Evening star., 1918-06-16

| ure Of Office shall depend entirely upon
efficient and meritorious service. Such
| efficient service can best be rendered. 1t
has been found by the postal authorities.
by men of executive ability. training ana
experience. This makes II essential
| that persons selected for important posi-
| tions be chosen because OF their nthess
and retained only when they render sat
isfactory service.
Although postmasters are now re-
quired to devote eight hours DAY 10
their official duties, their entire une
| and energy will not be given 10 the
postal service SO long as their positons
are subject to political control. 10 en-
| able the department to obtain the oene-
fit OF such q policy the postmaster
General has recommended that the
necessary legislation be enacted to In
clude in the classified service the posi-
tion Of postmasters at presidential oInces.
The civil service rules would then oe
applicable to the appointment ana re-
tention of these postmasters.
To afford some relief, the President
last year, issued an executive oroer re-
Quiring that when vacancy occurs ~
the position of postmaster OF any ohice
of the first, second or MIRO e,ass ss,ao,,aI q. al
result of death, resignation or removal.
or when on the recommendation OF tne
department that the efficiency or neeos
OF the service require that cnanse
shall be made, the Civil Service Commis-
sion shall hold an open competitive eH-
animation to test the fitness OF apph-
cants to fill such vacancy; and when
such examination has been held aho
the papers in connection rated, the COM
mission shall certify the result 10 tne
department, which will submit 10 tne
President the name OF the nienest guar, Az
fed eligible for appointment to fill the
vacancy, unless 1t is established tnht
the character or residence OF such ap-
plicant disuualif1es him for such appoinh-
ment. The officials Of the department
are all agreed that this order was i
most progressive step toward increase
efficiency and businesslike administra
ton in the postal service. and. aithougi.
it affords much relief, 1t does not meet
the situation fully, they say: II re-
quires that the person selected 1or ap-
po:nt:nent be chosen by open competi-
tive examination, but does not anect IN
any way the tenure Of Office. and the
reappointment Of postmasters at the e1-
piratjon of their terms will still be nee
essary. The officials OF the department
are, therefore. still anxious to nave ies
islation to include in the classined civil
service the position OF postmaster a.
presidential offices.
1t is easily seen that the advantage
resulting from this action will be Iar-
reaching and will ultimately eliminate
partisan politics from the postal serves.
Postmasters at offices OF the 1ourth
class are already in the classined sers-
ice, and in making appointments al
these offices the civil service rules are
said to have been observed in spirit ana
letter While the appointing omcer is
the Postmaster General and ne mas tne
authority to make selection OF any one
of the three highest eligibles in the or
der Of their ratings, yet in all cases the
highest eligibles have been appointed un-
less good and valid reasons existed tor
other action.
The question of railroad freight
cars has been one of vital Importance
to the country. and
Freight Car while the recent large
orders placed for addi-
Problem. tfonal freight cars will
help solve the situation when they
are ready, a very wise judgment Is
needed to keep the car situation
straight.
The Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion was authorized by Congress In
an act some years ago to issue ITS
directions through such agents or
agencies as it saw fit. and it was
under that authority that the commits
sion established a division Of car serv-
ice. which has recently been changed
to the bureau of car service.
This bureau has undertaken,
through the commission, to regulate
car service throughout the United
States. Where occasion requires, or
ders or directions under the car serv-
ice act are served on the carriers con-
cerned through this bureau.
REGARDING car service received by the
Interstate Commerce Commission are
being handled through the new bu-
reau, The officials of the commission
have expressed the expectation that
shippers and receivers OF freight
would to the fullest extent aid in
promoting car service by promptly
loading and unloading carload ship
ments, by capacity loading where
possible regardless Of carload minfma.
by readily adapting themselves to
such notifications IN the nandling OF
less s-than-carload shipments as might
be found necessary, and by hearty CO.
operation in the other methods which
have been or may be devised to meet
the transportation problems confront
ing the country. -
steadily growing in volume. and its
organization is being built up as de-
mands require.
It is pointed out by officials Of the
commission that even before our
country was drawn into the war the
railroads were handling an extraor-
dinarily heavy traffic, heavier by
far than at any time in their previous
history. This was greatly increased
by the war. and as that began in the
spring, when the fuel and crop move
ment is normally light, transportation
conditions during the past summer
were probably better than II our war
activity had been thrust upon the
carriers during the height of the fall
or winter traffic movement.
Because of the work undertaken
by the carriers themselves. before
the government took over the rail-
roads. equipment was taken from
sections where 1t was less needed to
other sections where military and
commercial needs required more
equipment than was available, and
such stupendous movements as those
of the cantonment construction ma
terial and the troop transfers have
been effected without seriously interfer-
ing with the commercial business Of the
country.
The cooperation of the shippers
and carriers is worthy of especial
note in connection with shipping con-
ing offered to the carriers for trans
portation materially exceeds the as
similating ability of the transporta-
ton companies. Owing to the de-
mand upon the car and locomotive
building plants for equipment for
use abroad. both by our own forces
and by our allies. and to the unprece-
material. 1t has been impossible for
fheSe risnfa 70 do much mora than