The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-11-17
P.0.SHAKE-UP
COMING SOON
Republicans Plan to Make Dras.
tic Changes and Raise
Employees Pay. ,-
BY JOHN sNURE.

Incoming Republican Senators
and House members are talking in
plain and positive terms about shak-
ing up the Postoffice Department as
soon as the Harding Administration
gets into power.
PLAN GENERAL OVERHAULING.
Not only do they assert that the
order Of the Wilson Administration
OF I0i7 putting irst. second. and
third class postmasters under civil
service will be revoked. and the way
opened to supersede thousands Of
Democratic postmasters with Repub-
licans. but they say there will be a
general overhauling OF the depart
ment and many reforms In the service.
The establishment of a plan where
by sny postofhce employe who has
charges made against him will be
given a hearing. and have a chance
to see the evidence against him. In
said to be a certainty. This will be
done In an effort to bring about the
best possible relations between the
employees and the head officials OF the
department.
WORKED FOR &. o. r.
As Is well-known, the postal en-
ployes for the most part worked
openly against the Democratic ticket
and for the Republican ticket'in the
campaign just closed. The officials
and the personnel OF the organiza-
tons of postoffce employees have
long been at war with Postmaster
General Burleson, and as a result
they refused to support Governor
Cox. Now. the Republican chiefs.
having had the support OF the postal
employees. want to see them satisfied.
One of the proposals Is that a trial
court be established by law within
the department for the purpose Of
adjusting the grievances of employees
against the department or hearing
charges against an employee.
SUGGEST BOARD INSTEAD.
Representative Martin B. Madden.
prominent on the House Postoffice
Committee. is for this. However. IL
is the view of some members OF Con-
gress that legislation Is not neces-
sary and that IL the Postmaster Gen
eral would provide for a board con-
sisting OF representative each OF
the railway mail clerks, the post
Office clerks. the city carriers and
the rural carriers. this board to
hear complaints Of employees or
against employees and to act as a
ccnciliatory body, 1t would meet
every requirement
The organizations Of postal en-
ployes are now affiliated with the
American Federation OF Labor
Whether there will be any change in
this respect Is conjectural
Opposition exists in Congress to
having the postal organizations affil-
lated with the A. f. OF l. or any out.
fort to terminate such utilization
through the medium Of plan
whereby a board within the depart
ment made up from the employees,
will consider disputes and grievances
and bring about adjustments and
settlements. The department would,
under this plan. recognize the heads
OF the various organizations OF postal
employees and would treat with them
Now. as Is well understood, Mr.. Burle-
son does not recognize the heads of
the organizations of postal employees.
PLAN TO RAISE PAY.
But there are many more changes
which are already openly talked Of.
The Republican leaders say they are
going TO see that the postal employees
are given what they deserve in the
way OF pay and salaries. The present
regime of Mr.. Burleson is charged
with holding down pay and not in
terpreting the law for increases as
Congress intended il.
Then there is the air mail service.
This has plenty Of opposition. whether
ad airta ten To- xsvSI Nt,,,,
it is doubtful. At any rate, there Is
strong talk of abolishing all or
nearly all the routes. The reason
given is that the air mail service is
not effective. that 1t Is not doing more
than a very limited number Of people
any good. that 1t Is enormously ex-
pensive. and that the returns in no
way Justify the expense.
WANT MORE EFFICIENCY.
The cry will be raised that the air
mail service should be abolished IN
the interest of economy and the
money thus saved be put to the best
possible service in building up postal
efficiency.
1t will not be easy to get rid OF the
air mail service. The plea will be
made for it that the United States
ought to build up the country's air
craft and train aviators in order to
be ready W war should come. Lo-
calities that now receive the air mail
service will. of course. resist. The
argument Of economy, however, may
prevail.
The railway mail service. too, may
come in for a general revision Of
methods One Of the complaints Is
that mail cars are hung up indefi.
nitely in terminals. The plan for pay
ment for railway mail service by
space instead of weight is said by
some experts to be the cause Of much
of the railway mail delay. 1t is said
to have a tendency to cause holding
OF ALI oars which are NOT flleA IN and