Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-19
CABINET CHANGES
SOON, PREDICTED
Voluntary Resignation of Mr..
BurIes0n Would Not
Bring Surprise.
PREDICTS OTHER CHANGES
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Must Burleson go?
The resolution adopted unanimously
by the American Federation of La
Dor at Atlantic City demanding the
removal of Albert Sidney FBurleson
as Postmaster General constitute the
first public demand by that organi-
cation or any other labor body for
the dismissal of a member of Presi-
dent Wilson's cabinet.
The administration of Mr.. Wilson
has been particularly friendly to Ia
Dor, and when Congress. in 1913. Gre
ated Department of Labor, the Pres
ident selected as the first head of that
department. an official of the American
Federation of Labor-William B. Will
son. Samuel Gompers, president of
the federation, has always had the
ear of President Wilson and has been
given a free hand at the Paris peace
conference wherever questions OF Ia
Dor have been discussed in connection
with the covenant of the league OF
nations or any other international
action.
Forsees Effect on President.
Because of these facts and circum-
stances it is not doubted here that
the action by Mr.. Gompers' organiza-
tion-and unanimous action at that
will have a profound effect upon Pres
ident Wilson. Were it not for the
fact that many people IN the National
Capital are silently in concurrence
with the Postmaster Generals views
on labor, though they differ with him
on other questions. the resolutions at
Atlantic City would have been looked
upon as a premise or basis for action
by the President.
But at the Capitol particularly.
where Mr.. Wilson is repeatedly ac-
cused If catering too much to labor,
it was plain to see that some men
thought it would be highly unwise
and undesirable for any member of
the cabinet to be removed in these
times for a refusal to recognize labor
unions.
Deeds Must Square With Words.
On the other hand. the progressive
elements, who count themselves
champions of labor and who agree
with the substance of President Will
sons last message to Congress,
cabled from Paris, that labor is at
the very forefront of the world stu
alton today. believe the President
must make his deeds square with his
words and sever connections with
any member of his cabinet who does
not uphold his view.
William Jennings Bryan. Secretary
of State, left the cabinet because OF
difference of opinion between the
President and himself on a funda-
mental administration policy with re-
spect to Germany. while Lindley NJ
Garrison resigned as Secretary of
War because of disagreement on
military policy. The designations Of
Messrs. McReynolds, Gregory and Nc
Adoo were for personal reasons-the
first being elevated to the Supreme
Court of the United States and the
last two being anxious to return to
private life to increase their financial
income. Not one member of the cabi-
net, however, has been removed. Both
Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Garrison resigned
voluntarily. without the slightest hint
or suggestion from the President.
There was a time. too. when Secre-
tary Baker offered to resign if he
were embarrassing the President in
any way, but Mr.. Wilson steadfastly
refused to accept his resignation. On
the contrary, he wrote Mr.. Baker
letter praising him highly and de-
ploring the criticism of him.
Removal Would Be First.
If the President were to take cog
nizance of the Atlantic City resolu-
tions and ask for Mr.. BurleSon's res
ignation, it would be the first case of
it's kind i'll the cabinet, though the
President has removed several Off
Gals below cabinet rank. These cases
have been rare, and usually cabinet
officers have seemed to be sponsors
for the action. but the direction or in
structions for removal came from the
President himself. In some instances,
publicity was not given because of
n desire not to embarrass the official
removed. but during the war. partic-
ularly. there was much more fleX-
Utility about personnel than during
peace time.
Refused to Make Goats"
Thus far the President has always
stood firmly by members of his ad-
ministration against all attack on the
ground that IL was a personal assault
upon him and an effort to discredit his
administration. He has refused to
permit anybody to be the goat"
The demand for the removal of
Postmaster General Burleson, how
ever is different from any other case
ever presented to the President, for
Mr.. Wilson's political family-the
conspicuous members OF the demo-
Il
il plain to him, by letter and other
wise that the Postmaster General is
an insuperable obstacle to the polit-
ical success of the democratic party
Oh the ground that he has alienated
hundreds of thousands of voters
Criticism of the administration of
the Post Office Department and the
, telephone and telegraph lines has
been at the bottom ~ the movement
against the Postmaster General.
Z ii, calf hac 40
to the alleged prejudices of newspa-
pers and periodicals in connection
with his attitude on second class mail
rates
Hints at designations.
In administration quarters nothing
/ is said nowadays about the Burleson
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