Evening star., 1907-08-27
WORK ON LABOR DAY
No Holiday for District
LaborerS
OR "PER DIEM" EMPLOYEES
Controller Tracewell Gives an Un-
favorable Decision.
HOPE FOR CHANGE NEXT YEAR
"No Work; No Pay" the Rule, and
Only Congress Has Authority
to Break It.

The per diem employees and laborers In
the service of the District government Will
not be granted holiday on Labor day. The
question was settled by Controller of the
Treasury Tracewell this morning when
Commissioner West. who was anxious to
| include these employees in the holiday, said
| that it could not be legally granted. AS
result of this condition Commissioner West
will recommend to the other Commission
ers that an item be included in the next
annual estimate for the District appropria-
| ton submitted to Congress by the Com
mssioners providing that this class of en-
ployes be granted holiday on Labor day.
Upon reading President Roosevelt's order
in The Star last night. extending the holi-
day privilege to all laborers and per dem
employees Of the federal government. Com
missioner West was at once anxious to
have a similar privilege extended to the
Districts per diem employees and laborers
He took the subject up wsth Auditor Twee-
dale and Disbursing Officer Rogers, relative
to the legality of the question. In view OF
the fact that these officials considered 1T
doubtful and the fact Of the payment Of
money would be involved. the opinion OF the
controller Of the treasury was sought
Labor on Labor Day.
"I should like to make Labor day in the
District OF Columbia holiday in fact as
well as in name" said Commissioner West
today. ut does not seem right to have
national holiday in honor Of the laborer
and yet compel the laborer either to work
upon that holiday or else lose his day
wages. He ought to have his holiday and
feel that he is not losing anything. Other
good fortune to draw annual salaries enjoy
Labor day a holiday without forfeit1ng
any portion OF their salaries. even though
the also get thirty days holiday In addi-
tion."
Commissioner West told Judge Tracewell
that he appreciated the difference between
the federal public service and the District
government service. but that he hoped that
some way might be found that per diem
employees and day laborers under the Dis
trict government might be given the advan-
tage Of holiday with pay.
No Work; No Pay.
Judge Tracewell said that the President
had authority under the law to issue the Or
der. but that he was not acquainted with
any statute which either gave the President
authority to include the laborers under the
District government, or which gave to the
Commissioners authority to issue an order
similar to that promulgated ,y the Presi
dent. He expressed the keenest sympathy in
the proposition submitted to him. but added
that he doubted whether laborers could be
paid for a days work which was not per-
formed. Inasmuch as he intends to leave the
city tomorrow he said that he could not
prepare a formal decision. but simply gave
his offhand opinion in the matter
Although 1t may not be possible this year
to secure the desired object, Commissioner
West said that he would recommend to his
colleagues that in the next appropriation
bill a clause be inserted authorizing the au-
diting officials of the Treasury Department
to allow payments on the District pay rolls
for the national holiday known as Labor
Day. when heads of the departments who
rolls certified that the
name thereon were those of laborers regu-
larly employed by the District.