The Washington times., 1918-02-04
CLERKS PLAN TO
KILL 8-HOUR DAY
IN COMMITTEE

! Employees Union have been rallied 10
defeat in committee the Boardman
amendment to the agriculture appro-
priation bill providing for an eight
hour day for Government clerks.
| Opponents Of the amendment reaIi-
| iZe that II II is fRvorably reported by
the Committee on Agriculture, il Will
/ be likely to pass the Senate. Conse-
QuentIy efforts will be conferred upon
the committee to get at least an
unfavorabls report II the amendment
is not stricken out,
The Senate committee will take UP
the bill in the form in which 1t passed
the House in tho near future. The
National Federal Employees Union Will
ask for q hearing on the Borland
amendment as soon as the bill IL
taken up.
Work Overtime Now.
Advocates of the amendment are
raising the cry that the employees
ought to be willing to have the work
day increased with the country at
war.
on the other hand, employees point
out that the clerks are working over
time without compensation wherever
necessary, and that, every department
chief has Il in his power to fix hours
and to lengthen them wherever and
whenever the eXigencies OF the SER
vice demands such a course. They de-
clare that lengthening the work day
Is contrary to the spirit of the times,
to the principles voiced by the Ad-
minisration, and is generally unwise.
The Borland amendment was con.
sidered at q meeting OF the advisory
committee OF the Washington Union
Federal Employees yesterday. 1t was
unanimously agreed that the action
OF the House in approving Mr.. Bor-
lands effort to impose an S-hour daJ
upon the Federal employees, is an at
tack upon the standards OF labor
which the President and heads of
Executive departments in commune
ton with the Council OF National De-
| Tense, are making an earnest effort
to maintain.
Union Protest.
The committee issued a statement
In part as follows:
The Washington Employees Union
opposes and protests against the
enactment into law of the so-called
Borland amendment on the ground
that II is a serious step toward break
of labor; as unnecessary, unwfse, and
inimical to the best interests OF the
Government service, and a blow at
the efficiency Of the employees affect.
ed by It.
an his timely and remarkable ad-
dress before the convention OF the
American Federation recently held at
Buffalo, President Wilson said:
While we are lighting for free
dom, we must see, among other
things, that labor "a free. and that
means a number OF interesting
things. II means not only that we
must do what we have declared our
purpose today, see that the condl-
lions OF labor are not rendered more
onerous by the war, but also that we
talities by which the conditions OF
labor are improved are not blocked
or checked. That we must do
Organized labor in America stands
resoluteiy opposed to frightening the
working day. whether that day be seven
or eight hours. and this position Is
squArely in line with experience, and
modern economic and social ideals. II
IL, indeed. unfortunate that any assault
by the Government on the structure
which has been built up by labor through
years OF patient effort should meet with
the slightest encouragement.
The Borland amendment, so sweep
ing and far-reachinE in its effects. was
adopted by the House OF Representa-
tives. so far as we are advised. in the
absence OF the recommendation Of a sin
gle responsible executive official. with
out investigation by single committee
OF the House, and in advance OF the re-
port OF the efficiency bureau which had
been directed by Congress 10 investigate,
among other things. the very questions
forming the basis OF the action under
discussion.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
Civil Service Commission (which re
ported recently that 90 per cent OF the
appointees decline their appoint
ments) and the departments in Wash
Ington are resorting to extreme and
unusual measures to secure cOmpe-
tent employees, action Is now taken by
one branch OF Congress to render
more irksOme the conditions Of EN-
ployment IN the National Capital"
ConHIdsrntI6n Soon.
Senator Gore, chairman of the Sen
ate Committee on Agriculture. said
today HIS committee would begin the
consideration OF the agricultural ar-
preparation bill the last Of this week
or the first OF next.
Representatives OF the Federal En-
ployes' Union will endeavor to secure
hearings before the Committee on
Agriculture and make a strong pro-
test against the increase OF the length
OF the working day.
Senator Gore Is opposed to any dis
elimination AZ among the depart
ments. He IA not willing to commit
himself yet on the merits OF the Bor-
land plan.
at have not had time to go into the
Borland amendment" said Senator
Gore. MY attention was not directed
to 81. In fact. until after the bill had
passed the House. While | am not
yet ready to commit myself on the
general proposition as to whether this
amendment has merit, 1t Is clear to
me there should be no discrimination
among departments"