The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-04-30
Burles0n Comes Back
Postmaster General Burleson
Says Selfish Publishers Are
Using Labor to Obscure
Real Issue

Washington, April 2.-Postmaster
General Burleson. in q statement to-
night, defended his administration Of
the postoffice department and his
policy in operating governmental con-
tro.led telephone and telegraph sys-
TENS against charges made yesterday
by Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation Of Labor. that
the postmaster general was carrying
out IAN archaic autocraic policy IN
the conduct Of the Postal Telcgrap pli
Company and the telephone service.
and was completely out Of sympathy
with the trend Of American thought
Mr. Burleson. in his statement, con-
tinued his criticism Of what he termed
certain selfish publishers"
The postmaster general said the
value and Importance of the service
rendered by Mr.. Saml Gompcrs oar
ing the recent war was surpassed by
few men in America and that the
labor official ''is entitled to our CRATE
full appreciation Tor this service, but
this does not imply that there should
be an acceptance Of his views on al!
other issues
''As the postmaster general sees il"
said Mr.. Burieson in reply to the at,
tack made by Mr.. Gompers on his
labor policy, 'tit is little short Of silly
to talk about collective bargaining
with an executive officer by civil ser
vice employees under his administra-
ton The salary and wages to be
paid such employees, the hours OF Ia
Dor and working conditions are fixed
by the executive branch, and 1t is for
to strictly follow the law in respect
thereto. That the legislative branch
can be relied upon to act generously
is shown by the postal establishment
in which within two years increases
have been granted aggregating more
than $40,000,000 annually.
'"The attitude of the postmaster
general toward organization Of gov
ernment employees and their affilia-
ton with outside organizations having
the strike as means Of redressing
grievances has long been known. has
been fully set forth in his annual re-
ports and notwithstanding the fact
that the postmaster general has been
denounced by the American Fedora
ton Of Labor in national convention,
his views on this subject have under
gone no change. =.
"In the matter Of telephone and
telegraph employees. they are at pres
ent working for the government and
the postmaster general insists that a
strike on their part is not permissible
and he will never concede that it
is.
Mr.. Burleson said he had strictly
observed the rules and policies laid
down by the war labor board for tele-
graph employees before the wires
were taken over by the government,
and added:
"Frankness requires the foregoing
statement by the postmaster general,
tut he again declares that if he can
prevent it this labor question shall
not be used by certain selfish publish
ers to obscure the real issue. The
postmaster general insists that the
issue now is. Shall these certain self
| ish publishers, who have been blood
sucking the postal establishment foI
years to the extent of ST., 100000 ali
nually be fully restored to this privi-
| lege. having been checked off by com
gressional action Of only one-third OF
their pay The postmaster general
says no.