The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-26
RAILROAD NEWS.
Railway Mail Clerks May Form
a Union in West.
Missouri, Kansas and Colorado
Division Plans 1t.
SENATOR BEHIND MOVE
LaFOllette of Wisconsin Sup
porting Action.
Other Items of General Inter-
SENATOR BEHIND MOVE
Other Items of General Inter-
est i'm Traffic World.

Kansas City, Mo-, April ga union
of the railway postal clerks is one of
the subjects which is before the meet
| ing of the Railway Mail association in
| this city. Urged on by Senator Robert
| M. LGFollette of Wisconsin, the move
| ment for the first union in the govern
ment service outside the printing office
has gained considerable Roadway, but
no actual step has been taken. This
division included Missouri. Kansas and
Colorado, and about 81 delegates are in
attendance. s
Senator LaFollette has been sending
| out a vast amount of mail under his
| official frank to every railway postal
clerk, urging him to join the move
| ment. The division superintendent
! have been told to discourage it and
| to tell the clerks to pass along the
word that it is inimical to the inter-
| ests of the government and incompat-
| ible with the obligation of the clerks
| to the department for them to organ
| iZe and thus assume other obligations.
The hold of the discipline of the de-
| partment is strong, but the desire of
| the younger railway postal clerks, es-
| peclaliy, has been almost as strong to
| join the American Federation of Labor.
| The labor unions have been powerful
factors in procuring the appointments
| of many clerks and these men have
talked unionization continuously.
La Toilette Writes Again.
The clerks who favor the union idea
| have LaFollettes latest letter at hand.
| in which he assures them the depart
ment can do rothing against them if
| they organize. He mentions the letter
sent out to division superintendent by
Second Assistant Postmaster General
Stewart advising the superintendent
to instruct the clerks, by word of
mouth to frown down the union, and
adds:
II understand that the clerks were
given to understand that their con-
| tinuance in the service depended upon
the answer to the final question,
| Knowing the opposition of the depart
ment, will you continue to be active in
| the federation movement
| LaFollette has asked for direct an
SWerS to a series of questions and has
| promised to keep the names of his in
| formants confidential. He says in his
| letter:
TT is further represented to me that
| this system of intimidation has been
and is being carried on to such an ex-
| tent that clerks have been prevented
| from exercising their right to join a
union.
Il desire to secure direct statements
! from railway mail clerks as to whether
| in any way, they have been so threat
ened or inundated. If you have been
| approached and an effort made to pre-
vent you from Joining or to force you to
! withdraw from a union or to cease your
| activities as a union man, state fully
| the circumstances, and be particular to
| state the date and place where such
effort was made and the name or names
| of any officer or officers who made such
| effort, or were present when you were
thus interviewed
1.-THE railway mail clerks have the
| right to organize. If the officers of the
] department are endeavoring to prevent
| them from so doing by threats of dis
| charge, such action is without legal
| authority or moral right. If 1 find con-
! ditions in the railway postal service to
| be generally such as has been repre-
! scented, 1 shall introduce and do every
| thing i'll my power to pass a bill to
| prevent the continuation of such I'M
/ American practices, and to preserve to
| all government employees the right of
petition which belongs to every citizen