Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-26
Restrictions ION Political As
II (
sessment$ Announced.
GOVERNMENT CLERKS
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
eIvEss,wARN1Na.
Violators of Law Will Be Prosecuted
With Vigor-status Of
Clerks Defined.

In view of the approac ching election the
civil service commission today addressed
letter to the heads, of all government de-
partments and bureaus calling their atten-
ton to violations of the civil service law
which have occurred in the past In connec-
ton with political campaigns, and inclosng
circular containing warning against the
demanding or payment of political assess
ments and partisan activity of office hold
erS.
In its circular. the commission announces
that it will employ every legitimate and
available means; to secure the prosecution
and punishment of whoever may violate the
provisions of the law. The circular Is as
follows:
| makes political assessments of federal Off
GERS and employees misdemeanOr. 1t pro-
vides:
Sec. 2. That no person in the public
service is for that reason under any OBJ
legation to contribute to any political fund
or to render any political service, and that
he will not be removed or otherwise preju-
diced for refusing to do SO. That
no person In said service has any right
to use his official authority or influence
to coerce the political action of any per-
son or body
Sec. II. That no senator or representa-
| tive, or territorial delegate of the Congress,
| or senator. representative. or delegate-elect.
or any officer or employe of either of said
| houses, and no executive, judicial, mill
| tary or naval officer of the United States,
| and no clerk or employe of any department.
| branch or bureau of the executive, judi
| United States. shall. directly or indirectly.
| solicit or receive, or be in any manner
| concerned In soliciting or receiving. any
| assessment, subscription or contribution for
| any political purpose whatever, from any
| officer, clerk or employe OF the United
States, or any. department. branch. or bu-
! reau thereof. or from any person receiving
| any salary or compensation from moneys
| derived from the treasury of the United
States.
Shall Not Solicit.
Section T. That no person shall, in
any room or building occupied in the dis
charge Of official duties by any officer or
employe Of the United States mentioned
| in this act,r or in any navy yard, fort or
arsenal solicit in any manner whatever,
| or receive any contribution of money or
any other thing Of value for any political
purpose whatever
Section Is. No officer or employe Of the
| United States mentioned in this act shall
| discharge, or promote or degrade, or In
any manner change the official rank or
| compensation of any other officer or en-
ploye, or promise or threaten to do so.
| for giving 'or Withholding or neglecting
to make any contribution of money or
other valuable thing for any political
purpose.
Sec a. That no officer clerk or other
| person in the service of the United States
| shall, directly or indirectly. give hand
| over to any other officer, clerk. or person
in the service OF the United states. or TO
| Representa- tives, Or territorial delegate,
any money other valuable thing on ac-
| count of or to be applied to the promotion
of any political object whatever"
A Misdemeanor
Sec. ID. That any person who shall be
guilty of violating any provision of the four
foregoing sections shall be deemed guilty
of a misdemeanor, and shall, on conviction
thereof, be punished by fine of not ex-
| ceeding 5000 or by imprisonment for
| term not exceeding three years. or by such
| fine and Imprisonment both, in the discre
| ton of the court .-.
1t is the duty of the commission to see
| that the provisions of this law are strictly
| enforced, and it will employ every legiti-
mate and available means to secure the
| prosecution and punishment of whoever
may violate Them
| The commission requests any person hav-
| ing knowledge of any violation Of this law
| to lay the facts before 1t that it may at
once take action thereupon.
Presidents Orders.
| In addition to the statutory penalties
above prescribed. the President has order
| ed in the civil service rules, that
No person in the executive civil service
| shall use his official authority or influence
| for the purpose Of interfering with an cleo
| ton or affecting the result thereof. Rule 1,
Sec. -
| No discrimination shall be exercised
| threatened, or promised by any person In
| the executive civil service against or in IA
| vor of an applicant. eligible, or employee in
| the classified service because of his politi-
cal religious opinions or Affiliations
! tRule l, Sec. p
Any person in the executive civil service
who shall willfully violate any of the pro-
| visions of the civil service act or of these
! rules shall be dismissed from office (Rule
| XII, Sec. 3.
Circulars Soliciting Contributions.
In an opinion rendered on October II.
| 1902 upon the question of whether the
sending of a circular letter by a political
| committee to federal officers and employees,
soliciting financial aid in congressional or
state elections, upon or attached to which
| appear the names of federal officers or en-
| ployes, is a violation of section IL of the
| civil service act. the Attorney General said:
| Whatever the particular form of words
adopted in such circulars in order to show
| a request rather than a demand and to
| give responses a quasi-voluntary character,
| the explicit and comprehensive words OF
! the statute, forbidding those barred by
| their public relations to solicit from federal
| officials. directly or indirectly. or to be in
any manner concerned In soliciting or re-
| ceving any assessment subscription or con-
| tribution for any political purpose what
ever unauestionably condemn all such cir
culars. They should not be sent to federal
| officials or else they should not bear the
| names of the, public officers and employees
designated In the act.
Notification and Warning.
At the time COT the rendition of the opin-
ion above cited President Roosevelt issued
| the following notification and warning:
IT hereby call the attention of all officers
and employessin the federal service to the
foregoing opipton. and warn them that the
provisions of law az therein construed are
to be by them obeyed and enforced. Any
official in the federal service may. without
jeopardy to hles~eial standing, contribute
or not, exactly al he pleases. provided he
obeys the sections ef the civil service act
above referred to- .
The President. In aletter Of June Is. 1902.
| said in part: q -.
ure and of appointment in no way due to
| political considerations. the man in the
classified service. while retaining his right
to vote as he pleases. and to express pri-
| M oil