Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-27
CLERKS POLITICAL.
LIBERTY OUTLINED
BY CIVIL SERVICE
Letter to Federal EmpIoye
Follows Failure of Issue to
Print Ret0rt.

i''ilSS on today made public the
letter recently sent by it to the Fed
eral Empioye, official organ of the
National Federation of Federal En-
pioNeS. regarding the political activ-
ities of members of the competitive
classified civil service.
ihe COMM ssion is amazed at the
repeated assertion that the rule re-
irrred to in its letter to the federal en-
Bi"Nt relates equally to all persons in
INC executive civil service of the gov
tfhment. including members of the
ireSldent's cabinet" declared a state
meht signed by the three civil service
commissioners today. explanatory of
thelr position.
Action of the commission is making
public the letter was taken because of
the failure of the federal empIoye mag
hZihe to print in its issue today the
letter sent week ago by the commits
SION regarding an article printed in the
magazine attacking Senator Hoke Smith
Explains Its Position.
In explaining its position the Civil
Service Commission continues in the
statement signed by the commissioners,
as follows:
Paragraph one of the civil service
law relates to two subjects. matters
wholly distinct from each other The
TrSt portion relates to the use of official
authority or influence for the purpose of
interfering with an election or affecting
the results thereof 1t relates to all per-
sons In the executive civil service and
is in the following words:
NO person in the executive civil
service shall use his official au-
thority or influence for the pur-
pose of interfering with an cleo
ton or affecting the results
thereof
Relates t. Political Activity.
The second portion relates to TAX
ing active part in a political cam
palgn and is limited to employees in
the competitive classified service
The commissions letter is based sole
~ on the second portion and is ex-
presSly limited to federal employees in
the competitive classified civil serv-
ice. The language of the law on
which the commissions letter is based
is as follows:
Persons who by the provisions
of these rules are in the COM
petitive classified service while
retaining the right to vote as they
please and TO express privately
their opinions on all political sub
Jects. shall take no active part in
political management or in po-
litical campaigns.
ITO the commission it seems indie
feasible for any one TO persist in
giving to employees who are subject
to the law misleading statement of
its language or legal effect
In an order of June -, 1902, Presi-
dent Roosevelt said:
In consideration of fixity of ten
ure of appointment in no way due
to political considera tons, the man
in the classified service, while re-
tanning his right to vote as he
pleases and to express privately
his opinions on all political sub
jeCts, should not take any active
part in political arrangements or
in political campaigns, for precise
ly the same reasons that a judge,
an Army officer. regular soldier,
or a policeman is debarred from
taking such active part.
Duty to Federal Workers.
The Civil Service Commission, in the
circumstances, owes duty to the
federal employees in the competitive
classified civil service Ito whom alone
this letter relates) that may be best
performed by the publication of this
letter in the same official organ" de-
clared the original letter sent to the
Federal Employe last week, made
public today for the first time.
ut is clear" declares the letter
that what an employe may not law
fully do independently he may not
la wfully do in open OF secret CO.
operation with others. what he may
not lawfully do directly. he may not
lawfully do indirectly; and what he
may not lawfully do personally he
may not lawfully do by an agent,
officer or empioye chosen by him
self o. subject to his power
The letter states that to make pub
lie attack on candidate for public
office lis to take active past in
political campaign 1t is asserted
That an attack upon a candidate for
public Office by federal employees is
violation OF law is too clear 10 call
for more than a simple statement of
the fact
such Action Is Mistake.
The letter suggests that such action
by employees is "a fatal mistake and
that the result of such a policy will
be "the return of the spells system.
with infinite disaster to federal EN-
ployes and the public service"
THE present situation constitutes
a distinct crisis in the development of
the merit system of selection and re-
tention in the federal service" de-
clares the letter. The fate of the sys-
tenn is in the hands of the federal en-
ployes. and the commission earnestly
hopes that they will choose their
course only after careful considera-
ton and deliberation.'