The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-02
POST OFFICE
INQUIRY WILL
BE SWEEPING
Resolution Gives Committee
Power to Compel Attend
ance of Witnesses.

There will be something doing"
in the Senate or in the House of rep
resentatives, concerning the manner
in which certain high officials of the
post office department have been US
ing their official authority for alleG-
ed base personal and Interior pur-
poses. Both Senators and represen-
tatives alike are prepared to make a
cations, and they are looking out for
witnesses and documents that will
disclose actual existing conditions.
In the House, the Howard resolu-
ton, reciting the fact that there have
been numerous complaints against
the present administration and char
ges of inefficiency against the head
of that department have been print
ed and circulated very generally, and
charges made of violations of the in
structions of congress embodied in
appropria te bills calls for the house
committee on the post office and post
roads Ito inaugurate Immediately a
thorough and searching inquiry into
the operation and conduct Of that de-
partnent" to ascertain the truth OF
allegations made against it. The Ham
lin resolution instructs the house COM
office department ito proceed to ex-
anime into all the affairs of said de-
partment as fully as is permitted and
made their duty by the rules of the
house and the investigation may COW
er such period in the past as it may
deem necessary, and said committee
shall have power to subpoena and
compel the attendance of witnesses,
to examine them under oath. and 20
send for records, books, and papers
AMI all ether evidence that may be
necessary to make the investigate
f.,1l ii Lar oy,1 hot h. l.
er shall have authority to sign and
the clerk to attest Subpoenas during
the recess of congress. Said com
mittee shall have authority to sit dur
ing any recess of this congress.
Senator LaF'ollette, N the senate,
and Congressman Lloyd in the house,
have introduced concurrent resolu-
tons relating to the removal of en-
ployes of the government classified
civil service. These resolutions pro-
vide a fair hearing for postal and
other employees, copies of the charg-
q full opportunity given of replying
thereto. AS threats of discharge
were, it is alleged, made by certain
high postal officials if any of the rail-
road mail, or other clerks, or car
riers joined a labor or other defen-
sive organiza ton, the resolution pro-
vides that I'm embership in any So
clety, association, club, or other form
of organization having for it's OBJ
jects, among other things, improve
ments in the condition of labor of its
members, including hours of labor
and compensation therefor, and leave
of absence, by any person or groups
of persons in said classified civil SER
vice, or the presenting by any such
person or groups of persons of any
grievance or grievances to the con-
gress, shall not constitute or be cause
for reduction in rank or compensa-
ton, or removal of such person or
groups of persons from said service -
Senator Jeff Davis is ready with hot
shot when the reply of the depart
ment is presented to the senate to his
recent resolution of inquiry regarding
its remarkable decisions in the cases
of The Woman's National Weekly, Of
University City, and the Harpoon of
Denver. And, Gaping the climax,
comes a resolution from Representa-
tive Saunders, of Virginia, calling for
an investigation Of the entire post
office department, the investigation
to ascertain among other things,
whether abuses exist either in the
department or in the service" The in
vestigating committee is also direct
ed to discover in what private inter-
ests poStmaSterS are engaged, the
hours of work required of all en-
ployes, and if postmasters participate
in political campaigns.