The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-11-14
U.S.. Workers Stirred
Iby Measure to Ban
Affiliations A.F. OIL.

w AS1lNG lONs .4NUN' lf.--l HS
National Federation of Federal En-.
ployes was stirred to action yester-
day morning over the Myers rider
to the pohcemen's salary increase bill
aiming to separate all organizations
of Government employees from the
American Federation OF Labor. Il
was declared that the individual right
to organize was at STAKE.
The Myers rider is not only Of con,
cern to the National federation OF
Federal Employees, but, if enacted into
law, would affect at least fifty other
national organizations affiliated with
the A. F. of L., and having members
in the Government service.
That Congress will not pe likely to
ratify the vote of the seven Senators
who, at a special session Wednesday
night outvoted the other five Senators
present on the Myers proposition, was
the opinion expressed yesterday morn
ing at the headquarters Of the Ma.
tionaI Federation of Federal EN-
ployes.
The bill to which the Myers rider
was attached passed the House with.
out any such provision affecting Gov.
ernment employees other than police
men, and in order to become law
must be agreed to in conference and
ratified by each house of Congress.
| The executive council of the Ma
tional Federation Of Federal En-.
ployes, which is no-T in session in
Washington, and which includes the
elected representatives of 148 local
unions Of Government workers in AZ
states. unanimously adopted seolu-
ton to stand by the organization'S
affiliation with the American Fedora.
ton Of Labor, and in statement is
sued yesterday morhing calls atten'
ton to the no-strike clause in the
constitution Of the Government EN-
ployes' union.
Complete Autonomy.
"The seven senator's who voted fol
the Myers rider" federation official:
pointed out, "seem TO overlook the
fact that the American Federation
Of Labor has no power to call .
strike of any of it's affiliated organi
cations, and that the National Fed
Grafton of Federal Employees has there
fore complete autonomy in this anC
all other respects.
"Our organization has consistent
record of opposition to strikes by gov
ernment employees, and the clause il
our constitution prohibiting strikes
i is held as one of our vital principles
"There is no power on earth tina
could call strike of government EN-
ployes except themselves and thei
organization by its own constitution
prohibits them from doing So"
No.Strike Clause.
The no-strike cluase of the consti
tuition reads: "Prow .eG, That unde
no circumstances shall this federation
engage in or support strikes agains
the United States government"
In addition to the opposition of tn
National Federation Of Federal En-
ployes, the Mycrs' rider will encounte
the public sentiment represented i
the other fifty labor organization
affected.
A few of these organizations ar
The Letter carre' railway mNil clerks
postoffice clerks, navy yard machir
lists, and all other trades, engineer
ing trades, building trades, printin
J trades, and even some Of the sewin
4 trades, employed in the vast govern
ment plants of the War and Navy DE-
e. partments, and various other brancl
es of the government in Washingto
: and throughout the country.