The Washington times., 1914-05-18
GIVES SUPPORT TO
c. A. R. COMRADES
Commander GIeeson Asks Rein
statement of Dismissed Pos
, tai Employees.


X. Gleeson, commander of the Depart
ment of the Potomac. today announced
that a determined fight will he made in
behalf of the civil war veterans among
the recent Washington City Postofice
employees who either were requested to
resign or who were summarfly dis
missed.
0ray-haired men, grown old in the
service of the Government, ranging in
age from sixty-five to eighty-one years,
make up the list of fourteen so far dis
missed from the Postoffice. TWENTY-FIVE
more have been denoted. Three OF
those who resigned. and all four o.
those dismissed upon their refusal @ r.
sign. were civil war veterans.
No Prospect Of Pensions.
Many OF these men present pathet!c
cases." said Commander Gleeson. "Wita
no prospect of a pension bill at this ses-
sion. they are literally thrown out, with
little prospect of obtaining other work.
Their age precludes that, but IN the
majority of the cases their age does
not impair their efficiency in the work
they have been performing right along.
The Postmaster does not assert that
such is the case. He told them, point
blank, that their age and the fact there
was no work for them to do was the
cause of their dismissal or the request
for their resignation from the postal
service
Because of the Postoffice rule against
publishing names Of dismissals the en-
tire list of designations. removals. and
demotions was withheld by Postmaster
Praeger. But investigation disc closed
that lists of the men affected were ir
the hands OF the G. A. r. Commander.
Those Dismissed.
According to Commander Gleeson, the
G. A. r. was represented among those
who were dropped by William w Mills.
Joseph Randall. George Dean, and VIII
liam E. Tew. OF tnose who resigned
J. q. Leach. Augustus Ridgley, and
William strattan were Grand Army
veterans.
1t also was found that The average
age Of those forced to resign was seven
ty-three years. Among these, one man
who had served thirty-seyer years was
seventy-four years old, another with
thirty-two years Of service was seventy,
On eighty-one-year-oId man had spent
twenty-four years I'm the service. and |
TWO men. each seventy-seven years OF
age, had been twenty and fifteen years. |
respectively, in the postoffice. The |
youngest of the four men removed vas
sivty-nine years, second was seventy
ono and the other two we're seventy |
seven. |
with the demotions. the G. \. r. |
has not a word OF complaint said |
Commander Gleeso;.. But where we |
do draw the line is at the thriving /
out on the streets of ,acn with families I
who have fought for their country, and /
who have spent their best years in her
seryiCe. 1t is bad enough for a private
concern 20 do that, out wnen Gov
ernment shows so litt.e consideration for
Men who risked death, and who gave
their lives to her, II 10 ume for a pro-
test" |
Basis of Fight.
Commander Gleeson viii base his light |
particularly on the olu soldiers affect |
ed by the readjustment
If we can get relief for these men |
In no other way. we have the Law to |
fall back upon which expressly forbids |
the removal of old soldiers If they
make rating Of good. or better. in
their efficiency records"
Commander Gleeson quoted from sec-
ton four. of the act of August q. 1912
which states: Provided. that in the
event Of reductions being made in the
force in any of the executive depart
@ANh%cs NJ AlOhOA aDlS soldier,
whose record in said department is
rated good, shall be discharged or
dropped or reduced in rank or salary"
The efficiency ratings OF these men |
Is not cited said COMMANDER Gleeson,
nor is 1t charged that they have
dropped below par. The excuse thai
there Is no more work for them is
ridiculous since every one knows the
work Of the Postoffice Department is
increasing. While these men are in
the City Postoffce, many of them were
detailed from the department and they
should be reinstated there il they must
be forced out Of the City Postofice.
know many of them to be robust,
active. energetic men, and any one who
saw them coulo not accuse them of
being decrepit. Therefore the only al
legations against these men resolves it
self into the fictitious claim OF lessened
work. and in the mere fact OF advanc-
ing years"
Burleson's Views.
Commander Gleeson said that he had
obtained an audience with Postmaster !
General BurIeson. and while he had
talk, had gained little salts
faction in regard to the cases in which
he was interested. /,
''MT. Burleson laid down three propo- !
sitIons. He said he was not opposed
70 veteran merely because he was a |
AH'SH NelSA an ne SAID ne Clio nDI ask
an appointee's politics, but inquired in
TO his fitness for his job. And ne said
that efficiency was the sole basis of ;
Appointments in his department
"AI that was we'll enough but it
does not explain why Grand Army
men happened 10 be singled out in such ,,
a large proportion il this instance. {
We will make a test case. If necessary, {
10 uphold the law which expressly pro-
hibits the dismissal OF old soldiers
except upon the condition set forth in
the law"
Postmaster Praeger explained that the q
phrase his service being Of no value I
10 this office" contained IN each Ct the
recommendations for dismissal. meantt
that under a reorganization many {
places have been aboIished.\ He said {
the places Of many OF the nel who J
resigned upon request, or VINO were Y
dismissed were not 10 be filled
Il took this step" he said. lin !
order to increase the efficiency Of the I
dispatch Of mails. which can be done
by having Toung men who can be used |
IN emergencies on various tasks. /
ind with three young clerks and an
extra clerk allowance not 10 exceed
1850 for the entire year. a better gee-
eral service can be rendered than was
given by these seventeen empIoyS I n
Nrl@ @r s