Evening star., 1912-06-27
TO ADVOCATE THE RIGHT.
TO OGO BEFORE CONGRESS
Member of Committee Declares Pres
ent Restriction Un-American.
VIEWS OF FULTON R. GORDON
Argues for More Radical Plank
Than Any That Have Been
Thus Far Presented for
Consideration.
From a STAFF Correspondent.

i
BALTIMORE, June 27.-The
platform committee of the demo-
cratic national convention is gun
ming for that gag rule"-that
regulation preventing govern
ment employees from telling their
troubles direct to Congress and
applying to its members for re-
dress.
The democratic platform in the
coming campaign will pledge the
party, if successful, to knock into
innocuous desuetude the orders
sealing the lips of government
workers in the presence of men,
bers of the national legislature.
While the platform has not been drafted
and It's provisions not entirely decided
upon. a member OF the subcommittee OF
the platform committee appointed to
shape UP the party creed declared today
that he had. heard no opposition to the
plea Of the government clerks. who have
of the right Of the civil service men and
women to appeal directly to Congress for
the redress Of their grievances
1T seems to be generally agreed upon
that the present rule is un-American and
unfair" said a prominent senator on the
subcommittee. II think there is feel
ing in the platform committee that the
go to members of Congress to appeal for
redress of their legitimate grievances
No Determining Vote.
The other features Of the planks urged
by different committees Of clerks have
been discussed by the subcommittee, but
there has been no determining vote The
talk of members of the subcommittee, as
they come out Of the meeting room for
a brief rest from the responsibilities of
platform building, indicates that the anti
gag rule plank will not be the old civil
service declaration.
There is a little snag in the plan adopt
ed by the democratic House for a. five
year tenure Of office. The platform of
the republicans promised the government
clerks tenure of off1cesduring good be-
havior and system u retirement OF
superannuated employees. Here's the snag:
lOnReV-
fty of service is approved by the plat
form, 1t would not be entirely consistent
with the five-year tenure proposition In
view of the republican declaration and a
big sentiment in the platform committee
that economy Of government adminstra-
tion will be promoted by the retirement OF
veteran employees with some compensa-
ton, there are hopes among the commit
tee OF clerks that the retirement plank
will be adopted without comment on the
fiye-year tenure plan.
Statements made by the democratic
platform makers to members Of the COM
mittee Of clerks headed by DR.. Llewellyn
Jordan Of Washington have raised their
hopes high.
I'VE Of the committee" said George
L. Cain. one Of Dr. Jordan's lieutenants,
today. believe that the civil service
plank in the democratic platform will be
even better, from the clerks standpoint,
than that In the republican platform.
All Seem Favorable.
I'VE have interviewed eight Of the
eleven members Of the platform subcom-
mittee, not once. but several times to
keep the subject before them. We have
yet to hear any adverse views on any
Of the several propositions in the plank
We have submitted Instead, they have
given us the greatest encoura cement"
At least one member OF the subcom-
mittee Of the platform subcommittee has
expressed himself as favorable to a stronG
civil service plank. With the many other
, propositions before the committee 1t il
being rounded into shape by Senator
O'Gorman and Col. Bryan
Fulton r. Gordon OF Washington ar
gued before the committee for q more
radical plank than urged by either OF
the clerks committees. He wants the
democrats to promise to raise all the low
salaries on Uncle Sans pay roll, become
| a model employer generally, retire the
veteran clerks on adequate pensions and
create a board OF appeals, where the
grievances Of the men and women in the
departments can be arbitrated.
Forced to Cry Enough.
The platform committees heard arxu.
ments in behalf Of the government clerks
yesterday afternoon until it cried
enough.
When the third speaker from two large
delegations concluded his statement in
advocacy OF civil service plank for more
efficient and economical administration OF
the public business. a member Of the
committee moved that the hearing on the
| clerks planks be closed, and Chairman
O'Gorman announced that the action
would be unanimous unless objection was
made. There was no objection from the
| perspiring platform constructors.
Representatives Of both of the civil
service committees now in Baltimore were
| heard. DR.. Llewellyn Jordan of Wash
| ington. in behalf of one, committee and
Continued on Fifteenth P4gs.l