Evening star., 1920-11-28
1917 POSTAL ORDER
CANNOT GUARD JOBS
Heads of First, Second and Third Glass
Offices Likel y to Give Way for
observing Republicans.

in mind, they are extremely desirons
Of having in all these principal ofaees
men or women who will work whole
heartedly with the new administra-
tive officer.
Advocates q Change.
Some Of those who are advocating
such a policy Of appointing able
republicans as fast as the democratic
postmasters can be ushered out are
Representative Martin B. Madden OF
the post Office committee. who is also
member Of the republican steering
committee in the House; Uncle Joe"
Cannon, who feels that 1t is decidedly
for the public as we'll as party
interest. and Representative Frederick
Lehlbach Of New Jersey. chairman Of
the committee on reform in the civil
service. which demanded specific re-
ports from Postmaster General Burle-
son in the last session Of Congress,
charging that he was not living up to
the mandates Of the executive order.
Representative Lehlbach has . mass
Of information on this subject which
he has placed at the disposal Of
Harding's advisers. He has made a
particular issue Of the postmaster
ship in his homo city of Newark. N. J.
When Representative Lehlbach had
his reso ation Of inquiry UP in the
House, and again later. when he pro-
tested to the House that the Post
master General had ignored the order
Of Congress. many republican MEM
bers narrated their personal expert
ences in their home states regarding
presidential postmasterships and the
way the executive order was work.
ing. The whole tenor of their speech
es was dissatisfaction and determine
ton to change conditions as soon as
possible.
1t seems to be a foregone conclu-
sion that the first. second and third
class postmasterships will continue
to be, under the incoming admins
tration-as they have for SO long
been in the epast-distributed on party
basis. Those postmasters throughout
the country who have been living in
the false hope that they are to be
retained by virtue Of the executive
order will most likely find that they
must give way to some deserving
republican"
Text OF Executive Order.
This much misunderstood executive
order reads as follows:
Hereafter, when a vacancy oc-
ours in the position Of postmaster Of
any Office Of the first, second or third
class as the result of death, resigna-
tion, removal. or on the recommen-
dation of the first assistant post
master general. approved by the
Postmaster General, to the effect
that the efficiency or needs Of the
service require that a change shall be
made. the Postmaster General shall
certify the fact to the Civil Service
Commission, who shall forthwith hold
an open competitive examination to
test the fitness Of the applicants to
fill such vacancy. and when such ex-
animation has been held and the pa
pers in connection Herewith have
been rated. the said commission shall
certify the result thereof to the POST
master General. who shall submit to
the President the name Of the high
est qualified eligible for appointment
to fill such vacancy. unless it IL es-
tablished that tho character or resi-
dence Of such applicant disqualifies
him for appointment No person who
has passed his SIXTY y-nfth birthday
shall be given the examination herein
provided
The Civil Service Commission defines
its only part in this by saying: The
duties Of the commission in connec-
ton with these appointments are to
hold open competitive examination"
when called upon to do SO by the Post
master General and to transmit the
list Of eligibles obtained as a result
thereof to the Postmaster General.