The Connecticut labor news., 1923-03-09
Coal Employees Ask Harding
 to Rescind Executive Order
 Reducing Their Compensation

By International Labor News Service. Washington, D. C., March 9-Presi- dent Harding has ignored. nullihed, and violated the Panama Canal Act passed by 1 Congress in 1912 by his executive order | reducing the compensation of employees
 on the Canal. That is the conclusion of | the Panama Canal and Panama Railroad | employees, whose representative, w. C. flushing, has submitted the facts in the
 case to the President and asked for cor | rection.
 Employees of the Panama Canal read | with dismay the order of the President, effective January l, 1922, that charges should in future be made for rent, fuel, electric current, water, and services i'll l connection with quarters. These per- l quisites were part of the compensation provided by Congress for American citizens accepting service in the Canal Zone
 In protesting against the executive order MT. Flushing incurred the i'll will of Governor Morrow of the Canal Zone. His dismissal as an ernploye of the gov- ernment followed. Since then the Canal employees have maintained MT. Flushing as their representative in Washington A year has passed. No correction has been made by the President During that time the lack of wisdom of those re- sponsible for the executive order has been demonstrated. It is felt by Panama employees that correction IS necessary from the standpoint of public policy if for no other reason.
 MUST HAVE COMPETENCE.
 Without competent worlmen the Panama Canal cannot be operated. no matter how many high salaried officers the government may send down Work men have been leaving steadily during he md hor to get on the present basis of coInpensa- tion. The governor says in his 1922 re- port that tine ratio of acceptances to ', tenders of employment was B per cent. as compared with 73 per cent in 1921 and 28 per cent. in 1920"
 For fourteen months employees have been paying rent and have not received the full 25 per cent. differential in wages which the law provides. In his letter to President Harding MT. Flushing says:
 These conditions will continue for at least another year and the leaders of the employees realize that it will be impossible for them to induce the employees to re- main in the service"
 Governor Morrow himself in a state ment to the Senate Committee quoted in the letter to President Harding, says:
 "If 1t Is not corrected, we are sure to lose many of the best of them Gem p1oyes), and are going to find 1t in- creasingly difficult to replace them. The situation is one that cannot be faced with confidence by the responsible execu- tive officer charged with the operation of all the governmental and business functions of the Panama Canal"
 THE BROKEN LAW.
 Referring to the order. regulations and ordinances for the operation of the Panama Canal, the Act of 1912 expressly stated that thev "are hereby ratified and confirmed as valid and binding until Congress shall otherwise provide" and (Section 14) ''the right to alter. amend, to extend, modify, or annul any rule or regulation made under its authority is expressly reserved" In spite of these provisions of the law the President has assumed authority to cut wages and eliminate other forms of compensation of employees.
 In calling attention to the law. the Panama Canal employees, through their representative. cuote opinions of the Attorney General. and show that legisla- tion is asked in other matters of similar nature not affecting workmen. For in stance, executive officers of the govern ment have no authority to lease property of the government unless authorized to do SO by Congress. A bill is now in Congress providing for leasing of coal ing plants on the Canal Zone. The leasing of government houses to en- ployes is equally a matter of congress sional action, say the employees. and if done without congressional sanction IS illegal For these and other reasons equally good the President is asked to rescind his executive order relating to reduced compensation for Panama Canal employees.