The Washington herald., 1914-07-02
COURT Fight FOR
VETS PLANNED
Committee VIII Test Right Of
Officials to Dismiss Old
Warriors.
THREE SPECIFIC CASES
PBnefs to Be Filed Within Few Days.
Chairman Gordon Points to
Act of Congress.
THREE SPECIFIC CASES

Legal action to test the authority Of
| department heads in demoting or dis
missing aged civil war veterans from
civil service positions. will be taken by
a citizens committee within a few days
This announcement was made yester-
day by Fulton r. Gordon. chairman of
the committee, which was named at
recent mass meeting to protest against
4 the action OF Postmaster Otto Praeger,
! OF the Washington Postof1ce. in dismiss
ing a number OF alleged inefficient clerks.
While Mr.. Gordon refused to announce
the committees plans, beyond the state
ment that bills would be filed in the local
| courts to test the authority of depart
ment officials, il is understood that three
separate cases will be taken into court
II is likely that the committee viii file
| mandamus proceedings, asking the de-
partment heads to show cause for their
action in dropping the old soldiers from
the government service
Act Provides Penalty.
There is an act of Congress" said Mr..
Gordon, yesterday. (which provides a
penalty for the dismissal Of civil war
veterans who hold honorable discharges
and good civil service records. The
penalty provided is s., 900 fine or one year
in jail or BOTH
Three cases will be taken into the
thortty Of the officials who. the commit
tee believes. are guilty OF violation of
this act The cases will not all be taken
from the Postofhce Department, but other
departments also will be involved. The
committee has retained counsel and
briefs will be fled within several days,
il is understood.
Mr.. Gordon declined to give the names
Of the dismissed employees, who will figure
in the cases to be tried. The name OF
| counsel retained for the committee also
was withheld.
Further Cut Predicted.
The announcement by Postmaster Prae-
ger on Tuesday. of additional cuts in the
force Of the local postoffice. had not, IL
| is thought, any precipitating effect in
bringing about the test of the law. The
plans of the committee evidently have
been in formation for more than a week.
Shortly after the appointment of the
committee nearly two months ago, Full
| ton r. Gordon headed a delegation which.
after several unsuccessful attempts,
brought their case to the attention of
President Wilson and asked the Chief
Executive for his support in preventing
further dismissals Of old soldiers in be
civil service ranks.
The reply OF the President while not
Of an unfavorable nature. was not en-
couraging. he promised to take the mat
ter under consideration and do all in
his power under the law to prevent
further demotions and dismissals among
the veterans.
OmcInIx Arc '"Mum."
About the same time. however, there
was some unpleasantness between the
President and G. A. R., over the Presi-
dents refusal to speak at Arlington on
Memorial Day. The President later
changed his mind and attended. although
it is believed Mr.. Gordon and the mem
bers Of the citizens committee gave up
hope of Intervention in their behalf from
President Wilson.
Weeks have passed without any as
surance from administration officials that
further dismissals among the veterans
employed at the various departments
are not anticipated and that further cuts
in their working forces will not be made
at the expense of the veterans.
The contemplated court action of the
citizens committee may involve an ex-
tended court fight, but IL any decision
at all is arrived at. It will determine for
all time, they feel. the status OF the
civil war veteran in the government
service.