Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-08-28
Organization Being Secretly Ef-
fected Includes P. o. Employees
of Six Large Cities
eoMPERs VERSUS ROOSEVELT
Meeting in Chicago Yesterday Was
elimination of Months of Quiet
Work by Organizers, and Was At
tended by Representatives of Presi-
dent Gompers-After Congressman.


aggressive moves made by organized
labor in the United States in many
years and one bearing Il significant
challenge to the national government
was undertaken yesterday in Chicago
The first national Union aiming to
intrench itself in the government serv-
ice Is under process of organization
among the clerks in the postoffices.
The operations of the organizers We're
conducted secretly. eliminating in a
meeting held behind closed doors in
the Briggs house, where the union
was formally launched under the
name of the National Federation Of
Postoffice Clerks.
tPostoffice employees in six large cit
les of the country-Chicago, Milwau
kee, San Francisco, Nashville, Louis
vile, and Salt Lake City-already
have been enrolled in the organization
and plans to extend the membership to
include all employees Of this branch of
the postoffice service are under way.
Gompers Backing the Movement.
More significant than the mere for
nation of the union, however, is the
fact that the American Federation
of Labor took an active hand in its
organization. thus merking the first
distinct move of President Samuel
Gompers to gain a -,oothold for the
unions in the government service.
President Gompers had ;. a represent
tative at the Briggs house meeting in
the person of Jefferson Davis Pierce,
known as one of his most aggressive
organizers 1t Is said Mr.. Pierce prom,
Used the clerks the protection and aid
of the American Federation Of Labor,
and indicated that charter will be is
sued to the union shortly, which will
place the organization in complete az
filiation with the national labor body.
BY those closely in touch with Pres
ident Gompers' political plans 1t Is as
serted that the launching of union
within the heretofore prescribed pre-
cincts of the government service is
part of the program which the national
labor chief has outlined to compel po-
litical recognition for the forces of
organized labor
Way to lnfluence Congress.
1t was stated by local labor leaders
that the clerks union will be used by
Gompers to mield influence upon con-
gressional candidates who display a
lukewarmness towards labors Dill OF
legislative rights"
The clerks also have grievances of
their own which they intend to have
corrected if possible, thru the cooper
alton Of the national labor organization.
AS soon as the new union Is firmly es-
tablished it is planned to present to
congress and the president some sug-
gestions in the way OF reform In the
admin stration of the postoffice depart
ment especially revised table of reg
ulations applying to the employment
of the clerks.
These suggestions, 1t Is said, will not
be offered in the form of demands
but will be in the shape of petition
backed up, however, by the approval
of the American Federation of Labor
While the petition will not assume
threatening attitude it is planned
nevertheless to make it as forceful as
possible.
Want the Eight Hour Day.
The first and chief appeal of the
clerks union, it is said, will be in ref
erence to the eight hour day. The
clerks during the last two years have
sent many delegations to Washington
in an effort to obtain for themselves
the same benfits enjoyed by other
government employees in the way of
short working day. On each occasion
the mission has proved failure, prin-
,cipally because of the te'chnicality
which classes them under the civil SER
vice rules as salaries public officials"
instead of employees
President Roosevelt took stand
year ago, however, which set at rest
all attempts of the clerks to intercede
in their own behalf. The president is
sued at the time famous order which
forbade government civil service en-
ployes from seeking to obtain legisla-
ton for themselves except thru the
action Of heads of departments.