The Washington times., 1912-04-07
RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE CIVIL
81 SERVICE employees TO TAKE THEIR
MOST EFFECTIVE ACTION.

phatcally, il they want to win the fight which they
began year and half ago for better pay, better
working conditions, fair opportunity, and the privi-
lege OF being SELF-RESPECTING MEN AND
WOMEN
There are near half million Of them Probably
more than 100000 of them are voters.
They can make themselves one Of the greatest
factors in determining the result of the next Presi-
dental election, il they will.
Have they the courage, the earnestness, the
organization, to do just that?
1t is the one course that will make perfectly sure
that in the four years following March A. l93 they
will get recognition Of their cause.
They have everything to gain, nothing to lose.
Short Of political action-drastic, determined,
united-they are likely to wait years longer to get
their tried and settled. If such action is to be
taken, it must be NOW. The course is plain
While other people are quarreling about who
shall be nominated for President let the civil service
employees get busy about the PLATFORMS OF
BOTH PARTIES.
Let big delegation be sent to each national con-
venton, to fight for platform-plank that will speci-
ically pledge the parties to give the civil service
square deal, the reforms that are demanded the
emancipation from gagrule that is absolutely neces-
sary.
Let these delegations be made up of men with
the courage of their convictions; men who know the
civil service problem and conditions. Let them 60
with credentials that will make it certain that they
REPRESENT THE 100000 VOTES IN THE CIVIL
SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT.
They must put aside all pretense all humility, all
fear Of consequences, and 60 to the committees on
resolutions, at Chicago and at Baltimore, with such
a frank, square-toed declaration as this:
I'VE represent 100000 votes in the civil service.
Look at our credentials Satisfy yourself that we
REPRESENT our people
1--WE want your platform to contain plank pledg-
ing the reform Of civil service conditions. We must
have:
"A revision and undermining of salary schedule
that has not been revised, except downward for sixty
years. during which everything entering into cost of
living has been REVISED UPWARD.
Provision of proper system of retrements and
pensions on account Of age or inhrmity
Guarantee that the service shall, through these
means, be made to offer living pay and decent
American chance of promotion, advancement, and
improvement of conditions.
1--WE are authorized to say that this same demand
will be made of both political parties. 1t will be
made in deadly earnest and it will be backed by
votes at election.
I'VE are going to be for the party that is for U.S.
Don't imagine that we will be satisfied with palaver
or frightened by threats. We have had enough Of
the one; we don't need fear the other because we
have nothing to lose"
That sort of conversation, by big strong repre-
sentative committee of say twenty-five men from
twenty-five Cities would be listened to with the live
liest interest by the platform makers.
They might be bit uncertain whether the organi-
zation could deliver all its votes. They would know
it could not. But they would also know that
powerful and earnest enough thus to present its
case, not to be snubbed in year when the third
of its voting strength might easily determine the
suit of national election
The result would be absolutely certain BOTH
PARTIES WOULD ADOPT THE DESIRED PLANK
IN THE PLATFORM. They would be competing for
the civil service support.
| Why not? Hasn't the civil service vote a right
to recognition? The Irish vote, the Jew vote, the
German vote, the Catholic vote, the Protestant vote
the colored VOTE the Italian VOTE the soldier vote
heaven knows how many more of them-have to be
considered carefully and prayerfuly in making plat
forms and running campaigns.
Are we to assume that the great body of men and
women who DO THE DAILY WORK OF RUNNING
THE GOVERNMENT are so unimportant that they
can't get bit of recognition if they 60 after it?
Hardly. If the civil service people will concede
that they don't deserve to have anything done for
them.
The civil service is full of big, able, courageous
men who could do this thing. They need only the
support of their fellows in the service, and such
financial backing as would be required
No other like expenditure of money could possibly
produce the solid results that this program would
achieve.
NOW is THE TIME TO START.
Two months hence the first big national conven-
ton will meet. There is plenty of time to organize
this fight if the move is set afoot at once There is
no time to waste.
NOT IN take advantage of this wears onnort1nitv