Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-07-27
Are Warned To
Play No Politics

Copyright, 1920, by The Wash
tom Cfarl

warned that they must take no ac-
tive part in endeavoring to sway
any election. This very strong hint
that they will be endangering the
permanency Of their positions on
Uncle Sans payroll has been given
in direct answer to the announced
plans of the National Federation of
Federal Employees that they pro-
pose to take a very vigorous part
in the campaign this fall.
While the postal employees form
the largest group in any one service
Of government workers throughout
the country who are thus tabooed
from engaging in politics other
than to cast their vote and make
money contributions toward cam
Daign expenses, there are other
large groups in the internal reve-
nue and customs service. employees
of the Wal Department at ord
lance depots and navy yard en-
ployes similarly affected.
This blanket prohibition comes
under Rule 1 of the civil service
laws. formulated by Theodore
Roosevelt while he was a member
of the Civil Service Commission and
promulgated by hing when he be-
came president. 1t Says:
mo person in the executive civil
service shall use his official author
llty and influence for the purpose of
interfering with an election or af-
fecting the results thereof. Per-
sons who by the provisions of these
rules are in competitive classified
service while retaining the right TO
vote as they please and TO express
privately their opinions on all poll
teal subjects. shall Jake no active
part in political management in the
political campaigns."
The Civil Service Commission is
to act officially soon upon the Ques-
ton in specific cases where charges
have been brought against individ-
uals in the civil service who have
been politically active.
Martin A. Morrison, president of
the Civil Service Commission at a
meeting of the joint congressional
commission on Redistribution of
salaries of government employees,
gave the warning that in view of the
hat civil service employees
are taking an active part in the
campaign they should be mindful
not to violate the law and become
subject TO removal. He directed
attention to the fact that the three
civil service commissioners have no
power to keep a half million en-
ployes from violating the law n
tA6A hAAS AAAA@ SOAAN
judges can keep hundreds of thous-
ands of persons from bootlegging,
but he said the three commissioners
will use what power they have when
the man who violates ipso facto for
feits his federal position.
MI. Morrison said that when two
or three well authenticated cases
are presented and the facts found to
be as charged and the employees dis
~ foGad fho ~nIsf safa 49, GI@-A 49, /
sons who would like to have the Of
fees now held by employees in the
classified service may be relied upon
to do the rest.
The attitude of the Civil Service
Commission is that the approx
mately half million government en-
ployes have been made safe in the
permanency of their Jobs by the re-
moyal of those jobs being the spoil
of party politics. If now, having
obtained permanency of office and
an age and disability retirement sys-
tenn. the Federal employees by activ-
ity in politics undermine these safe
guards they must take the conse-
quences.
In reply to the criticism of those
who point out that certain cabinet
members took an active part in the
Democratic national convention in
San Francisco and hat postmasters
have been political leaders in their
home cities, at least. the position of
the Civil Service Commission is:
Those who come and go with cleo
tiUns may engage in politics; those
who claim permanency of position
on the government pay roll no mat
ter which party may be elected
cannot engage in politics"
Naturally, whichever party sue
ceeded at the polls would not be dis
posed to allow those who through
political activity sought to defeat
the party to retain the jobs while
many who supported the party were
clamoring for them.
Before this rule was put into eff
feet by Roosevelt, government jobs
were the personal asset of the polit-
ical leaders. In 1908 when Mr.. Nor
rison came to the Civil Service Com
mission practically all the rural car
riers for example. were Republicans
and the Democrats had quit trying
20 get in under examination, now
they are about evenly divided be-
tween Republicans and Democrats.
lin regard to the political activity
of first, second and third class post
masters-they are not in the classi-
iied civiu service, congress having
refused to them in. The Pres
ident holds an examination to deter
mine whom he will nominate for the
position. There are. however. GER
tain regulations promulgated by
Cleveland in 1886 and by Roosevelt
in 1902 which curb their activities.
The government employe is told
by Uncle Sam. "you keep your hands
out of party politics and l will make
the party politicians keep their
hands off your job" Also Uncle Sam
in the criminal cod has set up safe
| guards against the
workers having campaign funds
extorted from them. Section 119 of
the criminal code says:
mo person shall in any room or
building occupied in the discharge
Of official duties by any officer or
employe of the United States or in
n navy yard or arsenal, solicit
in any whatever or receive
any contribution of money or other
thing of value for any political pur-
pose whatever"
Again in section 121 it is provid-
ed:
mo officer, clerk or other person
in the service of the United States
shall, directly or indirectly. give or
hand over to any other officer,
clerk or person in the service of the
United States. or to any senator, or
member of or delegate to congress
or resident commissioner any non
OF valuable thing on account of or
to be applied to the promotion of
any political object whatever.
nnsI., Ho~oao~-