The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-05-16
SOMETHING FOR LABOR
Unions TO CONSIDER

President Taft, like most OF the oth-
or reasonable and well-informed men
i'm the country, favors labor unions
hut from reasons that many 90 not
stop TO consider, he sees difference
between the responsibilitiesfo1 the men
who work for the government anu
those who work for private corpora
zion, or even a big railroad. Tne pres
ident brought out the points Oh ull-
ference quite plainly in his speech 10
the convention of the Brothernooo Oh
Railway Trainmen at KARLSRUHE Gun
day evening.
81 think" said the president some
persons have gone to the extreme ol
holding that there ought not 10 pe
combinations of government employees
permitted / think, however. thdI III
all government, and ! have given some
examination to the subject that the
government employees are permitted 10
combine and have associations for their
betterment. but the proposition now Is
whether such combinations should De
allowed to affiliate with trades union
organizations made up OF the en-
Moves of private employers, and 10
use the same methods in securing pet
ter terms of employment that are
recognized as lawful and justlnaole III
the ordinary trade union; in other
words that II is entirely proper for
combinations Of postal employees anu
others to combine in an association 10
affiliate with the American Federation
OF Labor and then to hold in reserve as
an instrument for enforcing thelr
claims, presented to Congress for IN
creased compensation or the better
ment of terms in other respects the
boycott an dthe strike, which are IN
struments recognized by the American
Federation of Labor.
This presents a very serious ques
ton and one which if decided in faVo
of the right of government employs
to strike and use the boycott, Will o.
full of danger to the government am
republic"
Referring to the postal strlke II
France the president said:
"when those in executive authorlt
refused to acquiesce in the demand
the government employees struck an
then with the helplessness OF the gov
eminent and the destruction or
authority and the choking or govern
ment activities, it was seen that 10 al
low the government employees TO us
such an instrument was 10 recognlz
revolution as a lawful means or secuf
ing an increase in compensation 1o
one class. and that privileged clas
at the expense Of all the public.
81 do not think that reasonap
minded trades union men will fall
see the broad difference that eXis1
between their case in which they al
contending for the betterment OF the
livelihood against the naturally selhS
motives of their employers, and ths
Of the, class of government employ
who are privileged not only in II
amount of their compensation. the lie
number of hours of their employme1
and the greater permanency or~tenu
and who serve the government or
the people, the very existence of wine
will be threatened should they cor
bine together to quit the governme
service all at once and paralyze I
benefit and the equal benefits that tn
government is properly supposed al
held to confer upon the people at lars
1.-The government employees are
privileged class whose work is nece
sary to carry on the government a
upon whose entry into the goVernme
service il is entirely reasonable to II
pose conditions that should not be
ought not be imposed upon them w
serve private employers"