The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-13
BILL
BEING ARGUED
Bitter Debate on Right Of Employees
of the Government to Form :
Union and Engage In
Strike.
PARCELS POST SYSTEM
Bourne Plan Divides the Country up
Into Eight Zones With Low
Postage Rate on
Packages,

United fTess Leased Wire Servfce.J
WASHINGTON, Aug 13.--w Whether
postal employees have the right t.
unionize, and to strike II they so de-
sire was the subject of bitter de-
bate in the senate today. in connec-
tion with consideration OF the post.
office appropriation bill.
Senator Smith (democratl contend
ed that no law prevented an American
citizen from joining any organization.
II postal employees were dissatisfied
with their compensation. he shouted,
or with the conditions of service they
had right to give up their positions
at will.
No organization under which .
strike against the government by gov
ernment employees could be arranged
should be tolerated" said Senator
Root, of New York. "No organization
must assume to coerce the govern
ment. Striking is not illegal. but It
must not be turned against the pub
lie interest.
1T will be sorry day for this
country, when we grant the right OF
government employees to strike. There
would soon be no government.
Passage OF the postoffice appropria-
tion bill with complete parcels post
system included, was part CT the
senates program this afternoon. Tho
measure Is considered one of the
N, not rf,r,, r,1a a4s ~ +br
The Bourne parcels post plan d.
1 vides the country intas units thirty
miles square, included In eight pos
tai zones. The first zone extends fif-
| ty miles from the center OF any given
unit OF area; the second up to $50
miles, and 30 on. The charges for
parcels In the first zone will be Ave
| cents for the first pound, md three
cents per each additional pound, up
to the maximum weight Of eleven
pounds, and the rate for other zones
increases proportionately.
Another far-reaching proyisioU is
that requiring newspapers and all
periodicals to publish semi-annualy.
and to file with the postoffice depart
ment complete list OF editors, own
ers and bondholders and to label all
reading matter inserted for a COM
pensation advertisement"
After lengthy debate on the union
izing of postal employees an amend
ment by Senator Jones Of Washing
ton. requiring that organizations to
which clerks belong should not be af-
filiated with any outside body, was de-
feated 20 to 81
Senator Bourne of Oregon offered
an amendment requiring that organ
izations be not secret and solely for
betterment of the members.
There must be discipline In the
governments service Senator Craw-
ford of South Dakota declared, "or
there will be destruction OF property,
blowing up OF buildings and loss OF
! life Distinction must be drawn be-
tween these organizations that use
dynamite and peaceable organiza-
tons
Senator LaFollette declared that
luG ibldtlOh was plOpooc9 eAio
hehest OF the postal authorities who
are anxious to increase their power,
extend their espionage and exercise
mora influence over the private af-
fairs of their subordinates.
1t was aimed particularly at the
/ American Federation OF Labor, he as
serted
| When Senator Root sought to in
terrogate LaFollette, the latter de-
clared that he refused to be trapped.
q insist on interrupting until that
remark is withdrawn shouted Root.
! LaFollette continued. Root clam
T fored angrily, and finally the senator
withdrew the remark.
! LaFollette said strikes were some
times justifable but none would ever
occur in the government service.