The Washington times., 1911-02-18
SENATOR CUMMINS' PROMISE
OF LEGISLATION.

1t is difficult to believe that there
can yet be any clerks in the Govern.
ment departments in Washington. af.
filcted with the hopeless feeling that
there Is no chance to win their fight
for better treatment by their SOW.
ereign employer.
The man or woman who still affects
the Doubling Thomas attitude, who
eroaks and knocks and discourages the
enthusiasm of others, would discover
his error if he would take Just a little
time TO learn the changed and chang
ing sentiment OF Congress and the
country.
Since this contest began, vast deal
has been accomplished Not the least
OF it has been in inducing members OF
Congress, at both ends of the Capitol.
TO give fair consideration to the facts.
the actual conditions surrounding the
civil service.
A Young man called at The Times
office yesterday to tell the following
experience:
AT The Times suggestion, | wrote
a number of letters back to my old
home district, where l have not lived
Tor eighteen years, but have plenty OF
friends. ! tod them of the clerks
fight here and sent along The Times
literature OH the subject, asking each
one to write, and get some others to
write, to their Congressman.
Inside of two weeks the Congress
man had sent for me, saying he under
stood | was interested in the matter.
He spent an entire afternoon with me
on it. heard the matter explained,
agreed that the clerks were entirely
right, and promised to help us in any
way he could in the coming fight for
legislation"
That Young man, having secured
pledge from one Congressman, is going
TO work to get another! He has gone
about il in the right way. In almost
all cases. Congressman and Senators
alike, when they have their attention
called TO actual conditions, and are
made to realize that there is righteous
reason back of the demands of the
civil service workers, will take the
right view of the case.
Don't be afraid of your Congress.
man-or of anybody else's Congress
man. They are not going to complain
and get you fired under the executive
orders; hey know better than that. |
They are human beings, and they have
had experience in getting along with
people. They will not bite or kick,
and when they understand your case
they will be your friends. What you
need more than anything else is to
get the people who will pass laws into
an accurate understanding of what
this fight is all about. When they
understand the facts, they will be
with you, and you will win.
Senator Cummins announces. as
chairman of the Senate Committee OIL
Civil Service and Retrcnchmcnt. that
he will spend the recess drafting a
bill, and will push it with all zeal at
the next regular session, looking to
sweeping reorganization of the civil
He wants to restore efficiency in the
service, and a square deal to the en-
ployes.
This is ne most significant assur-
ance yet won. Senator Cummins is
head of a progressive, able committee,
and its members are in sympathy with
his purposes. There is small question
that the fight for civil service reor-
ganization will be one of the leading
issues in the next session. The Cum
MINIS announcement makes this certain.
The business now is to make the
right appeal to public sentiment, and