30
(Continued from Page 29)
Although there are some that hold
that certain categories of private em
ployment so closely affect the public
interest that they closely resemble gov
ernment service, in certain essential re
spects government service is different
from other employment. Government
alone engages in legislation and in the
administration of law. The executive
function of government, that of seeing
that legislation is enforced, is in cer
tain particulars vital to society itself.
Without the protection of the police,
law would be only on paper; without
the intervention of health inspectors,
epidemics would rage; without the en
forcement of fire regulations conflagra
tions might consume our cities and our
forests.
In recognition of the distinctive
character and special nature of their
employment, it is highly desirable that
governmental employées should volun
tarily abandon the power to strike or
the threat to strike.
To forbid or forego strikes does not
mean t h a t government employees
should be subject to arbitrary treat
ment by the government bodies or pre
vented from united and organized ef
fort to improve their terms and condi
tions of employment. The right to or
ganize and to have full access to legis
lative bodies is not impaired. Denial of
certain rights to people in special' or
professional responsibilities does not
mean autocracy, nor does- freedom to
strike assure democracy. Some of the
strongest and most effective of the
present organizations of government
employees have prospered without ask
ing or condoning the power to strike.
Continuity of public service, a basic
requirement of the public good, must
be a paramount consideration of all its
citizens, including those employed by
the government.
So far as possible, government agen
cies should show a sympathetic attitude
toward employee problems, from offi
cials at the top to the line supervisors;
should provide adequate supplementary
machinery for knowing employee griev
ances, and should pursue a positive
policy for meeting the basic needs of
employees.
It is the duty ,of the state, to avoid
unfavorable conditions of public em
ployment and provide adequate ma
chinery for the prevention and removal
of employment problems at their source.
But when the state fails in that duty
it still remains the obligation of public
employees to limit the presentation of
their case to peaceable methods.
How should grievances be handled?
As already indicated, the emphasis
in public administration belongs on the
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McMILLAN’S
FOUNTAIN LUNCH
Kimball Brothers
Lumber Co.
Sandwiches & Cold Drinks
1949 State Street
. Salem, Oregon
Douglas Fir and Red Cedar
Lumber
DEXTER
OREGON
WILSON & SHOFF TIRE CO.
Recapping - Vulcanizing
McKenzie Highway
Springfield, Oregon