The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1917-12-12
GERMANS GETTING
READY TO DELIVER
DECISIVE BLOW
IS DEFIED
BY LABOR MEN
GompeTs, in Letter, Says Opposition
to Postal Unions Will BE
Bitterly Fought.

mcnt issued from the Headquarters of
the American Federation of labor in
this city, Samuel Gompers, president
OF the federation, served notice that
any attempt on the part of Mr.. Bur
lesson to force through congress his
proposal to deny postal employees the
right to organize will be bitterly
fought.
Mr.. Gomrcrs said:
"The American Federation of Labor
will resist any effort made by Post
master General Burleson to put into
effect his recommendation to congress
that the postal employees be denied
Gthe right to organize and affiliate
with labor.
More than ten years ago, in 1906,
the American Federation of Labor
presented it's historic bill Of griev-
ances TO President Roosevelt and
mentioned as one Of the particulars
the restoration Of the right of direct
petition to congress by government
employees-a right that was denied
them by executive orders issued by
Presidents Roosevelt and Taft We
Kept this issue prominently before the
public and on August "a, 1912, the
sixty-second congress enacted what
was then commonly called the anti
gag law, a law granting postal and
other government workers the right
to maintain their own organizations
in the interest of the men and free
from the domination of the depart
ment heads and also restoring to
them the constitutional right of pc
titioning congress. 1t is this which
Mr.. Burleson is seeking to have re-
pealed. We fought for it's enactment,
we believe it wise, just, necessary
law and we are prepared to fight
against its repeal.
"Mr. Burlcson cannot point to a
single instance where an affiliated or
ganlzation Of postale employees has
threatened to strike. He cannot name
a single officer of these organizations
who has remotely suggested such {.
course. Personally | have addressed
postal employees many times in all
parts of the country. l have explain
ed to them that legislation and not
the strike was their weapon of last
resort.
II can see no danger of a strike Of
postal employees if they have free
access to congress and public opinion
to secure the correction of their griev
anccs. But | can conceive of serious
trouble arising if the Burlcson idea
OF repressing men and not giving
them the opportunity to organize and
to come in contact with their fellow
workers in a sincere desire to make
better the lot of all groups of work
crs is put into operation. Affiliation
with the labor movement is safety
valve for the postal workers, which
Mr.. Burlcson, in mistaken view of
the ycarnings Of his employees, would
close.
"Thc association of the postal en-
ployees with the American Fedora
ton of Labor is purely voluntary
one. These men have come forward
voluntarily in recent years in large
numbers to become identified with the
labor movement. This indicates too
we'll that working conditions for them
are not as ideal as the postmaster
general would have the public believe.
These workers have the right-yes it
is a public duty-to organize and
make known their grievances to their
employers, the American people, so
that an aroused public opinion can
speedily correct any administrative
defects that may be harmful to the
workers and the service"