Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-12-14
PoSroFFlcE DEPARTMENT EN-
PLoYEs RESENT PROPOSED
LAW CHANGE.
CHARGE DEPARTMENT HEADS
WANT TO NULLIFY STATUTES
See in Proposals Made to House Com
mittee Effort to Place Employees
Back on Unlimited Hours Without
Extra Pay-RuraI Carriers Also Line
Up For Battle.
Especial Correspondence)


Washington. Dec. 1.-THE postoffice
department: heads and the National
Federation of Postoffice Clerks show
signs of having a serious collision over
legislation which is being urged on
congress by Postmaster General Burle-
son and his suoordinates.
Not only that bur rural mail car
r!ers are up in arms because the de-
partnent is furthering a plan 10 have
the handling Of the rural mail on the
free delivery routes done by contract
ir..s teaa of by carriers or a stated sal
airy.
First Assistant Postmaster General
Roper mas been heard before the house
committee on postofices in connection
with the framing of the postoffice APP
preparation bill He has recommended
changes OF the existing laws providing
that postal employees shall have an
eight hour DAY and a weekly rest DAY.
y program of economy is advanced by
Mr. Ripper which the National Fedora
ton OF Postofice Clerks maintains is
unwarranted and would work hardship
to the clerks and employees of the post
office department.
Says Limitation Is Expensive.
The. law now limits the day OF the
clerks and carriers to eight hours MI
Roper told the house committee on
postofrices that this limitation was ex-
pensive and that the law ought TO be
amended SO as to permit working the
enpioye twelve consecutive hours daily
II the need arose but with the provision
that ali work in excess OF forty Gig III
hours per week be paid for as over
time.
Abiding to this change and others
sought by Mr. Roper. Thomas F. Fla
herty. legislative representative OF the
National Federation of Postoffice
Clerks. said
This will enable the department TO
restore the vicious rebate system OF
by-g gone years when the postal en-
ployes never knew from day TO day
when their hours Of duty would end.
THE department officials also are
anxious to deprive the employees OF
their assured weekly rest day on the
plea that men working Sundays can
not be spared off during the week days
when the mails are busy. II the pres
emf law. which provides that Sunday
work must be rebated upon one OF ms
following six days, was amended TO eui'
the department ii would be possible te
work the clerks every Sunday morning
thru the winter months and repay them
by piece meal rebate in the summer
months This system OF Relating Sun
/ day work Is obnoxious 10 mept affected
They want the law to stand as it l.
at present.
The department further recommends
+, that the pay OF substitutes in the ser
vice be reduced and 10 cents an hour
making this class or work payable a.
! a fat rate of 80 cents an hour. A suo-
stitute clerk or letter carrier is pait
T only for actual york performed. whicf
! fuctuates from day to day according II
! the Huctuation OF the mail
| and the average wage often drops be
T low dollar a day Yet the committee
was told that owing to the lars'
number Of applicants for entrance int
the postal service there vas no justin
cation for paying more than 30 cent
an hour for substitute work
To Resist StubbornIy.
! Mr. F-laherty says the employees vii
resist stubbornly these attempts Il
nullify the present laws which they re
gard as equitable He characterize
the attitude Of some of the postoff!c
department officials as harassing to I'll
e,,n1oyes and "outrap eousIy cruel" II