Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-06
COURTS MAY DECIDE
Clerks Retirement Associa.
ton Split Grows Wider.
MAIL DELIVERY ENJ0INED
DR.. Jordan, Secretary Of the Old Or
ganization, Also Has Constitution
and Bylaws Copyrighted.

That the controversy which arose in
the United States Civil Service Retire
ment Association at its last convention
In this city. January IA and Is. is not
to be permitted to die out seems evil
dent from recent developments.
DR.. L'ewellyn Jordan of the Treasury
Department. who was secretary Of the or
ganization for many years, and UP to
the last election. has copyrighted the con-
stitution and bylaws Of the associa-
ton. which he claims are, In the main,
his own work. This was done Feb
ruary 3. The effect, it is said, Is to
give DIR. Jordan a copyright on the name
of the association. AS an offset the as
ISOLATION, through its present officers,
recently had the association incorporated
under the laws of the District of Co.
lumbia. The latest move on the part of
DR.. Jordan has been to prepare a pro-
test to the Post Office Department, which
was fled with Acting Postmaster Mer-
rift, for the assistant attorney general
for the Post Office Department, against
the delivery of mail matter to Edward
J. Cantwell. who was chosen at the last
convention is his successor. DR.. Jordan
was not willing to disclose the contents
and 1t cannot, therefore, be stated just
how far 1t goes. It is understood that
later on the courts will be called upon
to settle the controversy.
Claims of DR.. Jordan's Friends.
Friends of DR.. Jordan. who knew of his
long service in the association, and who
have labored with him for the objects
which 1t seeks to attain, say that he Is
right both in his contention that he has
not been properly ousted from his Office
as secretary of the association and as
to the propriety of the changes alleged to
have been made in the constitution of the
association at its last convention. It is
conteneded that article 10 Of the former
constitution provided for it's amendment
only by vote Of two-thirds of the men,
bers present or represented, provided the
secretary had been informed of the pro-
posed amendment at least forty-fve days
before the meeting, and also that written
notice of such amendment had been fur
nished by him to every branch organiza-
ton at least thirty days before the meet
Ing at which 1t was proposed to consider
such amendment. DIR. Jordans friends
claim he was not given this forty-five-
day notice OF the proposed changes, and
that the branch organizations, therefore,
could not have had the thirty-day notice
to which they were entitled. 1t is con-
tended on one side and denied on the
other that the association, at its con-
ventiqn In May, 1913, voted upon the ques-
ton, and ordered that the constitution be
redrafted. Friends Of the present organ
ization claim that neither DR.. Jordan
nor those who take SIDES with him now
raised this point at the last convention,
and that he and they participated in the
business of the convention, DR.. Jordan
himself casting the unanimous vote of
the association for Mr.. Cantwell as his
successor. and therefore they are bound
in law and honor by the action Of the
convention.