Evening star., 1916-04-14
Mr.. Bridanam's Statement.

Mr. Brldanam says IN part.
"Our organization was the first labor
union to protest against the passage
of the Borland rider, the first to invite
organization by the government clerks,
the first to secure assistance in the
fight from outside union organizations,
and has been consistently trying to ad-
vance the organization of government
c erks ever since. In return, the tenn
Iorary officers of the new organiza-
tion have trampled on the rights of our
organization. have sought TO violate
provisions of the constitution of the
american Federation of Labor itself,
and now charge that We are trying to
block the organization of government
clerks
What we are trying to do is to as
sure such form of organization as
will not violate trade union principles
and rights and that will be of the
greatest permanent benefit both to OF
flee workers inside and outside of the
government service. 1t must be re-
membered that more than one-tenth OF
the membership of our union is right
now composed of government clerks,
and to charge that we have not the
interests of government clerks at heart
is absurd.
Alleges Blunders.
The facts are that the temporary
officers Of the new organization have
blundered in organization methods and
now seek to charge our union with
blocking them.
Mr. McLarin says that dues for gov
ernment clerks would have to be in
creased if they went into a national
organization. The fact is that as a
local organization they are required to
pay 10 cents per member per month to
the A. F. of L. AS national organiza-
tion they would pay but three-quarters
of a cent a month per member to the
federation, the balance of the money
remaining in their own treasury: Mr
McLarin says: The employees OF the
government belonging to such an or
ganization would be very much in the
minority. and consequently at the
mercy of their fellow members in the |
commercial field.
1T would be just as sensible to say |
that the employees in any particular |
office or shop should mot go into a |
union. because the sum total Of people |
on the outside of that shop is larger !
than the total employees of that snop |
and they would therefore be at the |
mercy of the outside people. Mr.. Nc
I.arin does not seem to understand that
the interests of workers are identical, |
no matter where they work.
Regarded as Wrong Idea.
"Mr. McLarin seems to think that
government empioyeS III d separate Or
ganization would be able to get legis-
lation better than If they were in
national organization composed of the
entire craft. He will find that such is
not the case. Congressman are sub
ject to political pressure in exact pro-
portion to the number of votes that
can be used for or against them. The
organization of commercial office work.
ers into a national with government
clerks would be the surest means of
perfecting a power that could be used
to further the interests of government
clerks by legislation The majority of
crafts have found this so-why not
government clerks?
THE Stenographers' Union will be
glad to confer with the temporary Of
fcers OF the government clerks at any
time to work out some mutually salts
factory plan of organization, but SO
fa the temporary officers of the gov
nment workers have ignored us