Evening star., 1914-07-22
Adjt. Gen. Gustave E. Rausch,
U. S. W. ", Complains Ma
tives Replace Ex-Sotdiers.
SAYS 500 AMERICANS
HAVE LOST POSITIONS
Question Will Be Discussed at Ma
tional Encampment in Louis
vile July 81.

arrangements to attack the policy OF
Francis Burton Harrison, Governor OF
the Philippine Islands. which, he declares
has resulted in more than 500 Spanish
American war veterans losing their posi-
tions in government service in the is
lands and being replaced by natives.
We have received" Mr.. Rausch said
today. at the headquarters of the or
ganization in the Southern building.
copies of petitions gotten up at the
headquarters of the veterans in Manila.
which have been sent to Washington to
President Wilson, and senators and rep
resentatives in Congress. outlining a stul-
tif1cation of the so-called Philippine civil
service act
AT the coming national encampment
Of the United Spanish War Veterans. to
be held in Louisville July 81, l shall pre-
sent copies of the petitions for suitable
action
MIR. Rausch today made public copies
OF the petitions sent to Washington, and
resolutions of criticism of Gov Har-
rison's policy. adopted by the Depart
ment Veteran Army of the Philippines, at
its thirteenth annual convention held at
Baguio, P. l.. April to II. which have
utlons state, in part
Majority Served as Soldiers.
This department is composed of men
the majority of whom served throughout
the Philippine insurrection, and at the
close thereof remained in the islands as
employees of the so-called insular gov
ernment As the years advanced the men
definitely dncidnd fo ropoajp tho ;e1,1ae
most OF them erected little homes, either
married here or brought wives from home
and thus severed themselves from all
home connections. 1t is true there was
always some agitation along the lines of
independence, but the matter caused but
little worry to the men busily engaged
In earning their daily bread. Among
these men are all classes-from bureau
chiefs to teamsters and from architects
to road foremen. Some of them receive
probably large compensations while 9TH
ers, by far the majority. obtain just
enough to make a decent living.
Thus matters stood when there arrived
IN these islands the present governor gen.
ministration. A week had barely elapsed
after his arrival when he announced
through the press and otherwise that the
new administration would inaugurate a
retrenchment policy; that there would be
reduction In salaries of more than
$2OoO per annum. but that there would
be no general reduction of the number
OF employees. nor would there be a re-
duction In salaries below that amount
This assurance coming from the highest
authority was readily accepted by all
concerned and every one believed himself
entirely safe 1t is difficult at the pres
ent time to say whether the governor
general promised more than he could
carry out For the assembly had barely
convened when there was enacted the ap-
preparation bill which almost tended to
eliminate every American from the SER
vice. by either abolishing entirely posi-
est to the lowest and displacing a great
number OF Americans whose positions
were to be occupied by Filipinos.
When this bill reached the upper
house it was found to be too radical,
and compromise was had between the
two houses. to the effect to abolish one
bureau. the bureau of navigation, and
reducing the appropriation of all the
bureaus and the salaries of all per-
sons receiving more than $4,000 per
annum, and in certain instances abol-
ishing positions altogether. While this
bill was pending this organization pre-
sented a petition to the governor gen
eral requesting among other things
that reasonable notice should be given
to such persons who were selected for
discharge on account of economical l
reasons. The governor general assured
this organization that he believed the
demand to be a proper one. and issued
circular letter to all bureau chiefs.
enjoining them to grant the requests
made in such petition.
Lose Jobs at Last Minute.
"The appropriation bill was finally
passed by both houses on the last day of
January to take effect on the first day
Of February. Notice Of it's passage was
received by bureau chiefs at the clos
Ing hour and men were notified as they
were leaving for home. and in some in
stances by telephone, that they need not
return on the next day. AS each bureau
was reduced in its amount of appropria
ton 1t became necessary to eliminate
from the work of such bureau a certain
number of employees, while others lwere
who received but $75 month The men
thus let out Of the service in most cases
were men who would find it difficult to
obtain other employment. men who would
receive barely enough to support them
selves and their families and men who
were so-called temporary empIoyes-tbat
is to say. while they had served the
government for many years satisfactorily
they had not been placed on the classi
fed list
The resolutions state in part:
while we naturally applaud the AL
truistic policy of our government with
regard 10 the Fllplno people, and while
we think there should be gradual
Fflipinization of the local service. We
theoretically protest that We should be
discarded as worn-out tools and thrown
into the scrap heap for political pur-
poses. We hold that having performed
our duty to the government. the United
| States of America, 1t owes US a duty moi
| less important than 1t owes to the
Filipino people. We demand that in pro-
viding for larger participation of the
Filipino people in affairs of ther gov.
ernment our government must provide
| for the men who have made the present
| condition possible. We claim that as
long as our government is supreme ir
| these islands it cannot in justice ad.
vance the interest of the Filipino peopl.
at the cost Of its own citizens who were
| brought to these islands for the purpose
| of establishing a civil government anG
| we assert that no matter what the policy
| of government may be ii is in duty
bound to provide for those who came t.
it's aid when required"