New-York tribune., 1918-06-29
Postmaster Says No Action
Has Been Taken for Post
ing Attack on Burleson
Men Contradict Him
Clerks Object to Superinten-
dent Lubin Acting as
a Censor

officials and department heads Of the
New York Postofice and the officials of
tho local branch of the National Fed
Grafton of Postal Employees contra
Hcted each other fatty yesterday in
reference to the report that charges
had been filed against forty-fve postal
clerks in this city
Officials of the federation, which is
connected with the American Fedora
zion of Labor. reiterated their state
rsnts that charges had been prepared
seainst members of their organization
for having posted news bulletins IN
,ocker rooms of the New York Post
office stations The posters told Of the
attack made by Thomas r. Flahersy'
secretary and treasurer OF their na,
tional union, on Postmaster General
Burleson Mr.. Flaherty. in speech
before the American Federation OF
labor convention in ST. Paul, called Mr..
purleson "autoc~atic and tyrannous.
Postmaster Thomas G. Patten, AS
sistant Postmaster Thomas F. Murphy,
Charles Lubin, superintendent o1 de
livery, and the Postoffice Inspectors
force disclaimed any knowledge OF
charges preferred.
The federation officials said that
Postmaster Patten would not neces-
sarily know anything about the matter
They said that superintendent OF De-
livery Lubin was the responsible man.
that he had ordered the men to explain
why they had posted the bulletins.
Lubin Is Silent
Mr.. Lubin said he did not care TO
hut in
had not preferred any charges.
Superintendent OF Delivery Charles
Iubin is the man responsible for the
charges in whatever form they may be
az nresent," said A. Greenbaum, secre-
tarv and treasurer of the local fedora
ton. "He ordered Peter j. McGurty,
assistant superintendent Of delivery,
TO start the investigation preliminary
to fling the charges. At exactly 3;oo
o'clock D. M. June "a, Mr.. McGurty pc
gan calling UP all the superintendents
of local postoftice stations, ordeIihg
them to remove the Objectionable bul-
letins from the stations and demand
inc the men who posted them explain
in writing why they posted the news
items telling of Mr.. Flaherty's attack
on Mr.. Burleson. ,
"Now. | don't give hang what Mr..
Lubin or anybody else in the post
Office SAYS about there being no
charges filed. We know that when any
employe of the postoffice is ordered to
make an explanation in writing OF any
thing which displeases our superiors," J"
means just exactly one thing, namely
that charges have been preferred.
Ignorant of Charges
1.-The men are never told what the
charges are That is a secret matter.
The men are forced to answer set of
questions blndly, without knowledge
of their own case. In due course OF
time an order is issued calling upon
the accused to show cause within three
days why they should not be dismissed
from the service. Thereafter the mat
ter of retaining job becomes po-
litical race. The entries for this heat
are either a district leader or some
other politician in the city, or Repre-
sentative in Washington sprinting un-
der the colors of the accused, and the
officials of the Postoffice Department.
"Now, forty-fve postof1ice employees
in greater New York have been called
upon to explain in writing why they
posted news bulletin on the black
boards in their stations. If the matter
ends there, without further develop
ment, it is because the department
heads are scared. There has been too
much publicity for this affair to suit
them. They know they are wrong and
they don't want to force the issue.
They know we have 5000 members of
the federation in New York City and
that we are associated with the Amer
lean Federation of Labor"
See Censorship Rule
The postoffice employees said that a
censorship rule was issued by Mr..
Lubin Immediately after the objection
able bulletins criticising Mr.. Burleson
were removed. Notices were posted on
the bulletin boards in all the stations
announcing that hereafter all commu-
nlcations relating to the organizations
Of ,postoffice employees would have to be
submitted to the station superintend-
ents for approval before being posted.
"As a matter of fact" said one
member of the federation, POSTMASTER
General Burleson, who has opposed
our affilation with the American Fed
Grafton of Labor has been our most
successful recruiting agent, The vari-
Gus rules and regulations which he has
promulgated have increased our ranks.
and it was his attitude toward us that
forced us in self-protection to seek
union with the American Federation of
Labor.
For instance, the postoffice De-
partment is the only employer I ever
heard of which penalties mon for work
ing overtime. and at the same time
forces them to work overtime.
THE carriers and postal clerks who
faye been FIVE years or more in the
service and receive $1,000 year,
receive about 80 cents al hour for
every eight-hour day they work. Sum-
Gays and holidays are not counted in
this computation. But in paying a
man for overtime. the Postofiice De-
partment figures the overtime salary
On the basis that a man is paid 81 200
isr ssb working days. which means