The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1916-03-03
A THEORY THAT
IS REPUCNANT
Compulsory Service Contrary
to American Ideals.
ITS TENDENCY DANGEROUS.
Government Employees Denied the
Right of Free Speech and of Petition
For Redress of Grievances-Orean
lied Labor Has Learned That II
Must Make Its Fight For Freedom.

i
Must Make Its Fight For Freedom.
BY SAMUEL GOMPERS, President Amer
lean Federation of Labor
The splendid fight that workers in
other countries are making against pro.
posals for compuIsion has won the ad.
miration Of many who believe in volun.
tary institutions. But under our re-
publican form of government there is
developing an ofiiciadom that is en-.
deavoring TO deprive government EN-.
ployeeS of the rights of free workers.
Governmental institutions have grown
In proportion to the development OF
the country, increases in population
and the increasing functions that the
state has assumed. Increases in the
numbers of civil service employees
have been proportional.
Formerly civil service positions were
part of the SO called spoiis system. The
civil service system was adopted,
which III theory was based upon merit
and afforded protection to efficient
workers. II is general information that
the civil service is subject to 'infu.
ence;' thar it functions in Il nysteri
Gus way 10 advance the interests of
some and leaves others helpless against
the purpose Of Il great machine
We have heard much from ebullient
theorists Of the dignity of public serv.
ants and of the greater respect that
will obtain for governmental EN-
ployees rather than for employees in
private employ. These advocates OF
governmental ownership and opera
ton are confronted with diShcartening
facts. Public servants. city service
employees, have not the rights of ditch
diggers, hodcarrierS or common labor
erS
Civil service employees have been de-
nicd tho ,i-ht of free speech and free
press They have been denied the
right TO petition for redress of gliev-
ances. They have been denied the
right to participate in the political life
of their community or of the nation
and, finally they have been denied the
right to quit work Compulsion in our
country demands our attention as much
as compulsion elsewhere.
Recently twenty-eight poStoffice clerks
and carriers of Fairmont. w. Va. quit
work. They committed no violence;
they destroyed no property; they made
no effort to interfere with the mail;
they wrote their designations, turned
over their keys ana left the postal
service. In their designations they
made grave charges against the post.
master of Fairmont and then left the
petty injustices and the speeding up"
policy Of the postoffice They felt that
to work longer was to lose self respect.
Surely free men could not be compelled
TO work and to work under such con-
ditions. Such submissiyeness would in
dicate very tame natures
Nevertheless these twenty-eight who
resigned just that. nothing more
were charged with criminal conspiracy
to delay the mails They are now on
trial for the crime of determining that
to work longer under existing condi-
tions was to sacrifice their self respect
ton that enlistment" obtains for civil
service employees; that they are sub
ject to a rigid discipline for service
and to compulsory authority to enforce
compulsory service or go to prison
If the right of the poStoffice depart
ment to enforce compulsory service is
maintained government employees lose
the right to freedom. This is the most
daring contention made by any govern
mental agency. If such policies prevail
in the civil service they will result in
the development Of Il Spineess class OF
workers without the courage to declare
their rights or the will TO contend for
them.
No tendency could be more dangerous
to a republic than the development of
submissive spirit among workers and
the foisting of compulsory service upon
those in government employment. Dan
gerous tendencies and conditions in the
civil service were given serious con
sideration at the San Francisco con-
vention. Those of the labor movement
have learned that they must make
their own fight for their rights and
their freedom.
The American trade union move
ment has aided some of the workers
to organize and to make the fight, and
1t stands ready to assist all others.
Government employees must have an
organization powerful enough TO as.
sert their rights and to secure their
recognition.
Secondly, there ought tc he an appeal
body before which government work
ers could present grievances and
claims and with the backing of a
strong organization could secure hear
ing and an opportunity for justice.
The significance of this effort of the
postoffice department to corrupt the
spirit of our free nation, to fasten COM
pulsion upon any group of workers,
makes more urgent the necessity of
congressional action to assure to civil
service employees the rights of free
citizens. The theory of enlistment for
service is repugnant TO our ideals, our
institutions and the genius of our pO0-