The Washington times., 1905-09-11
Old Controversy With
the Geological Survey
Has Been Renewed.
UNFAIRNESS IS ALLEGED
Assert Aliens Are Given En-
ployment, Though Presi-
dent Decided Otherwise.

Charges have been filed with the Pres
ident alleging that there has been seri-
Gus maIadministration in the engraving
division of the Geological Survey. It
is charged that the Government en-
pioyes there have been in the habit OF
doing private work during the time
and with the materials OF the Govern
mment.
These charges are the outcome OF
between the officials Of the
Survey and the American Society OF
Plate Engravers. They particularly re-
fer to S. J.. Kubel. who is at the head
of the engraving division of the Sur
vey For a long time there has been
an antagonism between the Plate En-
gravers' Association and the manage
ment of this division The Engravers
Society, through Samuel Compers. pres
ident of the American Federation OF
Labor, has at different times presented
complaints to the President alleging un-
fairness in the management OF the Gov
ernment engraving work at the Survey
IL was claimed that kubel had secured
a modilca ton of the civil service rules,
permitting him TO secure the services OF
aliens The reason alleged for this de-
parture was that there were not enough
expert map engrayers in this country
to fill the want, and 1t was necessary
10 import men for the work On the
other hand. the Plate Engravers So
ciety represented that If the Govern
ment would pay as coed wages as was
earned in private employment for ike
work. there would be no difficulty get
ting men without going abroad
Allege Charges Are Old
The Geological Survey authorities say
that these charges are year old, and
do not believe that anything viii come
Of them. as they have once before oeen
investigated by the Secretary OF the
Interior, by direction of the President
The Plate Engravers' Society, however,
homes vet to secure a reopeninS OF the
matter. to be followed by a full inquiry
into the allegations that Government
workmen do private work with Gov
ernment materials and on Government
time
a lengthy statement of the posiuon OF
the Plate Engravers' Society has oeen
prepared by a committee appointed LOT
the nurpose. The statement was drawn
ou- nv an article in The Times OF
August 8 when certain statements were
made concerning the allegations OF
graft in the Geological Survey, IN
which incidental reference was made 10
the relations OF the American Society OF
Plate Engravers to the engraving oe
partment of the Survey Ihese relet .st,
ences. which are quoted as statements
made by an official of the Survey, pre-
sent the matter in so unfair nghc
that the plate engrayers declare SONS
correction seems to be Warraateo-
Their statement in substance follows
-.It was stated by the officer OF the
Survey to whom reference Is mace, thdI
the Survey has an engraving bureau
OF its own to do certain of its work; put
This bureau is hopeleSsly inadequates
and il is alleged that some labor or
ganizers have used their utmost siAOAS
10 keep il in this c9nd1uon
-They do not want the Government 10
deveIoI1 a large engraving plant whose
employees would be indepenoent oI !i laD9i
! organizations and whose existence Wouio
| in a large way menace the domination
of this trade by the organizations
.Granting that the engraving depart
r,ant is inadequate. il is so because OF
the maladministration TO which II has
! alvays been subject. not to any pohcy
! of actions of the engravers OF tnls ol-
! vision
| rrayers protested against holding GER
] tain examination, advertised Tor Septsn-
/ her 90 1902. 10 secure engraVerS Ior tnS
| survey The examination was TO De heio
/ under an amendment to the civil service
:. Provided. that in order to secure a
1 sufficient number OF eligioies 10 meet me
needs of the service foreign born per-
/ sons who have declared their intention
of becoming citizens of the United States
may be admitted TO examinations
Put Before President.
| Pending investigation of the protest.
the examination was postponed a month.
when 1t was advertised again as be-
! fore. The Plate Engravers' Society
then took their protest TO Samuel
Gonpers. president of the American
Federation of Labor who laid IL before
| the President He received assurance
that if the protest could be sustained
| by the facts. no appointments would
be allowed under the offensive amend
| ment. and that the President would re-
sc:nd the same.
The objection. OF course. was based
on our unwillingaesS that such a caTa-
lier waving of the laws against impor-
tation of contract labor should be per
mitted. II map plate engravers may bt
imported under such a rule, ana giver
privileges that American citizens do no
enjoy of securing admission TO the Gov
ernment service, there is no reason VIII
the contract labor law should not b'
suspended in other cases.
Early in 1908. this protest having fail
/ ed 10 stop the examination under tn
Objectionable rule, MIR. Gompers anC
representatives of the Plate Engravers
Society called on the President BY hin
they were informed that the facts II
the matter. as explained by the Survey
| did not sustain our position
The President was then told that III
, whole trouble was that GOVernmen
! wages were net high enough TO draw
I American citizens expert in this trade
from more lucrative positions in privat
u employment In most cases Sala rieS i
7 private employment were shown TO b
/ twice those paid for related work by IN
. Goevrnme--t-
/ This was new to the President. VIII,
S promised further 10 look into the mat
Z ter. Accordingly. in a few days Mr.
! Gompers was notified by the Presiden