Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-14
NOT TO Be RECEIVED
Post Office Department Will
Not Recognize Dismissed Men
SEES ONLY employees
THE CASES OF PRESIDENTS KEEL
LER AND CUNNINGHAM.
Their Associations Must Select Others
to Represent Them Before the Of
fcials Of the Department.
SEES ONLY employees

|
fcials Of the Department..
In Diminishing from the postal service the
heads of the two great associations of letter
| carriers the Post Office Department. acting
| under direct instructions of the President,
| has shown clearly that ''pernicious political
| activity will not be tolerated among en-
ployes Of the governmental service.
President Keller of the National Associa-
| ton of Letter Carriers did not have time to
resign If that course had ever been his In
tention after receiving the uitimatum of Mr..
| Bristow, the Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General, that he show cause within three
days why he should not be removed from
office for INSTRUMENTATION. He was sum-
marily dismissed from the service. in which
/ he had held a position letter carrier at
| tached to the Cleveland Office, and If he is
! to remain at the head of the association 1t
Is said that the constitution of that body
| will have to be amended to permit his re-
! tention.
Will No Longer Be Received.
| The Post Office Department has always
been ready to receive the head of the Let
| ter Carriers Association and listen to any
suggestions he might have to make regard
ing the interests Of the carriers. This cour-
| tesy was assumed to be due the carriers
| and their representatives, and every facility
has been given them for the presentation of
| their requests to the department. Now that
Keller Is not member of the postal service
| 1t follows that the department cannot re-
| ceiye him the representative of the car
! riers. His usefulness to that body Is. there
fore, at an end, and the carriers have re-
| ceived a severe blow by his removal from
| Office. He cannot be recognized by the de-
| partment. even If he is retained through
revision Of the constitution of the Letter
Carriers Association, since he Is no longer
an employe Of the service. and therefore
not entitled to recognition as such.
| The department holds that the carriers
cannot, by an act of any association of their
| own creation, demand that a representative
| be received unless he Is an employe of the
service. The humblest carrier would be re-
| ceived at the department If he went there
| with a view to promoting the interests OF
his associates and his call was in accord
| ance with official precedents. Thus far and
no farther would the president of the Let
ter Carriers Association receive the atten-
| ton of the department. But now that KEEL
| Ter Is no longer a carrier he cannot COM
mand that attention and his retention as
the head Of the association would have no
| effect on this unwritten rule.
Ofices In the Letter Carriers Association
| are always held by employees Of that branch
| of the postal service, a rule that has been
but once suspended. This was in the case
| of John Parsons carrier Of the New York
| office. who resigned his position there to
become president of the association. KEEL
Ter, however, did not resign, but was dis
| missed. and is therefore unclassified by the
| postal service and cannot be recognized by
the department in his present capacity with
the carriers association. John c. Bum
ton Of Hoboken, N. j.. is vice president
Of the association and would naturally sue
coed Keller. although the executive com
mittee OF the carriers association may Sc
lect some other eligible for the office If
f,,I Mo- fI,nNy ~, n tai Il n1ln
The meeting of this committee cannot be
called except by the president of the asso-
| citation. 1t Is expected that this action will
be taken by Keller, in order that he may
learn his status as soon as possible. The
| members of the committee are: Secretary,
George w. Davidson, St. Louis: C. R. In
gals, New York; B. ]. Curtin. Lynn. Mass.
and NJ. F. Finnan, Bloomington. Ill. : !;
Cunningham's offense.
Frank H. Cunningham president of the
National Association Of Rural Carriers a
carrier attached to the Omaha Office, was
removed from the service for violation of
the Presidents order of January 81, 1902.
which forbids any employe of the govern
ment or any association of such employees,
attempting to influence legislation of any
character or for any purpose or to solicit
increases of pay for their services as such
employees In addition to violations of this
order Cunningham was absent from his du7
ties without leave and was guilty of in
subordination. Not only did he not obey the
order of the fourth assistant postmaster
general to return to his duties, but he came
east Immediately after receiving that or
der and was active in campaigning for the
benefit of the association of which he was
the head. He is charged with repeatedly
approaching candidates for reelection to
Congress with a view to learning their po-
sition on the subject of increased pay for
the carriers and obtaining pledges from
them according to his wishes along the lines
| tangible
| evidence that he was guilty Of these things
and for that reason dismissed him.
Mr.. Bristows Attitude.
| Postmaster General Wynne yesterday in
formed the President that when Cunning
ham presented to Mr.. Bristow his resigna-
| ton from the service he told him that he
proposed to remain in Washington to pro-
mote legislation in the interest of the letter
carriers. Mr.. Bristow inquired who was to
| pay for his time and supply his expenses.
and informed that the letter carriers
organization would do that. Mr.. Bristow
then fatty told Cunningham that any LETT
ter carrier found by the department to be
contributing to fund for the support of a
lobbyist in Washington would be removed
instantly from the service.
This Is new rule and will be rigidlyi
enforced by Postmaster General Wynne
whenever infraction of it is brought to-
his attention. 1t will be, therefore, i'm
possible for the carriers association to re-
tain Keller as their head, even If they SO
elect for 1t must soon be shown that he is
supported by contributions from the car
riers and every man who subscribes to any
such fund will be dismissed The Post
Office Department has taken decided
stand on this aspect of the affair. and will
not tolerate violation Of the rule 1t ap-
plies to both Cunningham and Keller, and
| to any other employe Of the service who
| contributes to the support OF lobbyist at
the capital. The carriers are therefore Ia a
| nredicament regarding the continuance OF
| their association and the promotion OF Its
interests as far as national legislation is
| concerned.
| <n.. A roioef SAcrefarv Tim ber