Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-17
PLEA FOR CLERKS
MADE TO WILSON
President Asked to Grant Sat-
urday Half Holiday for
Entire Year.
LAWS PROVISIONS CITED
AT HEARING TODAY
Shown That Code Provides Saturday
Afternoon Off the Year
Round.

z
order. to grant Saturday half holidays 10
government employees. George l.. Cain.
president; William r. Hubbard, vice
president. and T.. W. Boe, member of the
national executive board of the National
League of Government Employees. called
upon President Wilson this afternoon.
They We're introduced by Representative
James NJ. Curley of Boston.
They asked that the privilege be ex-
tended to all employees of the government
all over the nation: that the Saturday
half holiday be granted during the en-
tire year. and. if that is impossible,
throughout six months OF the year: and,
where the necessity OF public business re-
qulred that government clerks should
work Saturday afternoons, that q COM
pensatory relief from work be granted
them.
The President listened attentively. He
asked many questions and promised that
he would bring the matter before the
cabinet.
Considered by Taft.
The delegation presented to the Pres.
ident's attention the fact that the mat.
ter had been brought before President
Taft, and that he had declared his in.
clination to grant the request The be-
issued an executive order directing Sat
tory arrangement, had not pressure OF
business toward the close OF his term
in Office made it impossible.
An opinion prepared by the present
Attorney General. Mr.. McReynolds. when
assistant attorney general, and announc-
ed by Attorney General Wickersham, to
| the effect that Saturday afternoons under
the law are for all purposes half holidays
in the District of Columbia, was cited to
the President He was referred to sec
| ton 1889 of the code of the District OF
Columbia. which provides that Saturday
afternoons are half holidays for all pur-
poses in the District of Columbia, a.
| amended by Congress.
| The President was also told of the ex
ecutive order issued by President Roose
velt creating Saturday half holidays dur
ing the months Of July. August and Sep
tember. He was asked to extend thi
period throughout the year, if consiSten
with public business. or at least durin
six months of the year.
Certain Glasses Deprived.
The committee presented statistic
showing what government employees hav
| been deprived Of their Saturday hal
holidays through the construction pu
| upon the law by President Taft Among
Indian Head proving grounds. of the
quartermas aster's department. of the nava
powder depot at Dover. n. j., of the Gus
toms service. Of the lighthouse service
and of power plants
The following statement of the situa
ton. signed by the three members of tn,
deputation. was left with the President:
Statement Of Employees.
1.-The executive order relative to Sat
| urday half holiday during the months o
July August and September originall.
issued by President Roosevelt. and re
issued by President Taft. as we under
stand it. is effective until revoked.
Owing to the fact that the period ha
now arrived when the customary notice
| of the Saturday half holiday by ex
| ecutive order is contemplated, we. com
| mittee duly appointed by the Nationa
| League of Government Employees at it
| last convention, January l3 to IS, 1913
! Washington, d. c.. respectfully request
| for the welfare Of the employees. and tn
+! interest of the government. that the Sat
urday half holiday be extended at leas
| to include the months OF May. June
July, August. September and October.
| "It is well known fact that a large
number of manufacturing establishment.
throughout the country have for year!
given to their employees the benefit of th'
Saturday half holiday the whole yeal
| around, and they do not do this from thu
standpoint of philanthrOpists. but the,
! have long since found out th7t by 81
doing it makes for efficiency, which i'm tn.
| last analysis means a larger output an'
superior quality. and puts into the Golfer.
| of those corporations larger financia
return.
1--WE believe this great government o
ours should be a model employer, and W.
hope in the not-far-distant future ii will
| be- and it is hoped that when you issu
| for the year 1913 your executive orde
| for Saturday half holiday it will be 81
| worded that 1t will include the so-calle'
seven-day men.
These men are employees who are re
quired to work seven days each ant
every week on account of conditions re
quiring provision for public safety. sucl
as firemen, engineers. electricians. pipe
filters, watchmen, janitors, etc. Accord
ing to the construction placed upon Mr.
Tafts order, these men were deprived
of the Saturday half holiday.