Evening star., 1919-09-03
War Department Backs
Commissioners on
Union Issue.
MEN in CONGRESS
APPROVE STAND
City Officials Are Confident
Order Will Be Obeyed
by Rank and Fla.

The War Department is standing
squarely behind the mmissioners on
the police union question, 1t was
learned today, and military police may
be on duty in Washington next week
II the mandate issued yesterday from
the municipal building for the divorce
ment of the policemen's union from
organized labor should not be obeyed.
While no official announcement has
been made as to the plan to be fol-
lowed, it may be stated upon reliable
authority that the matter has been
canvassed with War Department Of
ficials and a decision reached as TO
measures to be taken for the protec-
tion of the city if dismissals from the
police force should be ordered
The Commissioners do not believe
this contingency is likely to develop.
however. In no event do they an
ticipate a condition of martial law
The plan devised for emergency po-
lice protection contemplates merely the
temporary filling with soldiers OF any
vacancies on the police force the Com
missioners may create for non-com-
pliance with the regulations issued
yesterday barring unionism from the
department.
The soldiers will be kept on duty
no longer than is required to find
competent civilians for the positions.
Expect Men to Obey.
Despite the report that their order
is to be contested in the courts. the
Commissioners were confident today
that it will be obeyed by the rank
and file of the police force. Sober
reflection on the part of the men.
they believe, will result in a general
determination to support constituted
authority and suppress insubordina-
, ton.
Machinery was set in molten today
that will bring an early answer to the
question as to where the men stand.
At the precinct stations every menl-
ber of the force this morning received
a printed blank on which he will make
a written statement as to whether he
is a member of any police organiza-
tion that is affiliated with organized
labor. Answers must be in by SUM-
day. The bulk Of them probably will
be in much sooner.
Today's officiaI police bulletin car
ried in full the regulations concern
ing affiliation with unionism e.acted
at the Commissioners board session
yesterday. ..f
Effect on Pay Question.
Factors in the controversy which
have a direct bearing -on the welfare
of the members of the police force
were receiving close attention today.
with the question of the effect of the
agitation on the petition for increased
pay of the policemen demanding prin-
cipal consideration. This feature OF
the situation was referred to in .
statement given out by Commissioners
Brownlow in which he expressed the
opinion that decision by the police
men to show allegiance only TO the
authority of the law would be re-
warded early by Congress in substan-
tial pay increases.
1t is known that many members OF
the force hold to the view that but for
the development of the controversy
over affiliation with outside organised
labor the fight for higher pay would
have been won already.
1t is understood also that the de-
cisive stand taken by the Commits
sioners yesterday has met with gen.
eral approval in Congress. Members
of both the Senate and House have
called the Commissioners on the tele-
phone and written to them to express
approval Of their position.
Court Proceedings.
Tomorrow may witness the inaugu-
ration of the threatened legal fight to
enjoin the Commissioners from en-
forcing their order. Attorneys for the
policemen's union are Wilton ]. Lami
bert and r. H. Yeatman. 1t is indi-
Gated they will base their appeal to-
the courts on the trade unions act Of
1886 and the Clayton act of 1914, and
the further plea that the reorganixz~
tion act Of the District of Columbia
does not give the Commissioners au-
thority to enact such regulations As
were promulgated yesterday.
Mr.. Yeatpan this morning said he
expected to hold a conference tonight
probable they would be ready to COM
mence proceedings tomorrow.
President Draeger of the Police
mems Union has called a meeting Of
the union for Saturday night in Musi-
clans Hall, 1905 E street, when the
Commissioners order will be dis
cussed.
Commissioners Mean Business. -
TT looks as if the Commissioners
mean business" remarked Policeman
L. E. Draeger of the first precinct.
president of the Policemen's Union.
to a Star reporter after he had heard
of the action of the Commissioners.
'It is too bad that they let us go
as far as we did if they had any OBJ
lection to the union" the president
added. land did not put a check ON
it in the first place.
I'VE had been led to believe there
would be no objection to the forma-
ton of the union, and it was not un-
til August %. when accompanied
members of the legislative committee
to the office of the Commissioners.
that the first intima ton of an OBJ
lection to it was made known. II
was at that time that we were asked
to withdraw from the American Fed
Grafton of Labor or any other labor
organization with which we might
be affiliated.
1.-THE question of Withdrawing from
the labor organization was discussed at
the last meeting of the union" Presi-
dent Draeger continued. land ii was de-
cided to lay. the question over for two
weeks to give the members time to think
1t over carefully.
'"The only thing that remains to be
DONE" he said. SIS to hold a special
...-c-..-S of the union, which probs .ts