The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat., 1917-03-08
EXAMINATIONS
/ FOR POsTlM|ASIERs | l
Burleson Announces That AL
Must Take Civil Service
Tests After the First
of April.
sr1Rs UP HORNETS NEST
Member. Of Congress Denounee New
Order Because Il Takes From
Them Some Of Their
|sT1Rs UP HORNETS NEST


master General Burleson announced
that after April l the appointments OF
all postmasters OF the first. second
and third class would be subject to
competitive examinations. Nomina-
tions will be sent to the senate as IN
the past, but In making selections the
president will be guided by the re
suits of examinations and will send
in the names at the head OF the lists.
The presidents forthcoming order
will provide for form Of modified
civil service classification under
which all vacancies, whether caused
by resignation, removal, or death,
will be filled by competitive examin-
alton. Those already in the service
will continue without examination
until the expiration OF four years,
term beginning with their last ap-
pointment and will then, it is under
stood have to undergo the com2et-
i've test.
Move is Denounced.
A hornets nest was stirred up by
the announcement at the capitol,
where scores of members were in
their offices preparing to leave for
home. The order was roundly de-
nounced because some of the demo
cratic leaders and several members
construed it as a move to get COM
bine democratic and republican sup
port in politically uncertain house.
Representatives Rainey Of Illinois
and Dixon, Indiana, were In a group
of democrats who called on the post
master general and who were told
about the plan. Democratic Leader
Kitchin Of the house, delayed his de-
parture for North Carolina to go to
the postoffice department to register
his protest.
Most of the congressman who saw
Mr. Rnrleson, went on the latter,s in
vitation, to discuss the new plan for
systematizing postal accounting by
establishing central auditing postof.
fees in county or district groups.
This subject was overshadowed. how
ever, when the news of the civil
service order was broken.
Protests Are Futile.
One southern member asked IL the
postmaster general had called them
there to ask their views or to tell
them what had been done. Il am
telling you what is going to happen" :"
he replied The postmaster general
is quoted as having told them that 1t
was too late to protest, as the order
had been determined upon and would
be carried out.
Another member suggested that the
order would put many republicans in
Office, as many of the more active as
sistant postmasters are republicans
retained by the democratic postmast-
ers, and still another wanted to know
what would happen if the one man
certified from the examination were
negro. The postmaster general, ac-
cording to those present, replied that
the examinations would have to take
place and there would be no special
privilege to anyone"
A western democrat asked why the
order, II issued at all; should not pro-
vide for certifying the three highest
in the examination as eligible to post
masterships, as was done when the
fourth class post1nasters were blank
eted into civil service, instead Of con-
filming the choice to the one person
who happened to stand highest. The
postmaster general said that con-
gress had had the opportunity OF leg
islating to that effect, but did not do
so
In the discomfort voiced by mem
bers after the conference, some Of
them complained that the order
would take out of political life some
of the most active supporters OF the
in congress.
A majority OF the republicans join
ed with. democrats recently in reject.
ing proposition for putting all post
masters under the civil service,
when an amendment to that effect
was offered to an appropriation bill in
the house. although Republican Lead
er Mann and few others favored It.