The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-01
UNION Of CLERKS
A Postmaster Does Not Believe
They Would Get Any Bene-
fit From It.

The discussion of the proposed union
of postal clerks has attracted much
interest among these important serv-
ants of Uncle Sam and their friends.
According to the Minneapolis Journal
Postmaster w. D. Hale of Minneapolis,
states that he had heard nothing about
the proposition advanced by Samuel
Gompers of the American Federation
of Labor, to organize the postal clerks
of the country into union.
Il should be sorry to see such
course attempted" said Major Hale.
1T would be apt to prove a disturb
ing force in what has been a very
smooth working organization, and 1
don't believe it could be of any bene-
fit to the clerks. 1t Is admitted every
where that their salaries are made
quate. They are poorly paid in COM
parison with the carriers. and have no
fixed statute governing their increases
in salary. The carrier knows just
what pay he will get after a certain
term of service. 1t is fixed by law,
but the question of clerks salaries and
grades is fixed at every session of
congress. The trouble has been the
deficit in the postal revenue. AS long
as 1t Is necessary to take money from
other sources to keep up the postal
service, 1t will be hard to secure any
increases in compensation for postal
employees. don't believe union or
ganization would help any. The clerks
already have their association. which
meets once year, and through which
they can present their case to con-
gress."
Aivices from Chicago have the fol-
lowing relative to the question of the
formation of union:
Postmaster Fred A. Busse will
leave for Washington this morning to
consult with the authorities on the
formation of a national labor union of
postal clerks in affiiation with the
American Federation of Labor.
The announcement made yesterday
that such an organization had been
formed caused surprise in government
circles. Mr.. Busse declared he had no
idea such step was contemplated by
the clerks. He said he had other bust
ness in connection with the Chicago
pOstoffice which made it necessary for
him to go to Washington, but he in
tended to learn the attitude of the de-
partment toward the new organization.
IF the national union conducts its
business along the same lines as the
Chicago local has done in the past, it
Is personal opinion that there will be
no objection to it." said Mr. Busse. The
union has been in existnce in Chicago
for a number of years. Its officers
from time to time have called atten-
ton to certain grievances which they
have right to do, and which we have
tried to remedy to the best of our
ability. OF course, II the new union
follows the lines of some labor or
CARNATIONS and attempts to set wages
and working conditions, there might
possibly be hitch, as the laws gov
erning the department are inflexible.' "
"E. B. Goltra, president of the Ma
tional Federation of Postoffice Clerks
said yesterday that the new union
would not in anyway antagonize heads
of departments, nor act contrary to the
established rules. There is nothing
in our oath of allegiance to the gov.
ernment,' he said, that forbids us
joining labor union for our mutual
benefit. We understand that any i'm.
provement in our conditions must
come through legislation, and we ex.
pect to have the support of organized
labor In trying to secure such legis.
lation. II we cannot directly appeal
to congress on our own behalf, we
must do so indirectly, and this we ex.
pect to do through the legislative com.
mittee of the American Federation Of
Labor and of the various central labor
bodies throughout the country. Tall
of defying President Roosevelt OF
striking against the government IL
puerile, and has never been contem.
plated by U.S."