Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-27
TAKE 0ATH%.g!lF OFFICE
Decision by Public Printer
Palmer.
NEW RULEl4DoPrED
APPLIED TO ArA CONVENIENT
EMPLOYIR
.-.SHg l.
Treasury ofacials Insist on Importance
Of Oath Of Allegiance to
the United States.

Public Printer Palmer has attracted at
tention anew to the government printing
ONCE through an order issued late yester-
day afternoon to the effect that all persons
employed in the ONCE must take the oath
Of allegiance to the United States the pre-
scribed oath for any person employed in
public Office. t
Considerable comment has been aroused
by the order OF Mr.. Palmer. and peculiar
condition Of affairs in public Office has been
brought to light. It has been generally
supposed that every person employed by
the government would be required to take
the oath to support the Constitution, and
heretofore the officials OF the Treasury De-
partment are said to have laid great stress
on this particular formality. and in some
cases have refused to honor vouchers OF
disbursing officers for salaries for persons
who had not subscribed to the oath. Sur
prise has been expressed that there are any
persons in the government employ who had
failed to subscribe to the oath. and some
little comment has been aroused.
In section 1857 of the Revised Statutes OF
the United States there is q provision which
states in substance that:
when any person not rendered ineligible
to Office by the provisions of the fourteenth
amendment to the Constitution is elected or
appointed to any Office OF honor OF trust
under the government OF the United States
and Is not able, on account Of his participa-
ton in the late rebellion. to take the oath
before entering upon the duties Of the Office
to which he has been elected or appointed
subscribe to the following oath ~
Billings Of the Controller.
Under rulings of the controller of the
treasury a question has been raised as to
the status Of an Officer Of the government
and any "employe," and 1t has been held
several times that an officer and an "em-
ploye" were not to be considered in the
same way. It has been held that certain
employees by whom, or against whom, ques-
tons have been raised, are not subject to
the provisions of section 1857 Of the Revised
Statutes and 1t Is understood that it was
under this ruling that the public printers
have acted heretofore In not requiring per-
sons employed in their Office to subscribe to
the usual oath.
Public Printer PalmSr said TODAY that II
had not been the custom of his Office here
tofore to have all the employees subscribe
TO oaths They are. many OF them, skilled
or unskflled laborers OF the per diem class
and 1t is not the custom for such persons to
pc required to subscribe to the oath. He
beneved 1t would be TOR the best interests
q the service to have All fAe employees take
the oath, and therefore he had Issued tha
order. In an interview last night MI,
Palmer rs said to have stated that the sur-
gesdon to have the employees subscribe to
the In. oath came from, sbgofacial Of one Of
had acted upon this suggestion.
MT. rainier was asked this morning what
executive department. IL any, held it,r1sdic-
10 Oyer over the goyfrnnent printing Office
was required to Hsk permission to do Ger.
TAIN things OF the Secretary ,of the Interior
He was asked then II the Department of,
LABOR Lar ana Commerce Of its executive head,
naos any authority to Broahulgate rules and
oh
ms once and he replied that so far, as he
knew the department or Its head had no
such authority
The government printing office is not a
branch Of any OF the executive denarf
ments, but Is directly under the authority
OF Congress! The rules and regulations for
It's government and maintenance are made
t I1reo.iy py the two houses of Congress on
the Recommendation OF their respective
committees on printing or such other com
m1ttee as might have authority Congress
has provided for the members of the force
employed at the printing office. has author
lieu ieaVes or absence, pay, etc.
Pay Held Up by ofdcials.
The statement was made to a Star re-
porter today that the treasury officials. In
cases where employees. per diem or other
wise. had not subscribed to the oath OF
Office. have held up the pay Of such en-
ployes until they had subscribed to the
oath. rms. at least. has been the expert
ence OF several Of the executive depart
ments.
Public Printer Palmer said today that he
had not yet taken up the matter of the
charges against Miller, the assistant fore
man OF the bookbinding department
against whom fight has been made by the
Bookbinders Union OF this city. Miller, he
said. had declined to answer the charges,
but Mr.. Palmer could not state what his
action in the premises would be, as he had
not yet taken the time to think about the