Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-27
BURLESON TACTICS
ANGER DEMOCRATS.
Legislation to Curb Postmaster
General Expected at
Special Session

Washington, March 27.-Postmaster
General Burleson's recent announce
ment that postmasters of the first, Sec
ond and third class were to be placed
under civil service April /, may de-
velop into boomerang for his admin
istrative liberties. There is a serious
discussion among certain members of
Congress now in Washington-not less
than sixty Democrats among them
of the desirability of framing legisla-
ton at the coming special session that
will put a decided crimp in his powers
as head of the postal system.
1t is the climax, they say, of original
service policies which have wrecked
more than one House political career
and which unquestionably cost the
Democratic party not less than 500, 900
votes last November. The Republicans
declare the Postmaster General is de-
stroying the country's postal efficiency
for the sake of an administrative rec
ord.
1T isn't difficult to note what raised
Cain with the Democrats at the polls
last November" said Speaker Champ
Clark. 1T now seems a question
whether or not we can again control
the House. This latest idea of placing
first, second and third class postmas-
ters under civil service will likely put
on the finishing touches"
|
right said Representative Van Dyke,
of Minnesota. 1T is the ideal and what
most of the far-seeing public men
want. But how is this latest an
nouncement going to work out?
| don't know, and, as matter of fact,
suspect no one else knows. l have
| grave doubt, l propose to introduce a
civil service bill for postmasters the
first day of the extra session that will
mean civil service in fact"
Some members don't hesitate to say
privately that pique is responsible for
the order. Ever since Congress shack
led by legislative action a near ami
hilation of the rural service and later
failed to enact into law some of Mr.
Burleson's pet service schemes such
as government ownership of the tele-
graph and telephones, one cent droI
letter postage, elimination of the pneu.
matte tube service and a departmental
guaranty fund for bonding postal en-
ployees, relations between the postof.
flee department and Congress have
been pretty well strained. This was
heightened within the past six weeks
when Senator Hartwick, of Georgia
established the existence OF confiden.
tial orders for a revision of the rail.
way mail service which would, in eff.
feet, stop the greater part of the work,
ing of mails on trains and compel 6
offices under the guise of terminal dis
tributing points. The criticism from
this discovery added considerable fue
to the flames. 1t will therefore be seer
that Mr.. Burleson's latest order takes
on a decidedly cumulative atmosphere
and to the mind of an average mem
Der of Congress the presence of piqu'
seems pretty well established.
Incidentally, many national legisla
tors now here say that complaints O
miserable mail service have becom,
so frequent lately that they are be
coming chronic, and this fact isn't go
ing to help future postal Legislation
from the department standpoint to an!
substantial degree.
There are some Republican Con
greSsmen who venture the assertion
that Mr.. Burleson has determined Il
deprives the legislative branch of al
postal patronage because of the lamen
table failures of his legislative pro
grams in the past four years. The!
seem to see in it a desire to chastis'
fellow Democrats.
There may be something after al
in the Vice-Presidents 'snivel service.
Just now it looks to me like the Re
publicans are playing rotten politics
They should let the p. NJ. G.. continue
to run amuck with weird policies. l
will help two years hence" The Hous
member who expressed this view is
Southerner and regarded as a regular
Obviously it would not be policy to re
veal his name and he made that re
quest,