New-York tribune., 1918-09-13
Burleson Subject
OF Heated Clash
On House Floor
Postmaster General Attack
ed and Defended in Turn
Amid Bitter Debate
Miller His Assailant
Moon Rises to Defence and
London Takes Sharp Rap
at Both Sides

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12.-P Postmaster
General A. S. Burleson was denounced
and praised in turn in the House this
afternoon in the most vitriolic partisan
debate that has been heard in months.
Representative C. b. Miller, of Min
ncsota, launched the attack on Mr. Bur
leson and assailed him as the "arch
politician of the time" Friends Of the
Postmaster General replied, defending
hm as an efficient public official and
denounclng Representative Miller as a
charactcr assassin" "political cow
arc" undesirable citizen" and the like.
Hardly had the Minnesota Represent
atlye begun his prepared speech when
IL became apparent that a stormy ses-
SION was IN prospect. Representative
stanton, of Texas. tried to ask a uues-
ton. Denied that privilege he made
point of no quorum. which resulted
IN IN a roll call, despite the efforts of
Majority Leader Kitchin to hold Demo-
Gratis in line.
AT this time" Mr. Miller said
.critlcism of a public official is justi-
NED only when the public welfare re-
qulrcs 1t. The condition to which our
postal service has been brought
forced there by the unrelenting and
oppressive hand Of Albert S. Burleson,
tho Postmaster General-has become a
menace to the nations business, to the
wellbelng of our people and to the
welfare of the several hundred thou
sand employees in his charge"
Complaints on All Sides
Mr.. Miller said complaints against
the postal service were heard on all
sides. "The causes are not hard to
find" he added
Investigation" Mr. Miller continued.
"discloscs that the mail service is de-
1noralized by the tyrannical, even bru-
tai, treatment Of thousands of en-
ployes by the Postmaster General and
from certain policies adopted that
seem to ignore all consideration of eff
cheney.
"Mr. Burleson can see no proposition
except IN bitterly partisan way" Mr.
Miller charged. He accused the Post
master General of juggling figures and
reports to make it appear that Former
Postmaster General Hitchcock, a Re
publican, left the department with a
defclt, whereas there was surplus
when Mr.. Hitchcock completed his
term.
Mr.. Burleson was attacked for DENY
ing his employees the right to organize.
MI Miller declared: "The Postmaster
General is driven to a frenzy if he
sees his workers we'll paid, contented
and in high spirits"
The Burleson SYSTEM" Mr.. Miller
continued, requires its leutenants
throughout the country to reflect the
Burleson mind in their attitude to the
employees under them. Thus, it is al
most capital offence for postmaster
to be on good terms with the employees
of the office. There is no way for a
postmaster or field superintendent to
secure smiling favor at the Burleson
throne like earning a reputation for
harsh and exacting treatment of en-
ployes."
Moon Springs to Defence
Representative Moon. of Tennessee.
chairman of the Postoffice Committee.
was the first to respond from the
Democratic side. He declared that Mr.
Burleson "is the personal, political and
moral superior" of Mr.. Miller, whose
tongue, he said was full of venom.
hatred and vituperation"
General Burleson is not popular
with the Republicans because he in
slsts on carrying out the provisions of
the law, Mr.. Moon said, and added that
the only fault he had to find with the
Postmaster General was "that he had
been too liberal"
Commenting on the employment of
NOiiN ANOo VII vi huIlPSOnS 5 taCm
Texas few years ago, Mr.. Moon said
ne knew nothing about it, but assumed
Mr. Burleson is not responsible for
the colony SYSTEM" He said Mr.. Mil +
ler's injection of this subject into the
debate was the ''inevitable result of low
breeding and low order of mind"
Epithets Are Exchanged
Mr.. Moon assailed Mr.. Miller as
"political coward" saying his attack on
Mr. BnrIGSOO ICO,,lG do IL
or the Republican party any good.
1t is almost next to treason" Mr..
Moon concluded, "for any man in this
body to bring into contempt an official
OF the government"
Representative Focht, of Pennsvl-
wanna, asked Mr. Moon to tell what was
wrong with the postal system, and on
ial!lng to get the reply he desired he
insisted that Ill treatment of the en-
BILE
"Mr. Burleson treats them ACCORDING
to law" Mr.. Moon responded.
Representatives Buchanan and Hardy.
Of Texas, also defended Mr.. Burleson'
The former said Mr. Miller in MAKING
his speech had "descended to the level
of character assassin"
tie charged that Mn Miller had at
tempted to mislead the House and that
NE NE was olshonest. tie also called the
Mlnnesotan an undesirable citizen"
-, Mr. Hardy asked who had seen a
'oltterer partisan" than Mr. Miller.
The days political storm in the
House, precipitated at the opening of
debate on the revenue bill. ended With
criticism by Representative London. of
New York, Socialist, of both political
Imagine the soldier in the trenches"
ne said, reading the cheap. vulgar.
partisan nonsense we have heard to,
DAY It's all camou1age. It's chean
po.ltlcaI game on both slres. trying to
get control OF the House and trying to
Pneumonia, After Influenza,