The Washington times., 1912-05-16


greatest factors In determining the re-
suit Of the next Presidential election,
if they will.
ness. the orgahIzation, TO do Just thatY
II Is the one course that Will make
perfectly sure that in, the four years
following March (. 1913, they will get
recognition of thclr cause.
They have everything 30 gain, moth
ing TO lose.
Short of political action--drastic. de-
teimincd, iinited--they are likely TO
wait years longer 10 get their case trled
aud settled. " such action is TO be
taken, It must be NOW. Jhe COURSE
While other people are quarrelins
about who shall he nominated for Presl.
dent. let the ciyil seryics & snilloyes l,h, get E
busy about the PLATFORMS cf
Let a big delegation be sent to each
national convention. to fight for plat
form plank that will specifically pieose
square deal. the reforms that are de-
manded. the emancipation from gag
rule that is absolutely necessary.
Let these delegations be made up OF
men with the courage Of their. conyic-
tions; men who know the civil service
problem and conditions. Let them go
with credentials that will make II Ger.
tai tain that they REPRESEMTT I,R StHTI sER1 hE
VICE ESTABLISHMENT.
They must put aside all pretense' al
humility, all fear of consequences, ana
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
1--WE want your platform to contain a
nlank pledging the reform Of civil SER
vice conditions. We must have:
"a revision and moderniZing OF q
salary schedule that has not been re-
vised, except downward. for sixty years
during which everything entering Into
cost of living has been REVISED UP
WARD.
provision Of a proper system of re.
tirements and pensions on account OF
age or infimity.
Guarantee that the service shall,
through these means, be made to oner
living paw and decent. American chance
of promotion, advancement, and I'M
provement Of conditions.
I'VE are authorized to say that TINS
same demand will be made OF both no
litical parties. 1t will be made In deadly
earnest. and It viii be backed by our
votes at election.
I'VE are going to be for the party
that Is for us. Don't imagine that we
will be satisfied with palaver or fright
ened 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. representative committee of say
would be listened 20 with the liveliest
interest by the platform makers.
They might he a bit uncertain whether
the organization could deliver all its
votes. They would know 1t could not.
But they would also know that move
ment powerful and earnest enough thus
to present It's case was not to be snub-
bed in a year when the third of its
voting strength might easily determine
the result of a national election.
The result would be absolutely GER
tain. 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 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 prayerfully in making
platforms and forming campaigns.
Are we to assume that the great body
DAILY WORK OF RUNNING THE
| GOVERNMENT are so unimportan'
that they can't get a bit of recognition
| IL they go after It?
| Hardly, II the civil service people vii
! 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 fel'
| lows in the service, and such financia
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 ma
| tional convention will meet. There Is
| plenty of time to organize this hght :
the move is set afoot at once. There i'
| no time to waste.
| Not to take advantage of this year,
opportunity to force the issue In crit
ical way, Is to give up the whole cam
| paign for another four years.
|