Evening star., 1919-04-28
RATES AS SILLY
GOMPERS' ATTACK
Postmaster General Replies
to Labor Leaders Criticism
of His Administration.
AGAIN RAPS PUBLISHERS

"SiIly talk is the answer of Post
master General Burleson to the attack
made by Samuel Gompers, president of
the A. F. of L.. upon the labor policy
of the, Postmaster General. He issued
another in the long series of his official
statements last night defending his ad-
ministration and his operation OF gov
ernment-controlled telephone and tele-
graph systems against charges made by
Mr.. Gompers that the Postmaster Cen
eral was carrying out "an archaic, au-
tocratic policy 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
| "valIe and importance of the service
rendered by Mr.. Samuel Gompers during
men in America" and that the labor
official 'is entitled to our grateful ap-
probation for this service, but this does
not imply that there should be an ac-
ceptance of his views on all other is
sues"
As Mr.. Burleson Sees It.
"As the Postmaster General sees it,"
said Mr.. Rurleson. in reply to the at
labor policy, 'it is little short Of silly
to talk about collective bargaining
with an executive officer by civil
service employees under his admins
tration. The salary and wages to be
paid such employees, the hours of
fixed by the legislative branch. and
it is for the executive head of a de-
partment to strictly follow the law in
respect thereto. In the matter Of fix
ing compensation the Postmaster
General has always believed that
sound public opinion could safely be
relied upon to see that full justice
ment
'It is the duty of an executive
officer to give the legislative branch
when asked the benefit of his judg-
ment on this subject, and the Post
master General has recommended, as
the record shows, that the govern
ment be a model employer; that COM
pensation for those who serve it be
fixed upon a generous basis: In fact,
compensation of laborers and clerks
should be fixed at from Is to 80 per
cent more than is paid for. similar
service in private employment, but
beyond this it should not go. That
upon to act generously is shown by
the postal establishment, in which
within two years increases have been
granted aggregating more than forty
millions of dollars annually.
Has Not Changed His Views.
1.-The attitude of the Postmaster
General toward organization of gov
ernment employees and their affilia-
tion with outside organizations hav-
ing the strike as a means of redress
ing grievances has long been known,
has been fully set forth in his annual
reports and Notwithstanding the fact
that the Postmaster General has been
denounced by the American Fedora
tion of Labor in national convention,
his views on this subject have under
gone no change. The Postmaster Gem
eral maintains that the strike on the
part of employees of the government
or those working for the government
is not permissible, in fact is unthink-
! able, and that the utmost danger to
the government is involved in. any
suggestion that there should be re-
cession from this position, and that,
as far as he is concerned, there will
be none, regardless Of plank walk
ing or any other consequences.
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 peFmis-
sible and he will never concede that
| it is. While they are working for the
government, the wage paid them is
not fixed as that Of other government
employees, and hence a different treat
ment or method must be used in as
certaining what is a just wage"
Says He Strictly Observed Rules.
Mr. Burleson said he had strictly
observed the rules and policies laid
down by the War Labor Board for
telegraph employees before the wires
were taken over by the government,
and added:
THE wire administration has at all
times endeavored to be absolutely
wire service, the owners of proper
ties and the public
The question is. as the Postmaster
General sees it, whether the orderly
| processes of government shall be
| ignored, whether labor organiza-
/. tion can defy it's authority and put
! into effect their will regardless of
| the right of others and the public in
I terest.
"Frankness requires the foregoing
| statement by the Postmaster Cen
eral, but he again declares that il
he can prevent it this labor question
shall not be used by certain selfish
publishers to obscure the real issue
| The Postmaster General insists that
the issue now is: shall these certain
! bloodsucking the postal establish
ment for years to the extent OF
seventy-two million dollars annually
! be fully restored to this privilege
having been checked off by congress
| sional' action of only one-third OF
| their 'pay.I The Postmaster General
| says no.
EENTRIES FOR D. C. BIG
! HORSE SHOW COMING IN
u. Macy Willetts, Noted Exhib-
itor, First to Act-Stable
| Room Applied For.