Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-22
CHARGE OF A PRINTER
Says He Was Disseminated
Against by Bureau Chief.
AN INVESTIGATION ORDERED
Alleged Violation Of Intent of Miller
Executive Order.
REFERRED TO COMMISSION
Statement by Friends Of Prof. Willis
l. Moore-Text Of Presi-
dents Letter.
AN INVESTIGATION ORDERED
REFERRED TO COMMISSION

dents Letter.
Representations having been made TO
President Roosevelt several days ago to the
effect that Prof Willis L. Moore. chief Of
the weather bureau, had violated the intent
and purposes Of the so-caHed Miller execu-
tive order Of September 80 1908. the Presd-
dent ordered an investigation. It was
learned today. which has been concluded.
and tho papers in the case are said to be
in the hands Of the civil service commission.
The Miller order was issued as a result Of
the dismissal from the government print
Ing Office Of a bookbinder. w. A. Miller.
because, It was alleged. he had been sus-
pended from membership in the Book
binders union, and had afterward declined
to be reinstated In that labor organization.
Upon the representation to Puplo Printer
Palmer that he had ceased to be q union
workman he was dismissed from the gov
eminent service at the suggestion Of the
Bookbinders' Union, 1t Is alleged.
The Presidents order restored him to
duty.
The matter at the weather bureau, as
brought to the attention of the President
| sioners, presented different phase of the
same question. It was the allegation that
| Prof. Moore had Disseminated in his Of
| flcial capacity as head of the United States
weather service against J. 8. Cooper, a
printer employed at the bureau.
1t Is said that several weeks ago more
| than fifty printers were suspended from
membership in Columbia Typographical
Union because of their declination to pay
the amounts that had been assessed against
them for the strike fund from which the
while they are out Of employment. Most
Of those who declined to pay the assess
| ments are employed in the government
| printing office and it's branches. One Of
the number. II is said. was Mr.. Cooper
! an employe Of the printing department Of
the weather bureau.
Demurred to Payment.
| Several Of the weather bureau printers
| demurred to the payment and they waited
| upon Prof. Moore who. In a friendly man
| ner. suggested that it was only fair for
| those printers who held good positions to
pay a small per cent of their earnings to-
wards the support Of the men who were
| out of work while contending for the eight
hour workday. There were yelled
| threats in his advice, it is said by printers
who know Of the transaction, but being q
printer himself Mr.. Moore talked to them
as one craftsman to another in the interest
of the general veal of all.
Prof. Moore dismissed the matter from
his mind after the interview, his friends de-
clared today. and had not given 1t any
further thought until the complaint was
made to the White House. Then 1t devel-
oped that Mr.. Cooper had steadfastly de-
clined to pay the assessment ordered by the
printers union.
1t also developed that occasion had arisen
| for the transfer of printer from the print
| ing department of the bureau here to the
| station at New Orleans. and that Prof.
Moore had selected Mr.. Cooper as the man
| to be transferred. On this 1t seems. the
allegations against the chief Of the weather
arxy1oo In Sod q octr o{Y,a Hon,
| against Cooper because he had declined to
| pay his union assessments.
Declined to Discuss Matter.
Prof. Moore declined to discuss the mat
| ter when asked about it today, but printers
| who are familiar with the situation de-
clared that there is not in their opinion
any just cause of complaint against the
chief of the weather bureau. 1t was learn
| ed that Mr.. Cooper was the only available
| man who is best adapted for the class of
| work required at the New Orleans weather
| station, including the up-to-date process
Of map printing, with which he Is SAID TO
| be perfectly familiar.
That his selection for that duty Is in no
wise reduction in his official standing and
that the pay he will receive there wiz De De
| the main office, considering the relative
| cost of living expenses IN the two cities
| Is contended.
II was pointed out tOQdy al6O CIdl SoVcTdi
years ago MI. Moore accompanied a delega-
ton Of printers employed In the weather
| bureau to the Office Of Secretary Of Agrtcul-
ture Wilson and argued for an increase Of
| stated that ever since the declination Of
certain members of the printers union to
| pay the assessment for the strikers those
| who have so declined have insisted upon
| playing the role OF martyr" as typo ex-
pressed 1t, whenever their superior officers
| seek to transfer, reduce or discipline them. :"
That In such cases they at once have refer
ence to the Presidents letter to certain Ia
| action, and hold 1t aloft as deterrent when
any such change in their status is contem-
| plated.
The statement was made this afternoon
| that Mr.. Cooper is still under orders to
proceed to New Orleans; that the nearing
| of the allegations against Prof. Moore
will go to the President tomorrow or the
next day, and that the result Is awaited
| with interest by both the heads OF de-
partments, the union workers and those
who have declined to pay the strike as
| their labor unions for that or olner
causes.
Letter Of the President.
The letter Of the President to which
reference has been made was dated Sep
| TENDER 20 1902, and was as follows;
II thank you and your committee for
1
portunity to meet with you. It will al
ways be q pleasure to see you or any rep
resentatives Of your organizations or Of
your declarations as a whole
LAS regards the Miller case, have little
| to add to what have already said. In
| dealing with 1t ask you to remember that
am dealing purely with the relation Of
| the government to its employees. I must
| govern my actions by the laws Of the land
| which am sworn to administer. and which
differentiates any case In which the gov
| eminent OF the United States Is a party
| from all other cases whatsoever. These
| laws are enacted for the benefit Of the
whole people, and cannot be and must not
| be construed as permitting discrt9dnations
Of all the people OF the United States
without regard to creed. color, birthplace.
occupation or social condition.
/ MY aim 10 to do equal and exact justice
| as among them ali. In the employment
and dismissal Of men In the government
| service, can no more recognize the fact
| that q man does or does not belong to q
| union as being for or against him than
cen recognise the fact that he Is Prot
| estant or Catholic, . Jew or Gentle as
| being for or against him.
'Tn the communication sent mo by vari-