Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-12-13
POSTAL EMPLOYEES
UNIONS A MENACE
So Postmaster. General BurlesOn
Declares In Annual Re.
port to Congress.


lions Of postal employees are rapidly be-
coming a menace to public welfare and
recommends that Congress repeal the law
that allows such employees to maintain
organizations. Tho law provides that the
employees may organise and become aff1li-
ated with other bodies 30 long AZ they do
not impose any obligation to engage or as
sist In strike against the government.
Emphasizing the need for unselfish CO.
operation on all sides while the country
is In the war the postmaster-general con-
tinues:
Notwithstanding this fact. and at this
critical period in our nations history. II
Is regrettabls to state that the organised
postal employees are making selfish de-
mands 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 permanently increased,
although they are Justly compensated, re-
ceiving more than three times as much as
those fighting In the trenches who must Of
necessity suffer the hardships Of warfare
and sacrifice their all II necessary.
Efforts Of these organizations along
other lines have been severely criticised
by men in public life, as they attempt to
control political as we'll as legislative mat
ers and openly boast Of the influence they
selfish interests.
IAN outside organization has during the
past several years attempted to unionize
government employees, including those in
the postal service. and large number Of
postal employees are now AFFILIATED with It.
and others soon will be, notwithstan ding
the fact that such afIiliation IL believed to
be contrary to the act Of August "a. 1912.
The advisability 0' permitting govern
ment employees to afiiliate with an outside
organization and use the strike and boycott
as a last resort to enforce its demands is
seriously questioned by those interested in
the public welfare.
POSTAL employees have become bold be.
cause of this afflliation and have within
recent years threatened to strike. and
in one case actually did so by rendering
their designations and abandoning the
were promptly indicted and prosecuted
in the federal courts. While strikes in
the postal service may be averted for
the time being. yet they will inevitably
come, and the public will then be brought
face to face with a most serious situa-
| tion-one which will be q menace to our
government"
III by combining" the report says,
government employees are enabled to un-
duly influence members Of Congress and
| others seeking election to public office.
the situation will naturally arise. II II
has not already arisen. where Congress
will be unduly Influenced by such organi-
cations. the appropriations for the salaries
Of such employees will be greatly increased
| and economic provision for the conduct
Of the service impossible"
The report explains that postal employees
| To- leo ia al
ers In that they are not employed by pri-
vate concerns. but by the government
whose officers are merely executing the
will Of the people,
The report shows an audited surplus
for the year Of -, S36, III, the largest In the
history of the department. The increase
over the preceding year was $50 pei
cent, while the increase in cost was ~!
per cent. The audited revenues for the
year. including money-order and posta
savings business. amounted to 1929 726, 116
| Remarkable growth in postal savings
is shown. In 1917 there were s747z de-
positors. with total Of $131 .954. 500 to theil
credit. The average balance for each
depositor was 3l95.57. This was an in
crease over the previous year Of 1871 II
the number Of depositors. 81 in tn,
amount and $3.50 in the per capita bal
ance. The large proportion Of this tota
Is contributed by industrial centers. II
143 of'ices in cities where there are BIZ
manufac curing plants "A per cent. Of tn
deposits are held.
The war has resulted in some posta
routes not being covered at times. Mel
drawn into industries by larger sal
aries often have left posts that coul'
not be filled, the report says. and rec
ommends that the department be givel
more latitude in getting carriers whel
conditions are unusual.
Mr.. Burieson again voiced opposition
to the tube systems, maintaining the
are inefficient and cost more than tn
service is worth. He also reiterate
his belief that the government shout
control telephone and telegraph line
with supervision entrusted to the post
office department.
The postmaster-g general again strong
iy urges a change In the system o
erecting public buildings. He state
his belief that the government 10 no
justified In erecting a building for
postoffice alone unless the renta
amounts to $1,000 and then only who
the gross postal receipts are $4,000 o
the population as much as 5000.
The postmaster general says the ney
space system OF compensating railway
LOT trAuSpOTtiuB IHdiiD Hue Ooou 0uS
cessful. The report says:
1.-THE operation of the space basis
resulting in the direct saving of mil
lions of dollars to the government b
reducing the car-mile service require
of the railroads. and has released I
the road a large amount Of car equip
ment and car space of trains. TIL
number of full 60-foot storage car
alone, which, through concentration an
better loading of the mails, has bee
released to the railroads for meetin
the present freight. baggage and ex
press congestion. would equip dali
three trains of 10 cars each operatin
between Boston and Chicago.
Mr. Burleson's report also makes TIL
recommendation for further extendin
the civil service:
ITO further eliminate partisan poll
tics from the postal service. to recos
nize merit and Efficiency and in tn
interest of the public service. It
again recommended that the necessar
legislation be enacted to include in tn
classified civil service the position {
postmaster at presidential ofnces; an
to extend and perfect the emcienc
system obtaining in the postofice de
partment proper at Washington II
also recommended that the positions {
assistant postmaster-general and tha
of purchasing agent OF the postomc
department be included In the class
ned civil service"
WINS $125 VERDICT.