Evening star., 1913-07-28
POLITICS HAS PART
IN BUREAU CHANGES
Acting Commissioner of Pen
sions, E. C. Tieman, Un-
hesitatingIy Admits.
DEMOCRATS GIVEN JOBS
HELD BY REPUBLICANS
Only Glass of Clerks Which May Be
Protected, He Says, Are Civil
War Veterans.

war VETERANS.
Politics will be one Of the prime consid-
erations in the changes now being made
in the pension bureau In connection with
the general reorganization" In that
bureau, according to the acting commits
sioner of pensions, e. c. Tieman, who
| today declared that it was but natural
| that when new administration came
into power 1t should reorganize in order
| to have people of its political belief In
the positions of power.
While the civil service law protects
| chiefs of divisions as well as clerks in
| the lower grades from removal or demo-
| ton for political reasons, 1t was said at
| the civil service commission today that
this was matter hard to prove. The
record systems now In use In the gov
ernment offices for keeping the efficiency
records of employees, 1t Is said, should,
however. help materially In deciding a
case involving demotions or removal for
political reasons.
Consideration is being given at the
Capitol by republican senators Of the
demotions and transfers Of employees
| In the pension bureau The republicans
declare their belief that wrong Is
being done.
1t is considered by officials at the
pension bureau that several of the
transfers made there were justifable.
| as men who have just been placed as
was declared. sixteen years ago, and
merely assumed their old positions.
However. it was declared by those
familiar with the history of civil sery-
prompted the issuance Of President Nc
H<inleys removal order in 1897. Sew
eral persons had been removed and
transferred for political reasons. and
tho President issued the nrdar nr0h{h3t-
ing such practices in the future.
Nothing Unusual, Says Tieman.
Acting Commissioner Tieman explained
to Star reporter that there was moth
ing unusual in a general reorganization
to place in the higher positions men
whose political beliefs agreed with the
administration, and the acting commits
sioner also seemed to be Of the belief
that the civil service rules did not pro-
tect division chiefs.
He declared that some of the changes
had been made by Commissioner Saltz-
gaber before he left the city, and that
he had conferred with the commissioner
regarding the reorganization now going
on. and was attempting to effect the
commissioners ideas in a temporary way
for the latter's final action upon his re-
turn.
Mr.. Teman sought to point out that
the men who were transferred were re-
tanning their original salaries. But he
declared, however, that there was little
doubt that they also would be pruned
when the changes were made permanent.
The clerks had not been reached yet.
according to Mr.. Meman, but he declared
that the reorganization also would reach
them as soon as changes among the
chiefs Of divisions and chiefs Of sections
are completed.
''Where clerk in a lower grade 10
a democrat and one in higher grade
is a republican, but their efficiency IL
the same, will they be required to
change places?' Mr.. Tieman was asked.
Yes. I should say they would" he
replied, without hesitation.
May Not Affect Veterans.
Later Mr.. Tieman was asked II a re-
publican civil war veteran in q high
| grade would be required to change
places with a democrat who was not
veteran and in lower grade. After
some hesitation Mr.. Tieman said:
There is a question that is hard for
me to answer, as it has never been put
to me before in consideration of the pol
icies of the bureau. l would say, how
ever, that the civil service laws pro-
tected him."
But, Mr.. Tieman. would not the civil
service laws also protect the clerks men
| toned as an example earlier in our con-
VerSat1On?
Mr.. Tieman said again that this was a
pretty hard question for him to answer
at this time
Mr. Tieman and T. F. Dennis. acting
private secretary Of Commissioner Saltz-
| gaber. declared that several of the men
who had been transferred had come to
| them and expressed pleasure with their
| new jobs The commissioner was told
that several of the transferred men who
were talked to by the reporter did not
H.
the latter asked if 1t might not have been
a case of forced pleasure" Mr.. Dennis
| replied. laughingly. that there might be
something in that.
Mr.. Tieman and Mr.. Dennis laid stress
on the fact that the changes were tenn
porary. They admitted, however, that
Mr. saltzgaber would very likely approve
| their changes. and that then would come
| the change in salaries. The men who
| We're relieved as chiefs have been per-
| mitted to retain their salaries as chiefs.
Republican Senator's Aroused.
Some of the republican senators are
| considering taking up the matter of the
| recent demotions. Several of them were
outspoken today in the opinion that q
wrong was being done faithful employees,
but they were not certain that 1t might
not be worse for the denoted employees
In the end II there should be q dght made
in the Senate by members OF the mi
nority.
I'VE could not prevent the demotion
of all the old soldiers employed at the
Capitol, who happened to be republicans
when the democrats took command this
year." said one Of the leaders today.
and If that is the case, it seems hardly
likely that we will be able to materially
aid the employees at the pension Office.
ut is true that some Of the denoted en-
ployes there are under the civil service
rules and regulations, but suppose that
in every case the administration merely
states that the demotions have been made
for the good Of the service, and because
of tneft1ciency. This may not be true.
but 1t would be very difficult to prove.
Besides. the clerks themselves must move
In the matter, and understand that they
prefer to take their lower pay without
trouble, fearing lest they lost out entire
ly, If they demand an investigation"
Democrats Are Promoted.
The changes SO far made in the pension
bureau under the general reorganixa-
tion" now going on include the appoint
ment OF A. A. Aspenwali. an ex-Union
soldier as chief of the board Of review,
to succeed T. w. Dalton. an ex-Union
soldier. DIR. Charles f. Whitney, de-