The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-05-24
STRIKE OPPOSED
BY C. Van DYKE

washington. May 24.-'T think a
strike on the part of postal employees
would amount to conspiracy, and
would therefore be unlawful" declared
Carl G. Van Dyke Of st. Paul, who ap-
reared yesterday before the house
committee on reform in the civil serv-
| ice
Mr. Van Dyke, who retired from the
railway mail service following his ac
tivity In connection with the unioniza-
ton movement in the Tenth division,
appeared before the committee to urge
favorable action on the Lloyd bill,
which proposes TO give the government
employees liberty of action and speech"
in expressing their grievances against
superiors. The Lloyd bill is aimed at
the so-called gag order" issued during
the administration of President Roose-
welt.
Rebuked for Complaints.
Mr.. Van Dyke charged that instead
of receiving sympathetic treatment,
railway mail clerks who made COM
plants as to conditions or treatment
were harshly treated by their super
Tors. He cited the case of w. A.
Campbell, a clerk on the St. Paul
Devils Lake division. Campbell, ac-
cording to Van Dyke, was severely
reprimanded for complaints about the
condition Of the car in which he
worked. The authorities to whom
Campbell complained reported that an
examination of the car disclosed 1t
to be in perfect condition. Van Dyke
claimed the car said to have been
inspected at ST. Paul, was at the time
400 miles out of town. Mr.. Van Dyke
attributed his activity to unionize the
service to a desire to better conditions
for the men. He denied that Duff, who
was also disciplined, was "disloyal to
the service" as charged by the Wash
ington authorities. Mr.. Van Dyke told
Of instances wherein the department,
as he viewed 1t, showed Indifference to
the life and health of railway mail
clerks. Complaints that the cars and
roadbeds are defective were ignored
by the officials, according to Van Dyke.
Mail Often Delayed.
Declaring that the number Of men
employed on cars running out of st.
Paul was insufficient, Mr.. Van Dyke
said:
During the past year the northwest
has had the poorest example of rail-
way mail service I have ever known.
Because of the depleted railway mail |
crews there have often been from ten |
to 100 sacks of mail for way points |
between ST. Paul and Fargo and other |
points, delayed from twelve to thirty |
six hours.
Against Radical Action.
Van Dyke insisted that the policy |
Of the recently organized brotherhood |
was to prevent radical action by rail- |
way mail clerks.
1--WE realized that the only way to |
better our condition was to appeal to I
congress" said Van Dyke, land not |
through threats to strike and thereby I
cripple the service. We organized |
merely to prevent radical action, and |
promote an orderly appeal of our case
10 congress. We did not organize to /
bring about strike, which we con-
sidered to be more or less unlawful |
but to prevent such action
Accuses Two Inspectors.
Violation of the postal laws was
charged against two postal inspectors
by the witness. He testified that two
agents of the department assigned to
running down clues in connection with
he brotherhood had opened a package
IF mail at Grand Forks, N. D., and
copied the proposed charter Of the or
sanization. Van Dyke declared he had
sworn out warrants for these two men
out that the district attorney had re-
used to serve them so far. explaining 1
hat he would submit the matter to L
he grand jury.
The witness said he had been a SOL
Tier during the Spanish American war.
Ind declared that "a private in the
army had a better show of getting a
air trial" than a railway mail clerk
second Assistant Postmaster General
Joseph Stewart was present at the
hearing and questioned the witness.
Surprises MIR. Stewart,
Mr., Van Dyke sprung a surprise
when, in replying to Mr.. Stewart, he
said he appeared before the committee
Is representative of the welfare de-
oartfnent OF the Tenth division of the
Railway Mail association, an organiza.-
ion sanctioned and approved by the
department.. He also appeared, he
laid, as the spokesman of the Broth
srhood Of Railway Mail Clerks.
Representative Pujo Of Louisiana
Questioned Van Dyke, concluding with
his observation:
TT Is sad commentary on Ameri-
an citizenship that the average gov
'rnment employe looks upon the gov
as a ruthless corporation
seeking to Cypress Them"
In concluding, Mr., Van Dyke said
All we want Is legislation permitting
'ur organization to appear before con-
lress from time to time to present our
grievances. and also to have them
We are perfectly willing to
lave the legislation amended 80 a. to
,rohihit the members Of our organiza-
lon from going out on strikes,
s----w--~-~---- 4
Hekkinrer Notes.