United labor bulletin., 1911-04-27
MAIL SERVICE AurocRAr.
superintendent of Thirteenth Division
Delivers Himself Of FeudaI Age
Opinions.

.'Diyine Right" Baer. the coal king,
will be compelled to enter the lists to
defend his reputation if Superintendent
Vaille of the thirteenth division, railway
mail service, has capacity to keep the
pace ne has set by his declaration con-
corning the rights of men employed in
the railway mail service. Comment is
needless. Just scan the statement of
the superintendent published in the
Seattle Times:
"The railway mail clerks have an or
ganization," said Mr.. Vaille this morn
ing, known as the Railway Mail asso-
citation. Its membership is confined to
clerks in the railway service, and it is
recognized by the department and al
ways has worked in harmony with it
This organization is a fraternal order.
1t provides its members benefits in case
of accident and promotes the social in
terests of its members.
-Some of the younger element, how
ever, believe that the association is not
radical enough. 1t is these who are most
active in organizing the labor union in
the East. The object OF the union is to
procure Tor its members more pay at
cost OF less work, ignoring the right OF
the service to the best work they can
perform.
in the ranks of skilled labor, and for one
to affiliate himself with a union is to
place his work on par with that of a
steyedore or a mechanic.
IF they regard themselves merely as
laborers working for hire, it is impossi-
BILE that they should bring to the per-
formance of their duties the enthusiasm
borne OF love for their work and a full
realization of the responsibilities placed
upon them. No man who regards him
self merely as a skilled laborer can be
| good postal clerk and be the proper
man for our service A ume-server has
no place in our service and it is better
OF without him"
Secretary Morrison of the American
Federation OF Labor, upon receiving the
| information regarding the attitude of
Superintendent yaille gave out the fol-
lowing:
The railway mail clerks are mighty
fine body of men know they do not share
the opinion of MIR. Vaille in regard to
mechanics, nor any other class of work
ers- l suppose Mr.. vaille is so in love
with mis- work that he could not be
creased wages. He works for sheer love
| of it.
Mr.. Naille does not regard himself as
skilled laborer. If he did, according
| to his statement, he could not be a
| good postal clerk and be a proper man
for the service" In other words, every
man not a postal clerk, who works at
Il any occupation, no matter how skilled
is a time-server. The man who builds
the great guns and warships, the man
who constructs the most delicate mech
anism in existence. according to Mr..
/ Vaille. are time-seryers, and would not
be class of men that should be EN-.
ployed by the government.
Nov. let us look at the other side OF
the picture and see what there is about
the work that Mr.. Vaille does that calls
for a master mind. or even special skill
| Mr. Vaille is a division superintendent;
| he does not even have TO know the Of
fees in his division. The railway mail
CLERKS keep them in mind To perfect
themselves they had 10 give several
years to the work in the first instance,
and are compelled to work a certain
number of hours each day TO keep them
selves in possession of all the necessary
information to do the work. All Mr.,
Vaille has TO do is to carry out the in
structions of the general superintendent
What superior brain force is necessary
to do that? He does not create any
thing that it would be necessary to
bring ito the performance of his duties
the enthusiasm born OF love for work,
and a full realization of the responsible
ties placed upon him"
The work that gives the greatest pleas
ure to anyone is the work that enables
man to create some useful thing, or a
thing of beauty The man who takes q
piece of iron and FORCES horseshoe has
pride in it because it is the product Of
his skill. The printer who sets, the
pressmen who prints colored advertise
ments. or books of advertisements which
are pleasing to the eye; the jeweler who
moulds out of gold and silver beautiful
emblems: the painter. the photo
engraver. the carpenter. ave. the me
chanics of every trade, skilled or un
skilled. are always in love with their
work: If they were not. they could not
acquire the skill necessary to excel in
their particular craft or calling.