304 SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 



Some of the arguments and assertions presented were as follows: 



For Plan (2) and against Plan (3) : A general employees' union does 

 not and can not represent the special problems of the scientific group. 

 The scientist does not work by hours. The scientist is much more 

 easily appealed to by proper conditions and by recognition than by 

 financial considerations. The scientist works best under conditions 

 similar to those of the university teacher. Independence of action 

 would be too greatly limited by affiliation with the Union. Many 

 things are done in the name of organized labor Avhich are not approved 

 by the great majority of scientists. A political threat through affiliation 

 with the American Federation of Labor is an undesirable method. 

 The government employee owes full allegiance to the government and 

 should join no organization which might conceivably interfere with 

 that allegiance. Affiliation will keep out many who would join an in- 

 dependent organization. If found desirable, affiliation with the union 

 may be brought about later. 



For Plan (3) and against Plan (2) : An independent organization 

 would not be large enough to exert any influence. Affiliation will help 

 to bring the needs of the scientific profession before the public. There 

 is an unfounded belief in the public mind that the scientific investigator 

 is not a producer; independent organization would only tend to con- 

 firm such a prejudice. The American Federation of Labor has no con- 

 trol over the action of its constituent unions. All organizations take 

 actions that are not approved by considerable fractions of their mem- 

 bership. The plan does not involve a political threat. Congress, in 

 general, desires information and wishes to act justly toward the federal 

 employees and has welcomed the aid of the Union. The constitution 

 of the Union forbids strikes, either direct or sympathetic. Over 550 

 scientific and technical workers are already a part of the L^nion's 2 1 ,000 

 members. The Union has in three years secured the following benefits 

 to all federal employees: A general increase of salary; the defeat of 

 the Borland amendment to increase the hours; progress on a retirement 

 plan; and the Reclassification Commission. The Joint Congressional 

 Reclassification Commission, which wishes to deal with employees 

 through organizations and not as individuals, is now at work and im- 

 mediate action is necessary; Union funds and machinery are available 

 for immediate action. 



The meeting voted 185 to 132 in favor of Plan No. (3). R. H. True 

 was elected chairman, and P. G. Agnew, of the Bureau of vStandards, 

 secretary, of the temporary organization, consisting of a general in- 

 terim committee composed of the chairman and secretary and repre- 

 sentatives from the scientific and technical bureaus, one representative 

 for each 20 members. 



