The Washington times., 1916-03-02
Federal EMPLOYEES.
RUSH TO JOIN UNION.
Thousand Already ln-0thers
Held Back BY Misconstruc-
tion Of Law, Leader Says.

One thousand Government workers
have applied for membership in the Of
flee Workers Union as a result Of the
efforts of President ]. Edwin Giles in
conr ectlon with the mas meeting to be
held at the National Rife Armory to-
morrow night to protest against the
Borlund rider.
At least 5000 would Join Immediately II
they understood that Government en-
ploycs can belong to a union. Mr.. Giles
stated.
And Mr.. Giles wants II clearly under
stood that there is absolutely no bar
urder the law for clerks becoming mem-
bers Of the union. The Lloyd-LaF Toilette
law. passed by the sIxty-secofd Con-
gress. specifically states that Govern
mcrt employees can form unions.
The labor leaders have received as
surance from the labor group of Con-
Rressmen that the Boriand amendment
viii be killed II their efforts are worth
ANYTHING, and they believe they are.
These wore the Developments in the
union labor phase OF the eight-hour
controversy In the CpaitRl today. The
neodquarters OF he Office Workers
Union. In the Ouray building, was prac-
ticaEy swamped with INQUIRIES and APP
pleations for membership.
Presioent Giles was informed from
nalt a dozen sources that clerks In
the departments have been informed
the law prohibits their Joining union
OF OF organizing In any way.
The mistaken ideas OF the clerks re-
| garding their power to organize Is the
sole thing that prevents them having
the strongest sort OF n union" declared
vantage of the present opportunity TO
give them the fullest information on
| the subject.
| Every clerk In the Government serv-
Ice can belong to union. The Lylod-
La Toilette bill expressly states that
izing OF the wohle Government service.
I'm the last thrty-siN hours the
Onice Workers Union has received ap-
p,ications from 1000 clerks for admis-
Der OF applications would have been
nve times that figure II the clerks knew
"That Is one o: the things we intsn,
to tell them ABOUT ut the meeting to
morrow night at National Rifles Ar
mory. We have all the big leaders be
hind us In this work. IL means q 10
more than Just the defeat OF the -Bor
land rider. With organization the clerk
can obtain their old age pensions ant
their rights In many other directions
Without organization they cannot IL
this.
I'VE are opposed to the Borland ride
not only becalse of Its local eect, tu
because II Is q retrograde step. Al
Progress In Industrial conc erns nas beel
toward lesseninG the hCCrs of labor
The Government certainly should no
take a step backward. Chaos worl,
follow in rriSate concerns.
I'VE represent n hiR principle and cal
WELD a big power for the general goo,
II the clerks only knew II ana woul,
join with Us. We will tell them. ",
have received thousands ard thousand
OF inquiries during the past two days
The respc,ss TO the announcements w
have made. shows the keen interest Il
the union"
The ofYice force of the Workers Unio
has been tripled since yesterday morn
ing, and the Office plant has overfiowe
into several adjoining rooms in IN
American Federation OF Labor head
quarters.
President Samuel Gompers and Sec
retary Frank Morrison, OF the fedora
ton, are giving personal attention I
the Workers Union campaign.
They are In constant conference wit
President Giles and Miss Estelle Stew
art. OF the organizing committee.
Both will speak at the mass meetin
tomorrow night. Another speaker wi
be President John II. Ferguson, OF tn
Maryland state and District OF Colum
bia Federation OF Labor; Thomas II
FIaherty, of the National Federation @
Postoffice Clerks. and several others.
The meeting will be called to order a
= o'clock.