Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-31
P. 0. EMPLOYEES
T0OUTL|NE NEEDS
Federation Convention Here
/ Will Ask Legislation for
1 Service Betterment.
HIGHER PAY ONE DEMAND

The eleventh annual convention of
the National Federation of Postal En-
ployes post Office clerks. the first
government employees to organize and
affiliate with the American Federation
of Labor, will convene in this city
tomorrow at the New Ebbitt House
for a four-day conference.
The organization has a membership
of more than $4,000 post Office clerks
scattered all over the country. More
than 800 delegates are expected some
of whom have arrived An extended
business and social program has been
arranged. The visiting delegates will
be the guests of the members of Local
No. 40 of this city.
These officers of the Washington
local are looking after the visiting
delegates: Charles V. Hilton, presi-
dent; John T. Sheehy, first vice presi-
dent; Miss F'rieda Bauer. second vice
president; Howard T. Biting, secre-
tary; Charles d. Pindell, financial
secretary, and George Howell, treas
urer. forming the committee of az
engagements.
Prominent Speakers Scheduled.
A number of men prominent in ma
tional politics will address the con-
vention. William H Haycock, super
intendent of mails of the Washington
post Office, will deliver the address
of welcome. Dist let Commissioner
Brownlow is eXpe cted to speak for
the local municipal government.
Others who are to address, the con-
vention are: Senators PoindeXter of
: Washington and Mcclellan of Tonnes
see; Representatives Martin B. Mad
den of Illinois. John l. Nolan of Cali
fornia and James O'Connor of Louisi-
ana; Edward Heating. member of
salary classification commission;
Arthur E. Holder. member of voca-
tional education board; Edward J.
Ryan, president Railway Mail Associ-
alton; James z. Egan. representing
the American Federation of Labor.
Topics for Discussion.
Among the more important matters
that will be discussed and acted upon
by the convention will be the high
cost of living. ways and means of
dislodging and Furnishing the prof
iteers, and securing legislation that
will give to the members of the or
ganization the right of collective bar
gaining. "A material increase in their
wage scale and improved working
conditions.
An effort will be made to secure leg
islation that will place the Post Of
flee Department On basis of high
working conditions that will bring to
the service young and efficient men.
Congress will be memorialiZed and
shown that in period of twelve
years there has been only one in
crease in pay, of small proportions,
in the form of a bonus, and that con-
ditions demand a material advance in
the wage scale to make it possible
for the men of the service to live, and
assure the continued efficiency of the
tervice.
Indications of Unrest
As sign of the great unrest that
is at work in the service it is pointed
out that since the organization's last
convention the membership has ire
bled- 1t is the claim of the members
of the organization that the Post
master General has consistently and
continuously opposed fair wage and
the equaIizing of the pay scale with
that of outside private enterprise.
That the service is losing large
numbers of it's best men, who seek
employment where the salaries are
higher, with no new material coming
in to fill their places. is shown where
one post Office with 1900 clerks has
in the turnover during the past
year lost more than 1000 clerks A
minimum wage of $500 and a max
imum wage of $1,000 will be demand
ed, with time and a half for over
time and like pay for Sundays and
holidays and the elimination of night
work. A court of appeal will be
asked for to make impossible the in
timidation and reprisals that it is al
legged are practiced by officials upon
the clerks for insignificant offenses.
Every delegate to the convention
will personally call on the representa-
tive in Congress from his district
back home and tell him the conditions
of the postal service and the grew
ances of the men.
Will Visit Points of Interest.
The delegates will attend the base
ball game this afternoon between
Boston and Washington. All points of
interest will be visited during the
week.
The national officers of the organi-
cation are: President, Gilbert E.
Hyatt, Washington, D. c.; vice presi-
dents. John ]. Welsh. Minneapolis.
Mimi; Walter Hancock, San Francis
CO, Calf; Patrick Z. Higgans, New
York city; Miss Ethel Tullock. San
Diego. Calf, and T. F. Flaherty,
Washington. D. c., secretary and