The Washington herald., 1906-11-19
LABOR MEN AROUSED
StillingS' Order Creates Bad
Feeling Among UniOnists.
FEENEY SAYS IT IS UNFAIR
President of BOOkbindeFs' Union
Declares Violations of Law Have
0ffice-Situation Tense aud En-
plOyes Expect Things TO Happen.

After having carefully read the order
issued by Public Printer Stillings 10 his
foremen, as published In yesterdays
Washington Herald. I can say that II is
the most cruel and heartless and infa-
nous ruling have ever known an en-
ployer 10 make" said J. L. Feeney, presi-
dent OF the Bookbinders' Union, yester-
day.
The order for the preparation of the
death" list, as it is called by the en-
ployes about the Government Printing Of
fice. was one Of the principal topics of
discussion in Washington yesterday. Mr.
sullings and his private secretary, Mr.
Collins, both refused to say anything con-
oerning the issuance Of the order, and Mr.
StiiIings will neither deny or affirm
that he has issued IT,
The foremen whose designations were
said to have been accepted would not talk
fer publication, and the whole situation
has assumed tensity that will probably
result in a crisis shortly.
Union labor people are intensely inter
ested in the order and its outcome, and a
number OF leaders have given assurance
that it viii be taken up and a fight made
On what they declare 10 be violations Of
the eight-hour labor law, and other vio-
laticns Of unionism with which Mr.. still
ings has been charged by them
That there viii be happenings about the
Office to-day is anticipated. and it is in
timated that there will be a thorough in
vestigation of the dissatisfaction now ex-
listing there.
Collins Accuses BOOkbtndeTs.
Secretary Collins, recently, stated that
the only trouble about. the Office is that
the employees are compelled to work more
than they ever were before, and that the
uprising is the result OF cOmplainers who
object TO doing full-time work
Much OF the trouble comes from the
bindery," said Mr.. Collins.
In days gone by, the men had very
little TO do, and they have refused to de-
liver the goods. They are paid 81 a day,
and they work just the same the year
around They turn out ten books a day.
no matter il they be very small or very
large books. The policy of the Office has
been 20 get value received for wages paid.
ana this IS what has caused most Of the
trouble"
That there viii be a mass indignation
meeting some time this week is probable.
accOruIng TO the employees, and a formal
protest may be made TO President Roose-
welt
President Feeny, of the bookbinders
talked very freely about the conditions
in the big printing Office.
Claims Violation of Law.
s,FF
eight machines in the ruling department, "
said Mr.. Feeney. were taken down and
stored in another building when business
became slack in that department. Work
shortly assumed normal conditions. and
the result is that the force in that de-
partment is now working twelve hours a
day, adding a cost OF. 20 per cent to the
governments cost. and expressly vio-
lating the eight-hour labor law.
But, returning TO the order. il seems
TO me that to call upon foremen 10 sub
NIT names of employees for dismissal
because they are unfortunate enough to
become III or have the misfortune to con
tract tuberculosis. is decidedly unjust and
cruel, especially when many Of the en-
plOyes have contracted disease and in
Jured their health in the various branches
of the printing and binding industry ]
am positive the execution of this order
would not be tolerated by President
Roosevelt or Congress. and public opinion
would undoubtedly make Il uncomfortable
for the Public Printer, if such an order
went into effect
Duty "a Hard One.
The duty imposed upon the foreman
10 select employees for dismissal on ac-
count of i'll health, and the contraction OF
tuberculosis, seems TO me extremely diff
cult for them, as such d duty is one that
only a physician could perform, and I dc
not know any foreman in the bindery that
has that especial qualification.
IF Mr. Stiinngs did not prepare the
order. he should Immediately overhaul hi.
literary force and discover who is the
author, and punish him for bringing OF
the Government Printing Office unpleasant
nOtOriety and bitter public censure. The
Public Printer has been unfortunate in
his selection Of some OF his assistants
Mr. Feeney also added that Mr StiIlngs
h3d positively given him his word that
Acting Foreman Ashton would not be ap-
pointed 10 the position Of permanent fore