The Washington herald., 1919-03-28
PARTISAN HOUSE
CLEANING GOING
|. ON IN CONGRESS
Old Force of Democrats
Make Way on House Pay
roll for Republicans.
USUAL PARTY CHANGE
Plaza Housing Proposition
VIII Be Under Scrutiny
Of Majority Party.

These are melancholy days for de-
erving Democrats at the Capitol.
The patronage committee Of the Six
y-sixth Congress is in the midst of
he task OF separating those who have
eld jobs for the past eight years
rom the payrolls and replacing them
With dyed in the wool Republicans.
When Representative Gillett as
umes the Speakership of the next
Iouse, the doorkeepers' force. clerical
'ssistants, elevator attendants, mes
engers, postoff1ce attaches and pages
yill be employees appointed by the
Majority party. with the minority
1embers holding a few subordinate
'iaces.
Usual HOusecIeaning.
This is the housecleaning OF the
ayroll that occurs with the change
elling out Of places II is planned
he disposition Of at least one $1,000
.ob. Chairmen OF committees are
not considered in the distribution,
'or they are ea-h given one or more
Jerks to perform the work of the
'''..''AtNA'' AlA dAAANAoAA ~ NAAN uAdA
for clerk hire
In some exceptional cases the en-
0'oyes who held office under the
democratic control will be main
aimed. This policy will prevail in
he Appropriations Committee. since
Chairman Good has already an
bounced that the experience Of these
Jerks makes it inexpedient to make
q change.
Ahsut 900 Affected.
In all there will be about COO men
Effected. including the Capitol police
'orce. When the Democrats assumed
-OntrOl eight years ago they passed
he so-called Palmer bill. which wiped
'ut hundreds of unnecessary Jobs at a
owing Of more than $780, annually
This APPLIED to doorkeepers' posi-
tons. where no doors existed, but
where employees were always appoint
ID 70 watch them. Some deserving
Scpublicans are yet hoping the old
order of things will be restored, II is
aid.
In addition to changing the roster OF
mplOyes at the Capitol the Republi-
ans are planning to investigate a
lumber Of departments where they
'selieve unnecessary employees with the
az of deserving Democrat" have
'een hidden away.
Among other things to come under
he scope of the Investigations will
- the management Of the hotels for
government workers" on the Union
Station plaza.
It is charged that col persons, re-
ewing from $50 to $500 per year,
are employed in these hotels to house
and otherwise care for 500 war work
7rs. One person is said to look after
very three war workers. It is al
eyed by Republican partisans that the
Democrats are caring for a lot of de
serving party men and women in the
housing program.
There are fifteen dOrmitories on the
Union Station plaza and they cost
more than Sl.OCODOO.
Alfred :. Amer. of New Orleans, is
The genera manager. and under him
are various managers and department
heads. The Republicans propose to
call tho roll and find out how many
are prOtegCs OF Democratic Congress-
men.
The hote buildings for workers have
been bone OF contention for months.
An effort was made to stop their con-
StruCtiOn i'm the last Congress, but It
f7iled. The housing service is under
tho Department of Labor and a ma
iOrity of the employees sare not under
civil service regulations, it is claimed.