The Washington herald., 1911-05-15

associations or combinations for i'm
provement Of the terms of their employ
ment and their condition as wage EARN
ers, and, If so, what methods such COM
binations should be forbidden to pursue
in securing the object of their aSsocla-
ton.
Il think some persons have gone to
the extreme in saying there ought to be
no combinations of such employees per-
mitted. 1 think, however, that in all
governments-and 1 have given some ex-
animation to the subject-the govern.
ment employees are permitted to COM
bine and have associations for their bet
terment, but the proposition now is that
such combinations should be allowed to
affiliate with trades union organizations
made up of the employees of private en-
ployers, and to use the same methods in
securing better terms of employment that
are recognized as lawful and justifiable
in the ordinary trade union; in other
words. that it is proper for ,combina-
tions of postal employees and others TO
combine in an association to affiliate
with the American Federation of Labor
and then to hold in reserve as an in-
strument for facing their claims, pre-
sented to Congress for increased COM
pensation or the betterment of terms in
other respects the boycott and the strike.
which are instruments recognized by the
American Federation of Labor and sup
ported and justified by it when used by
the trades unions affiliated in such feder-
alton.
Strikes Are Dangerous.
This presents a very serious question.
and one which if decided in favor of the
RIGHT of tho Government emplnyeS m
strike and use the boycott will be full
of danger to the government and the re-
public.
THE government employees of France
resorted to it and took the government
by the throat. The executive was en-
tirely dependent upon these employees
for its continuance.
When those in executive authority re-
fused to acquiesce in the demands. the
government employees struck, and then
with the helplessness of the government
and the destruction of all authority 1t
was seen that to allow government en-
ployes TO use such an instrument was
to recognize revolution as, a lawful means
of securing an increase in compensation
for one class, and that privileged class,
at the expense of all the public.
Il do not think that reasonably minded
trades union men, who are fully alive
to the necessity for vigorous means to
enforce their rights in their controver-
sizes with capital and with their en-
ployers, will fail to see the broad diff
ference that exists between their cause,
in which they are contending for the
betterment of their livelihood against the
naturally selfish motives of their employ
ers, and that of tho class of government
employees, privileged not only in the
amount of their compensation, the less
number of hours of their employment, and
the great permanency of tenure, and who
serve the government of all the principle
the very existence of which will be threat
ened. should they combine together to quit
the government service all at once and
paraIyze the benefit, and the equal bene-
fits, that the government is properly
supposed and held to confer upon the
people at large"
Owing to the illness of Mrs. Taft, the
President was obliged to shorten his
visit to the convention.