The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-10-21

lures and biographical sketches for pub
licatiOn in The Times must contact the
editorial room by 5:i6 p. M. The pic,
lures appear in the First and Early Wall
Street editions Of The Times.
Director J. Edgar Hoover, of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation,
today was considering a request for
a review. before an impartial
board, of conditions surrounding
the resignation of 10 union mem
berS from his agency.
The request was placed before
the chief of the Omen yesterday
by the independent union within
the F. B. I. that formerly composed
Lodge No. 81 of the American
Federation of Government En-
ployes. Since expulsion from the
A. F. G.. E. on charges that it had
embarrassed" Hoover and the
Government service by picketing
and holding ridiculous meeting,
the lodge has functioned alone as
a single union.
The entire affair developed over
the unions stand that it's members
were forced to resign by F. B. I.
officials because of their militant
unionism, al ough charges
brought against them were to the
effect that they were inefficient
in handling fingerprint files of
the F. B. I. Identification division.
Heartened by the fact that the
Federal Power Commission agreed
to a hearing by board of labor
officials of a similar caSe-now
going on at the National Labor Re
lations Board-the Investigation
unionistS have asked Hoover to
agree to the same type Of trial.
Their letter said in part:
CATER thorough investigation
of the circumstances surround.
ing these forced designations,
this union became convinced
that they were not justified. We
have since attempted, thus far
without success, to secure an
equitable adjustment of this sit
uatiOn."
1--WE shall not feel that Justice
has been done in this case until
we have been given an OppOr-
tunity to present our evidence
before responsible public body,
qualified to reach a decision
upon an impartial and factual
basis"
"NOW therefore, we do petit
ton you most respectfully to join
with us in submitting this case
to an impartial board for arbi.
tratiOn. We stand ready to place
our evidence before such board,
and to abide by its decision. AS
is usual in labor arbitration
cases, we propose that this board
be composed of one member Sc
lected by yourself, one member
selected by our union, and a
third member selected by these
two"
Should Hoover refuse, the union
plans to invade Capitol Hill for
aid, and has already asked advice
and support Of several labor
groups, representatives said today.
Not always is the Government
harsh and uncompromising to
those who deal with it, and not
always is the General Accounting
Office the stern financial task
master many think it.
Even the contractor, who usu-
ally receives the short end Of
the stick" in squabbles over cash
with Uncle Sam, occasionally
gets a break. A recent decision
of Acting Comptroller General
Elliott proves it.
A Chicago firm some time ago
contracted to supply 5000 glass
tubes to the Veterans Admins
tration supply depot at Perry
Point, Md, for sos, the con-
tract STIMULATING that should full
delivery be delayed SO would
be charged the firm for each
days delay.
The sole bidder out of a dozen
companies invited to bid, the
flrm mad great dl11lculty IN 1ur-
nishing the tubes, some being
unsatisfactory, and before com
plete delivery had been made 80
days had passed. Thus the firm
owed Uncle Sam $500 in pen
alties, eight times the amount of
the gross deal.
Mr.. Elliott has stepped in,
however, declaring the penalty
void and unenforceable, has
agreed that the firm shall re-
ceive its sos, and early this
month sent a letter to Veterans
Administrator Hines and other
Federal officials directing that
contract penalties be arranged
on basis of reasonable per-
centage rather than an arbitrary
figure.
VOTE AMERICAN
MAINE "NFFN