Evening star., 1919-04-27
Labor Chief Claims Archaic,
Autocratic Policy DoomS
Mr.. BurIeson.
FITNESS TO SUCCEED
WORLDS Ex-DICTATORS"
Head of Federation Declares u. S.
Official Out of Sympathy With
American Trend.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. April cS.-Samuel
Gompers. president Of the American
Federation of Labor. assailed the ad-
ministration of Postmaster General
Burieson in a statement issued here
today. declaring that he must walk
the plank sooner or later"
Mr.. Gompers charged Postmaster
General Burleson with carrying out
San archaic, autocratic policy in the
conduct Of the postal, telegraph and
telephone services of the United
States" and said. "he needs only a
wider field and a better opportunity
to fit him for succession to some of
the worlds best known but unlament-
ed ex-dictators"
Statement by MI. Gompers.
Mr.. Gompers' statement follows:
THE troubles of Postmaster General
Burleson. which in a recent state
ment he attributes to "A plot or a
conspiracy on the part of the Ameri-
can publishers. are not due solely to
any dispute there may have been be-
tween the Postmaster General and the
publishers to whom he refers The
most recent example of Mr.. Burlesons
autocratfc nature does not come as a
surprise to those in the labor move
ment who have come in contact with
his administration.
Labor was long ago forced to the
conclusion that Mr.. Burieson was
completely out of sympathy with the
trend of American thought and was
totally unable to comprehend what
America meant when it declared war
upon autocracy everywhere. Mr.. Bur-
Lesson needs only a wider field and a
better opportunity to At him for sue
cession, to: some OF the worlds best
known, but uuiame nted ex-dictators.
The only difficulty in Mr.. Burleson's
way Is that the world has reached
the decision that 1t wants no more
dictators. The United States Post
ONCE Department is one of the very
few places in the world not yet in
accord with that decision.
0SSSAlAOAS adS UIOWu.
Long before the United States gov
ernment took over the telegraph
systems of the country Mr.. Burle-
sons cold and autocratic treatment
became known to the workers en-
gagged in the postal service. Natural
ly resentment has followed this
course and this resentment has in
creased in volume exactly in proper
ton to the increased field over which
Mr.. Burleson rules. .,
The workers In various branches
of the Postmaster Generals depart
ment have come to understand thor
oughly that democracy and the Post
Office Department have nothing in
common except that they exist under
the same government. Time after
time these employees have endeavor-
ea to secure the opportunity to be heard
by the Postmaster General through
their representatives for the purpose
of presenting grievances or just
causes for complaint. They have
sought to lay before him their COM
plants in order that they might
have his consideration and in order
that an adjustment might be brought
about through the democratic pro-
ceedure of negotiation. These plead
inss for an opportunity to be heard
have been as vain as they have been
frequent.
MY own experience with the Post
master General has been of a similar
nature. Acting for the workers.
have had number of conferences
with him in which 1 have endeavored
to induce him to grant the opportuni-
ty to his employees to be heard
through their representatives These
vain.
Ancient and Exploded Idea"
cit has been rather a favorite pose
with the Postmaster General to ap-
pear as a high minded person. gen.
erous and sympathetic with his EN-
ployes. Always. however, this SYM
pathy has been defined by MIN TO
mean that il any one of the employees
employe might come and present the,
case. Under any circumstances such
a course would be satisfactory and
intelligent employers nowhere at
tempt to deceive any one with that
ancient and long since exploded ie-A-
Only the most reactionary and bruta.
employers still endeavor to deal with
the workers as individuals.
I'm the case Of the Post Office De-
partment, however, where the en-
ployes are scattered throughout the
United States, such an attitude as.
that assumed by the Postmaster Cen
eral becomes not only ridiculous and
but constitutes an af-
front and an insult to the intelligence
of the men and women in his depart
ment and to the citizenship of tAv
country as well
THE position taken by the Secre-
taries of the War Department: the
Navy Department and various other
government departments in dealing
with the workers. the declarations of
the War Labor Board, approved by
the President Of the United States.