The Washington times., 1911-03-20
Postofice Department Has
Made Its Attitude
Plain.
MEN HAVE SUPPORT
OF THE FEDERATION
Stewart States Policy of Officials
and Their Objec-
tions.

Railway mail clerks are unionizing
IN affiliation with the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. and the PoStOfhce
Department has made known its dis
approval of such "Organizing." If the
railway mail clerks already in unions
do not get out, and if those now out
don't stay out, the department will
decide what it will do to aCcentuate
its disapproval.
The American Federation of Labor
holds that the men in the postal serv-
fee have as much right to organize
as any other wage earners and will
take their part in a contest TO deter
mine that question.
What will the answer be?
Second Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral Joseph Stewart. who has charge
OF the railway mail service, stated
the policy Of the PostoffiCe Depart
ment today. He said that the DEPART
mcnt regarded with disfavor the en-
ployes joining associations outside
the postal service which might i'm
pose obligations in conflict with their
duties t" the service, and likewise
ulSapproved the formation of sOCietiC.,
within the service. but affiliated with
associations outside which might i'm
pos" "hllC@tionS in conflict with their
postal duties.
Expects No Trouble.
The department has no objections. he
stated, 10 individual employees Joining
associations outside the service which
did not lay upon them any obligations
conflicting with their Postal duties
lie declined to discuss the American
Federation Of Labor specifically He
said that individuals did and could
now and in the future join secret So
Cicties
The pr"s'n movement in org4niza-
tion, Mr. S:'Hart said. the department
would haNg 40 difficulty IN stopping
ENaEEeratc.i ~latements of it had been
made. he dc cred, and ii has not been
extensive. lie said the department Of
1iCials felt sur that the men in the
railway mail service would disband
the unions they had formed when they
learned that the department disapprov-
ed OF them.
What the department will do if the
men 90 not disband.> Mr. Stewart said.
was a question the department has not
Yet decided. If the men did not dis
solve the unions I'm due time the
department would take the matter un-
der advisemcnt for final action. He
declined TO say if dismissal would fol-
low failure to act in accordance with
the departments wishes.
"Thinly Padded Club"
Moral suasion hinted at by postal Of
fciaIs is only a very thinly padded club,
American Federation of Labor people
think
Should YOU tell man that If he will
not join union you will give him all
or more than the union could obtain
for him, you are using moral suasiOn,
Secretary Frank Morrison said today.
PM OH M tpl he
joins union you will fire him you are
just laying him out with a club.
And il seems that they are already
TaiSine the club Press dispatches from
Cleveland say that nlcn there have al
ready been told to get out OF the unions
or lose their jobs as railway mail
clerks"
MI Morrison said that railway mail
service employees had informed him that
they had received 'unWritten inStruC-
tions" not to affiliate with the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor. What stand
the employees already affiliated or con
templating affilation would take, he
stated he could not tell.
Morrison's Stand.
But the statement that union and
good service are incompatible is alb
surd," he declared The union does
not require of a railway postal clerk
anything that would conflict with his
postal duties.
Postmaster General Hitchcock evil
IDENTIFY does not intend TO come out with
an open order prohibiting uniOnizing.
We could defeat that. He probably
means TO fight us by circuitous
method that can hardly he traced. That
moral suasion will be a big stick he will
use TO club his employees away from
their bread and butter.
'If the department dares to come
cut with an open order forhidding lis
men to join union We will take up
the fight gladly and carry It to the
president. If the department con-
tinues TO use secretivo methods we
shat, night it as best We can.
"The Government Of the United
States recognizes the right Of wage
workers to organize for the improve
ment of their conditions Of labor. Or
ganized labor does not intend 70 let
Postmaster General Hitchcock take
that right from the railway mail
clerks.
Mr. Morrison asserted that a large
proportion of railway mail clerks
were already organized in affiliatiOn
with the Federation of Labor.