Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-17
TALK OF A UNION
Government Clerks Seriously
Considering the Proposition.
LABOR Federation READY
Will Grant Special Charter and Wei
come Them to Ranks.
NOT TO BE A C0ERCIvE MOVE
Intended Only as Means of Present
ing Claims as Wage-Earners in
Concrete Form.
LABOR Federation READY
NOT TO BE A COERCIvE MOVE

Employees Of the Treasury Department
are seriously considering the organiza-
ton of q union, which shall represent
far as hours. wages and working con-
ditiOns are concerned.
The American Federation of Labor
stands ready to aid the government clerks
ing to Frank Morrison secretary Of the
A. F. of L. Mr.. Morrison said today
that the federation is always ready to aid
any movement for organization Of wage
reason for organizing.
The proposition to increase the working
hours of the clerks by an extra half hour
every day has brought the movement for
organization among the employees Of the
Treasury to q head. The employees feel,
it is said, that their working hours are
being gradually increased, while their pay
envelopes contain no more money for the
longer hours demanded Of them. Alaa.
they point out, the cost of living con-
tinues to increase.
Regarded as a Club.
The action of the President and the
cabinet at yesterdays cabinet meeting,
when it was decided to leave the mat
ter of adding the extra half hour to
the clerks working day to each de-
partment head. has not altered the de-
termination of some Of the Treasury
employees to organize. They say that
by leaving the matter under allegiance a
club has been placed over their heads
which may fall at any moment. They
add that even now they are frequently
compelled to work until long after 8
o'clock, although the closing hour Of
the department is supposed to be 4:30
o'clock.
If the employees Of the Treasury or
ganize and their organization is bene-
fetal, it is likely, it is said. that the
employees of all the other executive de-
partments will follow suit. The or
ganization will not be confined to WASH
ington, but will spread throughout the
federal employees the country over.
Such an organization, affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor. would
be of enormous strength, it is said
And it's strength would be political.
Organized labor is still an infant in
the political field, it was said at the
Offices Of the A F. L. today. but its
power is growing greater steadily.
No Thought Of Strike.
The government employees have no
thought of organizing union with the
idea that they are to strike if the gov
ernment does not grant their demands.
They realize that a strike against the
government, aside from being unpatri-
otic, would be futile. But through their
organization the government employees
will be able to lay their requests for fair
pay and for fair working conditions in q
forceful way before the heads Of the de-
partments. Their pleas will bear the
weight Of the entire force employed in
the civil service Of the government.
Already the employees of the federal
government in the bureau Of engraving
and printing-which is q branch OF the
Treasury Department-are organized. The
employees at the navy yard IN Wasnlns-
ton are organized, and most OF the en-
ployes at the government printing ONCE
are members OF union.
In none Of these branches of the gov
ernment do the employees and the federal
government clash. The requests of the
employees, when they are made, are given
bureaus. But that the employees derive
benefit from their organization is en-
phatically stated to be true, and their re-
quests when just. are given the greater
consideration because the employees are
solidly organized.
Navy Yard Case Cited.
During the Spanish war the machinists
at the Washington navy yard were ask
ed to work overtime. Their union con-
sidered the matter and determined that
the men should work overtime. since there
was D essing need Of their services by the
government. After the war was over the
machinists brought in bill for overtime.
The matter was referred to the Navy De-
partment and to the wage board OF the
navy yard. 1t was decided by the wage
board that there was TO authority to pay
this overtime. The machinists, therefore.
carried the matter to Congress and got q
special appropriation to remuneFate Ine:N-
This Is pointed to as an evidence Of the
power of organized employees OF the gov
ernment.
The employees of municipal governments
in many of the states in the large cities,
was said today by D. #. Manning. presi-
dent of the International Retail Clerks
Protective Association. MIR. Manning
spoke particularly of Massachusetts, and
Boston as places in which the organfza-
ton of the state and municipal employees
was well completed.
II the employees of the government Of
states and municipalities find 1t of ad-
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