The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-05
LETTERS TO EDITOR
THE CHAMPION rosrorrIcE

THE CHAMPION POsTOFFICE
 To the Editor of sThe-Ag ge- Herald:
 notice the article on the from page of The Age-HcraId this mofninf wherein Mir. Roberts has given "a short account of the light that have been making to get the postoffIc, department, under this administra. tion, to recognize the certificates ot proven military preference in case, where ex-service men have made passing grades in their examination. for postmasterships.
 The reason am writing you now is that I have an idea that some of these republican referees, or some little republican paper, might jumr on the proposition. If they come back at the article, they will prob ably say that this democratic ex- service man, Thomas Parrish. al Clanton, did not make grade high enough to be one of the three high est eligibles when it comes right down to the matter of the examif1a tions they had to pass. As a matter of fact. he did not rank in the three highest grades. but he did make a good, satisfactory passing grade he has the necessary good rating or business experience and ability, and the point Is that he holds scertif- cate of proven military service which entities him to preference If he made passing grade and has had the business experience and ability. They are not attacking him on any lack of ability, for they cannot.
 Now, if they consider this as a civil service appointment, they must rec ognize his military preference. But they are trying to get around that by saying that this office comes under the head of presidential appoint ments, and that the military prefer ences cannot bind in presidential of flces. Then, when they intimated that, I took the matter up with the President, and his office informed me that 1t would be taken up with the Postmaster General. Since then the Postmaster General has con- ferred with the President. The out come Of that was, as I understood it that the President asked the Post master General to get together with the president of the civil service commission and for them to try to arrive at a decision on policy.
 It is very clear on the face of it from the, very fact that they have been holding these conferences around. that they can, if they wish decide to give these certificates the recognition they are due. If it were strictly classified service office then the certificate would hold good If they try to hide behind the fact that it is not a strictly classified service job, but is a presidential job then it is up to the President to in- dicate to them what policy he wishes followed, It has been put up to him by me. and he has been talking about it with Postmaster General Hays. Ii is up to them. They have been pass ing it from one to another; In other words. they have been ihdulging in the good old army pastime of pass ing the buck" They need not think the ex-serviee men will fail to see it The ex-service men learned through their experiences for which they are now entitled to this prefer ence. ito see right straight through "camouflage" such as this Is. They can adopt the policy if they want to. and if they don't 1t will be because they don't want to, and because they had rather listen to the dicta- ton and insistent demands of these peanut politicians who are holding the. important offices of political referees" in the state of Alabama today. This matter Is of interest tc ex-service men the nation over. as l many one will be benefited if the policy favorable to them is adopted Iby this administration. If the de cision is unfavorable an effort vii be made to see that they all know Iabout it. i will be at Anniston Tuesday, ant will leave Tuesday evening fol Washington, Good wishes. Yours very sincerely.
 LAMAR LETTERS.
 Sylacauga, october 3, 1921.