The Washington times., 1908-05-17
IN LABOR WORLD
ASK EXTENSION
OF TINE LIMIT
James L. Feeney Petitions
President in Behalf of
BookbinderS.

DOOhDklANNlO
President Roosevelt has been petition |
ed by the Boozbinders' Union TO issue |
an executive order extending the time !
limit clause in the civil service rules. |
under which the bookbinders who were |
discharged from the Government Print !
ing once will be ineligible for reap
pointment, by reason Of years lapse
of time.
Under Public Printer Stillings' admin
igtration 500 bookbinders were dis
charged from the big DTintery under
the civil service law, which provided
that no employees not needed TO success /
fully and economically carry on the
work should be carried on the roles.
Most of these discharges occurred near
ly a year ago, and number Of the
men have been unable 10 obtain work
by reason OF the general depression in
the trade throughout the country.
Feeney Given a Hearing.
James /. Feeney, president Of the
/ bookbinde-s' union. and member OF the
4 legislative committee Of the Central
4 Labor Union, who has been pushing the
matter before the Civil Service Commits
sion, was given a hearing last week
/ by the fun commission, and the logic
/ Of his arguments caused the commits
/ sion 10 take the matter up with Acting
Public Printer Erian and the President
! Mr.. Brian was asked 10 make a recon-
/ mendation that the time limit of one
{ year for reappointmeut be waived. and
that the men be retained on the eligible
4 list indefinitely. sir Brian however
! recommended that action be deferred
until the arrival OF Public Printer
/ Leech. The President favors such &C
/ tion and as soon as he receives a
/ recommendation from Mr. Leech he will
/ Undoubtedly issue the order
I When ne appeared before the Civil
/ Service Commission. Mr.. Feeney set
I forth that the men who had had years
Of experience ia the bindery an the Gov
eminent Printing ONCE were better
fitted and more capable than novices
: entering the service fresh from the
/ Civil Service examination He set
forth that the work IN the Government
Printing Office and In private blnderies
was vastly different This. he said. Tas
not only a handicap 20 the new men
coming ia. and 10 the Printing once,
but il was a hardship for men who
rad been in the service the better part
OF their lives, and were specialists on
the Government work.
Works Hardship on Many.
He said that many of the old men
were bookbInders plain ana simple. and
specialists IN the Governments line Of
work. that they were not highly edu-
Gated, and that il would be a hardship
-
examination. He continued that there
. were a number who could not hope 20
. pass II. as their education had been lost
in their binding books and becoming
experts in this lire at the big printery.
b He stated further that 10 keep these
men on the roles and reinstate them as
they We're needed. would result in a vast
, saving 20 the Government by the ex-
cess in the value Of their services over
those Of a novice.
Mr.. Feeney set forth that President
= Mckinley issued such an order as IS
now desired during his administration.
when there was a dearth OF work for a
, year
Another precedent cited was the wav-
Ing OF the time limit In the case of
, a number Of tailors and cutters en-
= poyed In the big Government uniform
shop at The Frankfort Arsenal PhIla-
deIphIa. when discharges given these
= men were recalled. and they were is
: sued furl0ughs for three years. for the
reason that these men were the most
I proficient in Government work
Printers Organize Ball Team.
The union printers of Washington
s have formed an organization TO be
! known as the Columbia Union Athletic
: Association. for the purposOe Of or
e g2nizing a baseball team 10 participate
s in a national baseball tournament for
: union printers 20 take place in New
s York during the month OF September.
? The tournament IS 10 be held undeI
the auspices OF the Morning Newspaper
Baseball League. Invitations have beer
r sent 10 and accepted by Washington
/, | Chicago. Cincinnati. St Louis. Pitts
n burg Boston and Philadelphia. Tn,
!. trophy. a magnificent silver loving cup
t has been donated by August Hermann
). ! president Of the National Baseball
Commission.
Funds Already Raised.
: The officers of the local organization
e are Frank s Lerch, president; Pete
u Fu1bsher, vice president and assiStan
manager: Q. r. Pierce, secretary; "
: Williams. treasurer, and John +
= Luitich. manager. over half OF tn
= funds necessary for the proper equip
d ment of the team and to defray tn
EXPENSE TO New York have alread.
e been raised.
n Through the courtesy of Colone
# Cromwell. superintendent OF publ
e buildings and grounds, the printer
have been granted permission to us
q one of the diamonds on the White 10
a Tuesday. wednesday, and Thursday o
each week between the hours OF an
= $50 o'clock.
The United States produces the great
est amount Of cotton. but speaking gen
d orally it is not of the best grade Tn
" srramn lands OF Louisiana when re