Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-25
Troops Withdraw From Mexican Sol
SHOULD POLICE
AFFILIATE WITH
LABOR UNIONS?
In Many Places They
Have, But Washington,
D. c. Puts Ban On 1t.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

( e. EO+-01Oulu LQ6
police OF the United States be per-
mitted to affiliate with labor
unions? Several cities are answer
Ing this question nowadays but the
federal government has Just had
an opportunity TO pass on 1t. And
! the decision Is naturally OF nation
wide interest for under the system
OF government In the District of Coz
| lumbia, the president appoints the
commissioners and their acts are
| in effect his acts. Commissioner
Brownlow recently had long con-
| ference with President Wilson on
district affairs and it Is inconceiv-
able that so vital a decision as that
announced by Mr.. Brownlow would
! be taken without consulting the
| White house.
Give Radicals a Weapon.
| Back OF the question OF course
] lies the possibility that II bOlshe-
vism is ever to take hold IN Amer
/ lea and the soviet ideas are to pre-
vail. a powerful weapon IN the
! hands of radical leaders would be
their atfiliation with the police in
all parts of the country. The
American Federation OF Labor at
It's June meeting sanctioned the
grant of charters to policemen's
unions and these have been already
organized in 81 cities. 1t is claim
ed that the American Federation of
| Labor acted so that the police might
not be drawn into the meshes OF a
rival organization of radical labor
| hgitators some day and that posi-
/ BILE friction could be better con-
trolled II tho policemen were affil-
lated with the federation than, for
example, with an l. W. W. organ
ization.
Oppose 0rganiza ion.
But no matter what the purpose
of the labor organization-be 1t
'atsSyuggFRErfvs or radfcal-the Dis
trict OF Columbia commissioner are
unequivocaIly IN opposition to both.
Commissioner Brownlow after con-
ferences with representatives of the
police here made it clear that an
organization of policemen as such
was not Objectionable, but no affil-
iation with any outside labor move
ment would be tolerated.
The Statement.
, He says in a deliberately worded
statement:
The commissioners, after
careful consideration of the
whole question OF the organiza-
tion of a policemen's union af-
fliated with any other labor or
ganization have reached the
conclusion that they must take
tho ~
entire and complete independ-
ence of the police department
They approve heartily of the
principle of collective bargain
ing and they welcome the or
ganization of members of the
police force for purposes of
collective representation. mu-
tual support and organized eff
fort to increase their salaries
or improve their working con-
ditionS.
Must Not Afiliate.
They must, however, with
hold their consent from any
+ projeNt TO connect such an or
ganization of members of the
police department with any
The fact that the policemen's
union is bound by ''no-strike"
provision is an earnest in
tention of its members not to
resort to a strike as a weapon
of compelling it's demands, but
if it be affiliated with other or
ganizations which do contem-
plate the use of a strike in an
emergency every member OF
the police force who is a mem
Der of the union would be liable
to the charge, however falsely
made. of favoritism in the per-
formance of duty in the event
of industrial trouble involving !
future controversy that may
arise in industry. the visible
arm Of public authority should
not be in any way subject to
outside influence or restraint"
VIII Others FOIlOwl
Probably the example of the dis
trict commissioners will be fol- |
lowed elsewhere in the United |
States and be regarded as a nation
al precedent because it was
adopted with the theoretical sane
ton at least of the president who
appoints the commissioners. The
objection here is not against the
possibility of a sudden strike by
the police because federal troops
would always be available for duty
in the District of Columbia. Nor
is there the slightest objection to
the afhliation by government
clerks, fremen, or employees of the
federal departments in Washing
ton with the American Federation
Of Labor, as many of these organi-
cations already have affiliated. But
the police must remain entirely
free. They can have an organiza-
ton of their own to secure benefits
in pay or working conditions and
such an organization will be for
mally recognized by the commits
sioners. But the police authority
Itself must remain independent and
inviolate- /