The sun., 1917-02-17
'T.G.PATTEN TO
BE POSTMASTER
Congressman From 18th
District Named to Head
New York Office.
JOY IN TAMMANY HALL
4. NJ. Morgan Charges Bad
Faith in Failure to Let Him
Answer Criticisms.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16-The long tie
up in the New York postmaster situation
was ended to-day when President Will
Thomas G. Patten, Congressman from
the Eighteenth district OF New York. as
postmaster to succeed Edward NJ. Nor
gan. The appointment was hailed with
JOY by Tammany men and is acceptable
to Senator O'Gorman. whose original
candidate, Joseph johnson. was rejected
by the President. MIR. Patten will ac-
cept the appointment, which will be con-
firmed by the Senate.
There Is deeper significance to the
nomination at this time than has been
generally realized. 1t is very likely that
Mr.. Patten can. II he so desires, hold
the postmastership for life. Although
the House rejected the proposals in the
Poindexter amendment to the legislative
appropriation bill, placing Presidential
postmasters under the civil service with
practically life tenure II good behavior
obtains, 1t was learned to-day that the
President has in mind effecting the same
result by an Executive order and will
take this step probably soon after
March 4.
The announcement of Mr.. Pattens APP
pointment was made this afternoon by
Postmaster-G General Burleson following
the Cabinet meeting. Mr.. Burleson in a
statement virtually charges Postmaster
Morgan with having tried to hamper the
investigation OF the New York post office
now in progress.
BurlcsOn's Statement.
The statement says:
1T had been my intention to take no
action in the matter of the New York
city appointment until after the commit
tee Of postal experts now engaged In ar
examination of the New York Office had
completed its labors; but the First As
sistant Postmaster-General. after con-
ference with the chairman of the COM
mittee engaged in the ex9minatiOn. has
submitted memo advising me that the
interest Of the postal service required q
change in the postmastership and that
the proper examination Of the office
would be facilitated II the change could
be made at an early date
When pressed to amplify this state
ment and disclose the nature OF the
charges against Mr. Morgan. Mr.. Bur-
Lesson said:
'The statement explains itself and is
all have to say to-day. You can draw
your own conclusions from it,
As THE Sun stated last November. the
investigation of the post office in New
York instituted then at the order OF
Postmaster-General Burleson was for
the purpose of getting Mr.. Morgan. 1t
was realized that the feeling in New
York that Mr.. Morgan. who had come
up through the service. had made "A most
efficient postmaster and was an example
Of the merit system, was widespread and
that something was needed to justify the
appointment of a successor to him. Al
though the Postmaster-General has in
sisted that the investigation now going
on was purely of a routine character /,
has appeared that this was not the case,
The committee is made up Of inspec-
tors drawn from other.cities The chair
man Of 1t is George A. Sutton. chief post
office inspector at Kansas City and for.
merly attached to the New York post
office. The character of the ivestiga-
ton is shown by the fact that the stan
employed on 1t numbers over fifty per.
sons.
Tammany Pleased.
1t Is understood the committee has
orders to penetrate every nook OF the
post Office in an effort to show that Mr.
MorRan's administration had been char
acterized by inefiiciency
Representative Dan Rordan and
Representative Dan Griffin of the New
York delegation recently have beer
working hard to land the appointment
for Patten. Former street Cleaning
Commissioner Edwards of New York
lat a
week ago that he could not have the
postmastership. He is likely to be ap'
pointed Internal Revenue Collector oi
New York Representative Riordan and
Senator O'Corman saw Postmaster-Gen'
eral Burleson together yesterday and
learned that Patten had been decided
upon. Mr.. Patten was defeated for re-
election last November after serving
three terms in Congress. His friends
then started In to land the postmaster.
ship for him.
The fact that Mr.. Patten Is a friend o.
Charles +. Murphy, and though not ar
active member OF Tammany Hall never
theless Is closely affiliated with that or
gamzation. was taken as an indication
that Tanynany is In much better favol
with the Administration than 1t was
Efforts, 1t Is known, have been made Il
keep the President from appointing &
straight out Tammany man on tn,
grbund that 1t would be giving an ad
| vantage to Tammany in the comnI
municipal election. For this reason tn,
| President, it is said. bad been urged t,
appoint an independent Democrat
Mr.. Patten was member of tn,
Rules Committee investigating the al
legged leak of the Presidents peace note
involving hearsay charges against Josepl
=. Tumuhy. the Presidents secretary
and Secretary McAdoo. Mr.. McAdoo,
was learned to-day. favored Mr. Patten'