The Washington herald., 1918-06-29

NONAANCED NUN EAC6
standard eIght-hour day with pay and
one-half for overtime for which organ
lied labor stands" Organized labor is
not to be fooled by the cry OF "Patri-
otism." into taking a Stacker for a
Sammy" Just because the former is
draped in the stars and stripes.
Would Impair Service.
8. A deadly stroke at the morale and
efficiency of the civil service, at a
most critical time. 1t has been set
forth repeatedly by the Civil Service
Commission and other government
agencies that. 1t is becoming more
difficult day by day to secure the
needed workers. and that once Sc
cured. they can not be, and are not
being. kept. The longer workday will
result, not in more work being done
but merely in increasing the exodus
from Washington [already most seri-
ous). in discouraging new candidates
for the service. and in puttinS a DAM
per on the spirits OF those wio remain
here to carry on the work OF the gov
ernment
There are many other reasons taken
in conjunction with those stated above
that fully warrant the veto of the
legislative bill. 1t has been pointed
out many times that the legislation
complained of was unnecessary, cnd
was put through Congress without
Investigation. without waiting for the
report of the efficiency bureau. which
congress had directed to prepare data
bearing on the subject, and without
the recommendation of a single re-
sponsible executive official; that the
request OF the employees whose inter-
ests are at stake. to be heard in their
own behalf. was refused; and that the
Senate after deliberation rejected the
lcnger-day proviso by a vote of 40 to
Q.
4. The enactment of the BorIand
proviso puts the government in the
unenviable position of having
brought many thousands of en-
ployes to Washington through the
medium of attractive advertise
ments. issued especially by the Civil
Service Commission, in which the
relatively short working hours fig
ured prominently, only to find their
hours heightened almost before the
ink on their applications had had
time to dry. These persons for the
greater part gave up positions else
where and cut adrift from their
home surroundings. many from pa
triotic motives urged by the gov
eminent, and came here at consid-
cradle expense.
'FoolIsh Legislation.,
To appreciate the force of this
situation one has only to put the
question to himself, What would
have been said by Honorable Mem
bers and Senators as well as by the
common people," had the action in
question been taken by the Stand
ard Oil Company or the Steel Cor
poration? Small wonder that Chair
man Martin, of the Senate Appro-
priations Committee, referred to the
Borland amendment as the most
foolish piece of legislation he had
seen in many a day. and deprecated
its effect on organized labor, an ef-
feet which will grow in intensity as
the full meaning sinks in"
1t would seem, on thoughtful con-
sideration of issues involved, that
there Is far more trouble ahead II
the legislative bill is permitted to
become law as IL now stands than
IL the assault on the Presidents Ia
Dor program is met squarely in the
outset. The horses that kick over
the traces must be put in the cor
raj" At least that is the way the
matter looks to the man in the
street"
Veto II. Mr.. President.
]. G. GURLEY.