, mere ele-
men Nry deCency to require that all the gov
crirment departments shall be handled in
accordance with the principle thus clearly
and fearlessly enuncated.
Please furnish copy of this letter both
to Mr. Palmer and to the civil service com
mission for their guidance Sincerely
yours, THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Hon. George B. Cortelyou. Secretary of
Commerce and Labor"
Miller Reinstated.
On the 18th of July in accordance with
this decision. the public printer informed
Miller that he had been reinstated and
might return to his employment at once
1t is understood that he is in Minnea polls
his home before coming to the service of
the government at Washington. 1t Is not
known at the printing office whether or
not he intends to return to work there
but 1t Is generally believed that he will
brave the anger of his fellow workmen and
return. No word has been had from him
to that effect. however, and his future ac-
tons only surmise
The original charges made against Mil
ler hv Of 10 nj
national Brotherhood Of BoOkbinders were
that he was excessive In his demands upon
the bookbinders and that the tasks i'm
posed were beyond the power of the men
to do. He was also charged with abusive
SANDER of the local and international
unions and general offensiveness. He was
tried by the local union on the first charge
and suspended fifteen days for his action.
In an interview with reporter for the
Evening Star this morning. Public Printer
Palmer declined to criticise the action of
the civil service commission or that of The
President. but at his instance J. l.. Feeney.
an employe Of the printing office bindery
and who for four years the president
Of Local Union No. 4. spoke of the matter
Of Miier's dismissal and reinstatement. He
said:
Ex-President Feeney's Statement.
In the first place it is false claim of
NilIer's that he was the active party in the
saving to the government of several thous-
ana dollars on the DinulflSS OF certain
books for the Post Office Department. He
was not in charge at the bindery at that
time. but was assistant foreman and any
such action as he claims for himself would
have been insubordinatiOn and subjected
him to dismissal. He claims that he saved
for the government about 5000 a year
and that this action was the basis of the
binders complaint against him. That
statement Is false. 1t was the work of
others and did not enter in any manner
into this controversy He cheapened what
is known as full bound blank work. but
not that for the Post Office Department.
MILLER took any and all occasions to
slander and villify the local and interna-
tional unions and in an interview with a
paper in indianapolis he made most vi
cious attack upon the organization. He
has for a long time been obnoxious to every
person working with him at the govern
ment printing Office and for that reason
was a menace to the good Of the service.
And not only is he disliked by the local
organization but by every union man in
the entire country his actions having been
of the most contemplate character. OF the
$40 men composing the local union there