Evening star., 1925-03-11
PRINTERS PROTEST
GIVEN TO COOLIDGE
Discharges by Carter Called
Flagrant Law Violation.
His Status ASSaiIed.

A letter protesting against the dis
missal of a large number of printers
from the Government Printing Office
Saturday night was delivered to Presi
dent Coolidge at the White House today
by delegation from the Typographical
Union, which charged that the action of
Public Printer George II. Carter in dis
charging the employees was "a fragrant
violation Of the letter and spirit of the
law
The protest further declared that
the state of mind under which the
printers are compelled to work in the
Government Printing ONCE is almost
unbearabIe, due to late and previous
actions Of the present public printer
The letter was presented to Everett
Sanders. secretary to the President, by
e. F. Smith and George c. Seibold.
president and secretary, respectively, of
Columbia Typographical Union. No. 1O1
Mr.. Sanders. according to Mr.. Smith,
asked several questions, all of which
Mr.. Smith said were covered in the let
ter and protest.
Text of Unions Letter.
Representing the printer employees
in the Government Printing Office.
we wish to respectfully direct your
attention to a fragrant violation of
the letter and spirit of the law in a
recent discharge of about 125 print
ers in that institution.
We wish to emphasize that we
are not complaining of the discharge
as such, fully realizing that the Gov
ernment is under no obligation to
employ help that is not needed, but
we do most earnestly protest against the
manner of the discharge, and in do
ing so we wish to briefly refer to in
cidents leading up to the said dis
charge.
Recalls Plea For Help.
Early last Fall the public printer
caused to be printed and conspicu-
ously posted in post offices through
out the country large placard stat
once was in need of printers, and
that permanent employment awaited
those who came to Washington.
The heading of this placard stated
in very large type that Uncle Sam
has a job for you,' while striking
followed: Permanent en-
ployment by Uncle Sam,' Protection
of the United States civil service law
Uncle Sam never misses pay day nor
life upon retirement at So years of
age Every true American should
see and know Washington 1t is a
lifetime opportunity Don't miss it
Many other paragraphs of like
tenor occurred throughout the plac-
ard, and conditions surrounding a
position in the Government Printing
ONCE were pictured as ideal. So
urgent was the need for printers
hz =
four years experience which had al
ways prevailed as requisite for quail
fcations was set aside and prospec-
tive applicants were told that an ex-
perience of two years only in
printing office would meet the re-
qui;ements in the case of linotype
operators If one of the two years had
been devoted to operating linotype
machine.
Many Respond to Appeal.
"a good many printers responded to
the allurements held out in this
which was written and mail
ed by the public printer without of
ficial sanction of the Civil Service
according to a statement
made by Commissioners Wales and
Demming. After working for a few
weeks about 40 of these employees
were dismissed without a moments
notice, although some of them had
been brought here from points as far
distant as the Pacific coast, and most
of them had given up positions and
brought their families with them,
under the impression that their work
in Washington was to be permanent,
which they had every right to as
sumo.
"A copy of the placard is attached
hereto and market Exhibit A.
Following the issuance of this
placard the Civil Service Commission,
as late as January of this year, was
prevailed upon by the public printer
to send out blank forms to obtain an
eligible list for printers. The Civil
Service Commission declined to lower
the requirements from four to two
years, although requested by the pub
lie printer to do So the undersigned,
the employees, having pro-
tested against this radical, unwise and
change.
I'm letter to the one of the under
signed, subsequent to our protest, the
secretary for the commission stated,
however. that you are now advised
Continued on Page g. Column J.