The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-07-21
SENATE MAY PROBE
P|TTSBURG CASE
Newly Appointed Postmas-
ter Has Not Yet Been
Confirmed.

PlTTSBURG, July 2l.-Because Of
the severe criticism the action OF the
Postoffice Department has called forth
In its removal Of DR.. George ". Nc.
Nell. postmaster in Pittsburgh, and
the appointment OF Alexander S. Cuff
fey to take his place, Postmaster Gen.
eral Albert S. Burleson was yesterday
forced to issue a statement in which
he attempts to square the department.
So far the United States Senate has
not confirmed the appointment OF Mr..
Gutfey, and the indications are that d
full investigation OF how he was cata-
pulled into the job will be made before
the confirmation is put through. He
still declines to discuss his appoint.
ment. His brother, Joseph F. Guffey,
chairman Of the Democratic county
comittee, who is credited with work
ing out the scheme for the removal Of
DR.. Mcneil, is still out OF the city.
DR.. Mcneil left Washington yester.
day for Pittsburgh, travelling by auto.
mobile. 1t is not known Just when he
will arrive here. After his return to
Pittsburgh he will issue a statement
giving his side Of the story.
The departments statement fol.
lows:
There have been brought to the
attention OF the Postofiice Department
numerous clippings from the press In
which the allegation is made that the
removal OF Postmaster George w. Nc
Neil Of Pittsburgh, was due t his fail
ure to follow the wishes Of local Dem.
ocratic politicians. 1t is the practice
OF the department not to issue public
statements regarding the misconduct
Of officers who are removed for the
reason that It is not deemed neces.
sary to subject them TO such public
humiliation, and believing that the
loss Of their positions Is sufficient pun.
shment in the absence OF any penal Of.
Tense. However, In view OF the mis-.
representations published regarding
the removal the following brief state
ment is made by the department in
order that the press may have an op-
portunity to remove and erroneous I'm
pressions which have been convened:
! For the past two years the Depart.
ment has engaged In a campaign to
/ the end Of recognizing and system.
atizing methods at all Of the large
p~ostoffices, and thus far has placed
the "two-division plan" in operation at
more than 100 offices. With a view to
installing this system at Pittsburg a
committee OF experts visited Pittsburg
about February l. 1916, and conducted
an exhaustive Investigations As a re.
suit Of this Investigation they submit.
ted a report to the Department contain.
ing recommendations for the improve.
ment OF the service at Pittburgh. Al.
ter very careful review OF their report
the postmaster was directed to make
certain changes. The postmaster fail.
ed to follow these direction and liz.
nored the communications OF the De.
partment. 1t became APPARENT that the
necessary service changes could not
be made and that proper cooperation
would not be secured SO long as the
incumbent remained postmaster. The
postal experts were correct In their
conclusions. The service demanded
the installation Of the t~wo-div!sion
plan as approved by the Department,
and the decision was reached that a
new postmaster should be appoint.
ed.