Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-10-03
ORGANIZED LABOR AND THE
PRESIDENT.

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT has decided to
stand by his euunciation of principles in
the case of Foreman WILLIAM \. Nil
LER, who is employed in the Govern
ment Printing Office at Washington
and was dismissed from service because
of his suspension for some trivial of
Tense as a member of labor union. Al
strike of the government employees
was threatened, unless the order restor-
ing him To the position was rcscinded.
After careful Investigation, the
matter was allowed 10 rest there and
| President ROOSEVELT announced that "A
citizens membership or non-member-
ship in a labor union should not oper-
ate against his employment by the gov
ernmeut
We have been at a loss TO understand
how the labor leaders could expect the
| President TO reach any other conclu
sion. If the contention of the labor
leaders was to be accepted, it would
serve as an effectual bar TO every ciu-
zen of color in the southern states.
| President RoosEvELT's reply TO the
members of the Executive Committee
of the American Federation of Labor is
a model of ITS kind He said:
CAS- regards the Miller case, 1 have
little to add 10 what / have already
said. In dealing with it / ask you TO
remember that l am dealing purely
with the relation of the government TO
its employees. must govern my action
/ Inv ha At IA NVbi 4
sworn TO administer, and which differ
entiate any case in which the govern
ment of the United States is 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 discrimina-
ton against some of the people"
The above is the statement of bed
rock principle. He continued:
81 am 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
III the government service l can no
more recognize the fact that q man does
I or does not belong to a union as being
for or against him than i can recognize
the fact that he is a Protestant or "a
Catholic, Jew or a Gentle, as being
for or against him"
| 1t will be observed that Mr.. RooSE-
WELT does not say that he will not, but
= that he cannot. He is ''up against" the
law and his sworn obligation. He did
} not make the law, but he must enforce
? it. What must be thought of men who
would force such an issue upon him?
The Anthracite Coal Commission, APP.
, pointed by him and by whose decision
, both he and the labor leaders ore moral
. ly bound enunciated similar doctrine.
, Organized labor should not be dis
eliminated against and neither should
4 unorganized labor. This is equity. He
dealt with the questions at issue in the
following admirable languages:
O "In the communications sent me by
;, various labor organizations protesting
against the retention of Miller in thu
Government Printing Office, TIT
e grounds alleged are two-foid: l, Tina
he is a non-union man; 3, that he i
not personally fit. The question of hi
personal fitness is one TO be settled il
70 the routine of administrative detail
.e and cannot be allowed to conflict witt
!. or to complicate the larger question o
|" governmental discrimination for o
D against him or any other man becaus
O. he is or is not a member of a union
This is the only question now before no
for decision, and as TO this ny decision
final"
IN We cannot see how these leader
-E could have expected any other decisio
I'd from the Chief Executive of the nation
y To have yielded to their demands woul
Te have been to merit contempt and coul
be obloquy. The path of duty was straigf
DIS before him and he took it. For ever
he vote he loses as a result of his decision
re he will gain ten others from men, WI
at admire manhood and integrity.
II If the labor unions have been Injuries
be it is chargeable to those short-sights
of readers VIII forced the issue.
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