The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-12-06
City of Halifax, N S. in Flames---American Steamer
Carrying High Explosives For War Front Col
lided With Another Ship During Hard Storm
Hundreds of Buildings Destroyed.
BURLESON DEPRECATES
POSTAL ORGANIZATIONS
Thinks They Are Not Likely to Help the
Postoffice Department--Tells of One
Strike in Which the Participants
Were Indicted.

! Washington, d. c., Dec. 6.--Postmastei
General Burleson in his annual report
submitted to Congress yesterday, de
clares organizations of postal employees
are rapidly becoming menace Ito pub
lie welfare and recommends that Con.
gress repeal the law that allows such
employees to maintain organizations. The
law provides that the employees may or
ganize and become affiliated with other
bodies SO long as they do not impose
any obligation to engage or assist in a
strike against the government.
Emphasizing the need of unselfish
operation on all sides while the coun-
try is in the world war the postmaster
general continues;
Notwithstanding this fact, and at this
critical period in our nations history, it
is regrettable to state that the organ
lied postal employees are making many
selfish demands and insisting that they
shall not be required or permitted to
work in excess Of the usual number of
hours; also that their salaries be perma-
nently increased although they are just
ly compensated, receiving more than
three times as much as those fighting in
the trenches who must of necessity suf-
fer the hardships of warfare and sacrifice
their all if necessary.
Efforts of these organizations along
other lines have been severely criticized
by men in public life, as they attempt
to control political as we'll as legislative
matters and openly boast of the influence
they claim to exert in the furtherance of
their selfish interests.
"An outside organization has during
the past several years attempted TO un-
onize government employees, including
those in the postal service, and large
number of postal employees are now afFll- |
ated with 1t, and others soon will be, |
the fact that such affili- |
ltion is believed to be contrary to the |
let of Aug. "a, 1912. The advisability |
If permitting government employees TO |
lffiliate with the outside organization |
md use the strike and boycott as last |
esort TO enforce its demands is seriously |
Questioned by those interested in the
,ubic welfare
Postal employees have become bold be.
ause of this affiliation and have within
ecent years threatened to strike. and
n one case actually did so by rendering
heir designations and abandoning the
ervice IN body. In this case they were
indicted and prosecuted in the
ederal courts. While strikes in the pos
al service may be averted for the time
eing, yet they will inevitably come, and
he public will then be brought face to
ace with most serious situation-one
-nieh will be menace to our govern
lent.
If by combining" the report says,
government employees are enabled to
nduly influence members Of Congress
nd Others seeking election to public Of !
&c, the situation will naturally arise, ,
1T has not already arisen, where Con- {
ress will be unduly influenced by such /
the appropriations for the !
ilaries OF such employees will be greatly /
creased and economic provision for the i
'nduct of the service impossible" 5