The Washington herald., 1920-04-18
Tired Of Waiting on Con-
gress for More Pay, They
Quit and Service Suffers.
TALK OF A WALKOUT
Labor Turnover in Some
Classes Reported 100 Per
Cent IN Single Week.

Chicago. April lT.-whIIe the
Federal government is busy inVes-
tigsting interference with the mail
service. due TO the strike Of the
switchmen. there is a movement on
foot In Chicago which eventually
may clamp the lid on the mail de-
livery not only In this city but
throughout the Central West This
disturbance centers in the Chicago's
postonlcs and Il is no secret 20
government oficials.
o IL is asserted on the best au-
thortty that the more beIIIgerent
members Of the local union of the
National Federation OF Federal En-
ployes has set July ] as the zero"
cay when every member Of the
union viii walk out unIess an ade-
ouate increase In pay is forthcom-
ing. These members hardly can
be termed radical as the majority
nave been In the service of the
government for up TO q generation
They simply are tired Of waiting
on Congress
Labor Turnover Reported Hixh
There will be no -strike- -
such. The constitution OF the union
ioroios strfkea But the U.JLoI,,
VIII be as effective Just the s.1o
the men assert The members III
simply quit just as they have heen
oolng Tor the last three wears Tai.
time' however. IL threatens to n.
UNANIMOUS. Among the lowest n.id
class OF employees in the Fedo-.i
buildings here the labor turnn,,o-
nAs oeen as high as 100 per cen,
In one week. The workers did No,
strke They simply were NOT on
nano when Assistant Custodian
Snerles +. Nagl called the roll
IhAt The machinery Of the most
once mere has actually broEeu DIV,
Is the claim Of Chicago busino..
men. They also have proof that 4,
ls net much Better in other n.r-s -
the country. The handling on -
oto-class mail. especially. mas h.
Some hopeless. First-class mail de-
tISeries are not much better, Tbs
iSct a special delivery parcel from
BOSTON to Chicago was in ;ranr,t
iof SIX Gays vas the subject Of Al
Tlal IN one Of the local n.HA-
Ihat was before the strike
OF the switchmen.
IN the majority Of cases mail a.
delayed in the local postorBco -.
the simple reason there are moi me.
enough to handle il. Anonf, -.
carriers IL is the same. DeIiysrisS
an outlying districts have been on,
IIom tnree TO two and still promDt-
ness Is lacking.
Soy ~subs- Get BIEre,t Pa,
In the poStoflce itself tons Of
eono-cisss matter and parcel post
pecSAses are usually piled up. Ex-
ira help has been engaged bp, ~.
mas only complicated matters =, tn.
new men are more or less usrlsrS
ana besides, their remuneration
which ts so cents an hour bas
caused deep dissatisfaction among
tne regular employees whose wages
are much less
NOW the ultimatum has been de-
nVered unless that also has r,ono
4stray on, its way to wsshin0top
II may be denied in the Capital mad
the situation is serious, but il is
Just the same. The men are prsc-
ncally In open rebellion and the
break is certain 10 come. To orrSer
tnese claims it may be pointed out
that the loyalty of the employes X
such that the distributors in the
main posto1nce here have worked
sundays without extra compensation
In oioer TO clear up the congestion.
Just the same. an organization
mas been perfected and the great
majority OF men will drop out. As
chicago is the greatest distributing
point Tor mail in the country, the
service will be paralyzed.
In the meantime men are Quit
ting the department. sinEIy and in
pairs Postmaster CarliIe. an ex-
eeptionally able oficial, is helpless
to correct conditions. as nc has
nothing to offer the men, being
hedged in by statutory salaries.
The men figure IL is useless longer
70 petition Congress.
q W