Bisbee daily review., 1911-04-30
(By Roderick clifford.l

WASHINGTON April 29.-The political machine that Postmaster General Hitchcock is building up by means of his authority at the head of the postoffice department Is in line for an investigation by the deal- ocratie house. Behind the apparea.- ly routine resolution of Representa- tive Saunders. a Virginia democrat, calling for an investigation of the methods of this department. Is a well laid plan to probe deep into the machine building activities of the postmaster general.
 The democratic house has detern- ined upon a number of investiga- tions of the various departments, but it is admitted that there is no one department in the government service where the searchlight will be turned on with more pleasure than in the postoffice department, presided over by the former chair man of the national republican cam paign committee.
 For many months there have been reports that MT. Hitchcock, with an eye to 1912. has been quietly lay ing his plans for the capture of the delegates, particularly in the south. That the democrats are aware that the postoffice department may well be put under the probe is indicated by the sweeping terms of the Saun- ders resolution, which the Virginia member has introduced only after a careful investigation of conditions in his own state, and conference with other democrats who have seen the growth Of the machine in their own sections.
 saunters Resolution
 The Saunders resolution, which is different from all other resolutions asking for investigations, goes to the root of the question by asking:
 Whether postmasters throughout the country. first class and other wise, are giving the proper atten- ton to their offices;
 Whether 1t Is not a fact that many of these postmasters accept their trust from the government as 8 side line to be conducted in connection with private business.
 Whether it Is true that many postmasters spend much of their time campaigning for the republican cause. to the detriment of official business.
 For what reason various postof- rices have beens discontinued or moved, upon orders of Washington. without consulting the wishes of the patrons of the office.
 The Saunders resolution authoriz- es the house committee on postoffi- ces and postroads to begin an inves- tigation of these and a number Of kindred matters. The investigation of this committee will be conducted independent of others that concern the administration of Postmaster General Hitchcock now under fire because postoffice employees have been refused permission to organize into unions, or to affiliate them selves with the American Fedora ton of Labor.
 Politics Hurts Service.
 Mir. Saunders and other house democrats feel that, right under the eye of the democratic house, the willy postmaster general is putting in order political machine, the full force of which will be felt when the republicans come to nominate candidate for president two years hence.
 Not only that, but it Is claimed that the service is being crippled. IL is claimed that in many towns, men are named for postmasters who have private businesses that require all their time. 1t is openly charged by MT. Saunders that, in his own state, Virginia, there are men hold ing commissions as postmasters at important offices, who spend p-acti- caliy no time at their governmental duties. The real work, it is alleged, is left to subcrdinates, while the pol itician-postmasters, secure in the snowledge that they can deliver a ceTlalu uumDeT Oi ASAt5faNCs "HSA the time arrives. content themselves with looking after other matters.
 It is claimed that the postmaster general has named for the office of postmaster, bankers. lawyers, mer chants, and others who regard their allegiance to the postal service as secondary to their own private in terests. It is claimed that these pol itician postmasters show great ac tivity in organizing their friends in support of the republican cause. tha' they are cheirmen of county or city republican committees. and th2 much of their time is spent in cam paigning.
 How Much Politics?
 How much time do these post masters spend upon personal vaca