The Washington times., 1920-11-25
PLOT TO
WRECKUN|0NS
IS P. C. of Organized Crafts
men in U. S. Employ Join
in Bitter Protest.
SAY CIVIL SERVICE IGNORED
Declare Report, if Accepted,
Will Cut Wages and Result
in Chaos.
SAY CIVIL SERVICE IGNORED

Ninety-five per cent Of organized
labor in the employ Of the Govern
ment in Washington, representing
$4,000 men, has declared the report
Of the joint Congressional Commits
sion on reclassification Of salaries
obnoxious to the labor movement"
to such an extent that it has
brought down the condemnation Of
the American Federation of Labor,
because the report, if it passes Con-
gress in its present form, breaks
down all jurisdictional lines of
unionism.
CALL 1T SINISTER OR STUPID.
Is it a deliberate attempt to under
mine labor through Congress? This
is a question being asked ON every
side. If not, it is held, the commits
sion's report certainly was q most
stupid piece of work. -s~s-
In regard to labor. the report recon-
mands wage scales considerably lower
than those authorized b. the sundry
civil bill.
1t completely ignores and contra
diets certain powers placed by the
law in the hands Of the Civi lService
Commission.
The report, it is charged, aims to
destroy extra compen sation for over
time by placing wage scales on q
yearly instead Of a per diem basis.
In many other respects principles
universally conceded labor in private
employment are doomed TO destruc-
ton by the reclassiication commits
sion's report
CHARGES MADE TO COMMITTEES.
Such are the charges made by or
ganixed labor. 1t was learned today,
to special steering committee ap-
pointed to hear criticisms on the re-
classification report. The committee
Is composed of Frank J. Coleman.
secretary Of the Central Labor Union;
w. l. Douglas, of the Navy Depart
| ment: and DR.. ]. Franklin Meyer, Of
the Bureau Of Standards.
Mr.. Coleman heard complaints sf
the skilled trades. Mr.. Douglas those
of the clerical forces. and DR.. Meyer
received those of the scientific branch
| es of ths service.
Criticisms of the report were so
numerous and the spirit in which
they were made was so obviously an
| tagonistic that the committee could
| accomplish. nothing insofar as using
the complaints in an effort to rectify
| the evils complained of was con-
cerned- Unions. especially. after
stating their case. threw up their
hands and declared they wanted
nothing more to do with the reclassi-
fication movement because of the In
justice 1t brought to their craft"
EXPLAINS OBJECTIONS.
Mr.. Coleman today declared "95 per
cent OF the skilled trades in the Gov
ernment service find the report OF thA
Reclassiflcation Commits sion obnoxious
because of the fact that jurisdic-
tionh lines Of unionism are broke1
down, causing considerable confusion
in the ranks Of organized labor. The
wage scales recommended by the COM
mission are in most instances less
| than the prevailing rates and far be-
low the rates paid in private employ
ment"
Practically every union represented
in the Government service made vig-
orous complaint to Mr. Coleman.
Those unions which did not declared
| they were so completely disgusted'
that they did not care to honor the
| commissions report by giving ifeven
passing attention.
A CHARACTERISTIC COMPLAINT.
The criticism made by the Printing
Pressmen's Union. Local No. ]. 10
characteristic of the attitude of labor
| toward the reclassifcation report.
The pressmen say in part:
I'VE claim absolute jurisdiction
over all offset presses. In this we
have tho backing of the American
Federation of Labor, and two OF It's
conventions. The prcssmcn In the
Government Printing office have on,y
received a so percent Increase in
wages since 1860. In 1915 they re-
ceivcd SO cents an hour and today
they receive rs cents an hour. while
pressmen in commercial offices have
during this period received increases
in wages ranging from 10 to $50 per
cent"
WOULD CAUSE CONFUSION
n the reclassincation commissions
report passes Congress as IL stands,
the resulting confusion is apparent.
| The A. T.. OF L. has given jurisdic-
tional right over Offset presses In the
above instance TO pressmen, while the
commission would place such right
In the hands OF lithogrsrhora The
employment policies OF the Govern
mcnt regarding labor and those es-
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