The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-09-23
MADDEN RAPS
WALES DENIAL
Reiterates Order Was Issued
Prohibiting Political Activity
OF Employees Families.

CHICAGO. Sept. 23.-In q statement
riven out today. Congressman Martin
6' Madden replies 20 a statement OF
q. r. Wales, OF the Civil Service Com
mission. who denies that an order
has been issued by the Commission 10
prevent the Woves OF civil service EN-
ployees from participating In politics.
Madden says:
&c. II. Wales. who / assume is a
member OF tho Civil Service Commits
sion. or one OF its Officers, is quoted
as denying the issuance or an order
by the Civil Service Commission at
the instisation OF the Post Onice De-
partment. or any one else. prohibit
ing the wives or husbands OF Civil
Service employees from participating
In politics on pain OF the discharge OF
the employee who may be related 10
the persons above referred TO. and
setting forth the fact that the Com
mission simply gave an official
opinion interpreting the existing C1vil
Service laws which prohibit political
activity by the Federal employees In
the competitive service.
QUOTES ORDER.
TT so happens that have copy
I OF the order. paragraph OF which
reads as follows:
Competitive employees, while re-
tanning the right to vote and to ex-
press privately their opinions on
political subjects, are forbidden 10
take an active part in political
management or In political cam
paigns.. This also applies to temper
airy employees, employees on leave OF
absence with or without pay, subst-
tutes and laborers. Political activity
II. a. "a
elections, whether primary or regular,
or in behalf OF any party or candidate
or any measure to be voted upon is
prohibited.
Employees are accountable for
political activity by persons other
than themselves, including wives or
husbands, II, in fact, the employees
are thus accomplishing by collusion
and indirection what they may not
lawfully do directly and openly
Political activity, in fact, regardless
of the methods or means used by the
employee, constitutes the violation.
"'Further information is contained
in Circular 1896. copy OF which may
be obtained from the Commission, It's
District Secretaries, or any local CIVIL
service board
How, in the face of this order, Mr..
Wales can make the statement that
no such order has been issued by the
Civil Service Commi ssion is impossible
for me to understand.
"It is set forth by Mr.. Wales that
the opinion, as he calls it, was not in
stigated' by Postmaster General
Burleson or any other person, but the
records of the Civil Service Commits
sion show that the order. or opinion,
II that is what he pleases to call 1t,
was issued Immediately after the re-
CENT of a letter written by First As
sstant Postmaster General Rooms, a
copy of which / happen to have; and
am also in receipt Of letter from
the President of the Civil Service
Commission setting forth the corre-
spondence which led to the issuance OF
the order, or opinion, whichever II
pleases Mr.. Wales best to term 1t. 1t
does not matter whether It is called
an opinion or an order. The fact that
IL was issued and that 1t relates to
the relatives and families of civil
service employees is proven beyond
question on the face OF the, order
itself
DENIES LAW.
''There is no law on the statute
books that authorizes the Civil Serv-
ice Commission to take jurisdiction
over the political activities of citizens
not members of the Government civil
service, and any statement made by
Mr.. Wales to the effect that no such
order has been issued can easily be
disproved by the records of his own
office. How he can presume to say
that no such action has been taken,
in the face of the recored facts, is a
mystery that shall not attempt to
solve. Mr.. Wales says the opinion Is
a plain statement OF the law as 1t Is
written. / should like Mr.. Wales to
point out any part OF the law that
gives the Civil Service Commission
the power to limit the political &C.
tivities of citizens who are not en-
pIoyed by the Government. 1t may be
that the language of the order was
not known to the Postoffice Depart
ment or to Mr.. Burleson. the Postmas-
ter General, but that the order was
issued at the instigation OF the de-
partment and undoubtedly by direc-
ton of the Postmaster General there
can be no doubt.
"I-advise Mr.. Wales to look into the
records OF his own office to see IL he
and his compatriots on the Civil Serv-
Ice Commission are working in har-
mony before he makes any further
statements as to what the commission
did OF did not do, and at whose in
stance"