The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-04-25
PLEAS
FOR DURAND
DENIED
BY j. EARLE MOSER

Militant" unionism today stood
tied, %, in its recurrent battle
against alleged discriminatory
practices Of officials in Federal
service.
The Federal Power Commission,
unless the union forces decide to
carry fight further. has scored the
tying run by fatty refusing to re-
instate Robert Durand, a clerk
whose discharge April is was al
legged by the Federation Of Archi-
tects, Engineers, Chemists and
Technicians to be due to his ar
dent activity on its behalf. ,
Following complaints lodged
with it both by Mr.. Durand and
the F, A. E. C. T., the Commission
has issued an order diSmiSSing his
appeal for reinstatement that Is
worded so fatty and definitely
that it indicates little heed VIII be
paid to further appeals.
Contending that Mr.. Durand'S
work was generally unsatisfactory.
that he refused to take q post that
would have put him on q perma'
nent Civil Service roll and that
Vice Chairman Basil Manly. OF
F. P. c.. has shown a lifelong
friendship for organized labor
that Is "a matter Of record" the
Commissions state m ent con
cludeS: A..
"The Commission finds that
there were good and sufficient
reasons for the termination OF
Mr.. Durand's services: that re-
pOrts Of the unsatisfactory char.
acter Of his services antedated
the period Of his known union
activities; that no prejudice has
been manifested against Mr..
Durand or any other emplOye
by reason Of such activities; and
that unusual consideration was
displayed by Mr.. Durand'S SUI
periors In transferring him re-
peateG1y In an attempt to place
him in . position where he
might be able to perform salts
factory work and continue In the
employment Of the Commits
SiOn."
Until the Durand case broke
militant Federal unionists held
decisions over NRA and WPA and
had been defeated by ReSettlement
Administration in controversies
where it was believed an employees
union activity had something to
do with his official demise. The
widely publicized Donovan case
at MIRA had much to do with the
early growth Of the American Fed
Grafton Of Government Employees
and saw NRA Administrator Gen
Hugh johnson deciSively defeated
in his attempts to GUST Mr.. Dono
van. WPA rehired Miss Edna
Richter when her union Squawked
lonc and loud to Aubrey Williams
deputy administrator. The Zeuch
case, however, saw the unioniStS
back down when their assertions
that blacklisting was going on in
the Federal service were frowned
upon by high employe union
leaders.
Official defenSeS in the Donovan
and Richter cases were incoherent
and very indefinite; they didn't
stand UP under union attack
FPC, however, thus far seems very
definite in it's stand against the
latest discrimination charge to
arise.
Satisfaction
Announcements released today
by the American Federation Of
Government Employees express
satisfaction with q new develop.
ment Of interest to Federal work
erS. It is the recent order Of AS
sistant Postmaster General HoweS
granting permission for watch.
men, messengers and classified
laborers in post offices, the Rail.
way Mail Service, the Motor We
hicle Service and CuStodial Serv'
ice to take noncompetitive exami-
nations after three years Of service
for the post Of postal clerk or car
rier. Upon passage Of the test
the workers will go to the foot of
the substitute roll but may retain
present duties until they have adj
vanced to senior substitute, when
they will be assigned as sub CLERK
-. m S.ssio~.