Omaha daily bee., 1911-02-21
TILLOTSON LETTER RECEIVED
Omaha Carriers Charges Against B. F.
Thomas in Washington.
COMMISSION WILL ACT AT ONCE
Two Courses of Procedure Open, hut
Most Likely Course Is to Refer the
Charges to Division Head at
st. Paul.
trrom a slaff correspondentl

WASHINGTON. Feb. 2O.-Cspecial Tele-
gram.)-Dan w. Tiilotsons letter charging
Postmaster B. r. Thomas with shaking
down subordinates In the local postoffice
for political contributions in violation of
federal statutes was received at the office
OF the civil service commission Saturday
afternooH. The case was btIefed this mora.
ing and PREPARED for the commissioners
who win publicly take up the charges to-
morrow or the next day and determine
upon a course of action.
q Two ways are suggested in which the
charges may be corroborated
First, in all probability the way that will
be adopted the commission may send a
copy OF the letter to the division secretary
of the civil service, Joseph Shoemaker.
whose office is in st. Paul the United
States being divided into eleven districts.
Nebraska being in the Eighth district.
with headquarters at St. Paul,
The other way may be in the form Of a
formal reply to the letter OF Tillotson.
calling for more specific charges, particu-
larry times and places when Postmaster
Thomas solicited political contributions. as
alleged. in order that the commission may
know to what extent the federal statutes
have been Siolated.
Jurisdiction OF Commission
The jurisdctional Limitation Of the COM
mission in regard TO political activity is
shown in a statement issued by the com
mission in July. 1910, as follows:
First-And broadly. the commission has
authority TO, investigate: (a) all acts of al
legged improper political activity contrary
to the statute OF January Is, 1888. and rules
Hereunder. such acts embracing among
others those OF any improper political ac-
tivity upon the part OF all competitive olas-
sified employees OF the United States and
unclasslfied laborers; Cb) violation Of the
statute in any particular as for instance,
the provision that no person in the serv-
ice Of the government shall solicit or re-
ceive political contributions in any room or
building occupied by any officer or EN-,
ploye Of the United States in discharge
OF his official duties, and the provision
against political coercion.
Seeond-The commission, upon the direc-
ton OF the president, investigates any other
cases OF alleged improper political activity
reporting to him the results Of such invest-
cations. but having no power. TO enforce
its conclusions, that resting with the presl-
dent
A. to Political Activity.
Third-Cases Of alleged improper political
activity upon the part OF employees (otheT
Than unclassified laborers) outside Of the
. competitive classified service. but within
the departmental or executive civil serv-
ice as declared by executive orders, are
properly subject to consideration OF the
president or heads OF departments. inde-
pendent offices and commissions under
which they serve.
The foregoing indicates the main distinc-
ton betweeA cases In which the commits.
sion has Jurisdiction and those IN which
is has not The commission does not de-
CONTINUED on Second PaEe)