Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-01-23
COMMUNICATED
PUBLIC PRINTER DoNNELLY.

Just ss wster seeks its level jast Sd
will the indiscretion of humsu beings
rise up to haunt them. TIE Govern
men. Printing Office, one of the branch
es OF the government which employs not
less than 200 compositors, prOofnat--
ers, makers-up, imposeIs, timekeepers,
etc., aud about 1000 other employees,
nearly all of whom are members of some
trades Organization, has bsen operated
to the advantage Of an organization
known as the ''Wahnetas"- hat Is the
working members of this organization
received the "fsV positions irrespective
of any ability possessed by them-ior it
wss a rare thing when those promoted
we're not incOmpetents both intell6ctusl-
ly aud as mechanics. In other words.
when compositors, who we're members
of the Wsbnetas, we're unable to make
the average, they were either given q
position in the correcting slley--a soft
5nsp-lr were promoted to mskerS-up or
prOofresders, to sit in judgment on the
more competent of their fellow craftsmen.
Mr.. John S. Leecb, the dethroned public
printer, who during this period was fore
man OF the Fifth division during the ad-
ministrstion of Public Printer Frank
Palmer not only knew these conditions
but vas psrt.ceps criminis to them
AS an employee of this division during
ibis time | remember q few men, one
of whom was Mr.. Shelby Smith, who
dared to complain OF the injustice done
those who By virtue of length Of service
and ability were entitled to considera-
lion. 1t was not long before Mr..
Smiths name was taken from the pay
-oDIs "lnr the good of the service" Mr..
Smith has never been able to get REIN
stated and is managing labor paper in
Philadelphia. Shortly after this Mr..
Leech was appointed public printer in
the Philippines and took with him the
working force Of the Wahnetas to these
for away islands. After this ca
account CT some trouble by man named
Miller With the bookbinders' union il
which Public Printer Palmer was impI =
Gated, Mr.. Palmer resigned and after
short term OF Mr.. Oscar Rickettp, The
president declared the office an Omen
shop and in proof Of this appointed Mr..
Charles A. Stllings, who at the time
was secretary Of the TypOthetse of
Ametics, and at the came time owned
and opeTaed sn open shop in Boston.
From this time The ranks of the union
began to wtsken until more than hmm
bred refused to pay dues. Mr.. S.illiugs
gathered around him this same bunch
who bad thrown others down and he
met like fate. Then Mr.. Leech was
recalled from the Philippines and took
up the rsins Of office, but, 1t is said,
through the sdvice Of his friends" he
Wai too rapid in ris'oriug old conditions
s1d he, too, had to walk the plank.
NJ Samuel D)nnelly, of New York,
was then appointed aud this body OF
ineompe,ents known as "Wahnetas"
nave left 10 stone unturned to delfa. his
confirmation. but they have "a led.
They know he is loyal to union labor,
but he is not a Wsbneta These people,
eli Of whom hold preferred situations
now, when Mr. DoDnelly vas a csndi-
date for president Of the International
Typographical Union, fought him Bit
terly and defeated him. Nov is bis
turn, and they know ii; hence the fight
sgsins. bis cOp6rmstoD. The only
remedy fer existing conditions-in the big
print shop is the wedding out Of the
moss-covered larnscles who have held
sway there for many years. Mr.. Don
nelly is a good priuter, but he will find
that this crowd of "a2 suckers" who
knitted him when he was an ordinary
New York printer candidate for q
small Office compared with the one he
has DOW, will welcome him with bowed
head and pleasant smile, only proving
the hypocrisy Of hun an beings.
GEO. h. HAYDEN.