Evening star., 1921-02-24
TO
LOSE CIVIL SERVICE
Special Dispa tch to. The Star.

CpeCf11 l1fpdtcn t0.Ihe St1f.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla, February "a.
One Of Warren G. Harding's first
acts as President of the United States
will be to rescind the order of Presi-
dent Wilson placing all postmasters
under the protection Of the civil serv-
ice. Mr.. Harding will insist that
merit should control in the appoint
ment of postmasters. but he does not
believe the democrats who have been
placed in the postmasterships during
the last eight years should be perpet-
uated in office.
Mr., Harding contends that only one
class of postmasters are classified by
law under civil service. These are of
the fourth class and are Of minor i'm
portance. President Wilson came to
the conclusion after several years in
office that in the interest Of efficient
service all postmasters should be made
permanent Eovornment officials, sub
ject to dismissal only for cause, and
entitled to service until they saw At
to resign. He thereupon issued an ex-
ecutiye order to that effect, but exc
ecutive orders are subject to repeal at
has Indicated to a number of senator's
and representatives that he will de-
clare the Wilson order null and void
and will open the principal postmas-
terships Of the country once more to
political patronage.
Included Choice Plums.
Mr.. Wilson's order was SO sweeping
it included such choice postmaster
ship plums as those at New York, Chi
cago. Philadelphia, Detroit and SINH
lar cities included in the first-class
designation. Under this order no
postmaster could be displaced for po-
litical reasons and in the event Of a
man who could attain the highest
mark in competitive examination,
whether democrat, republican, social
list or bull mooser. A number of i'm
poTtant Offices have been filled in
this manner, and a number of repub-
licans have won postmasterships un-
der the democratic administration.
A lot of influential republicans are
inclined to agree to the Wilson idea
of protecting the postmasters from a
but they say this protective idea
should not take effect until most Of
the offices are filed by deserving
members Of the G. o. P. They say
that II Mr.. Wilson had been in ear
nest about bettering the postal serv-
he should have issued the order when
he first came into the Office instead
Of waiting until deserving democrats
had pre-empted all Of the desirable
places.
They declare that a vast number of
post office appointments made by Mr.
Taft during the last four months of
his term as President were held up by
the democrats in the Senate and all
the places thus offered were filled by
democrats.
2.2oO Held Up by Senate.
This has accounted for the fact that
some 2,2o0 post office appointments
made recently by Mr.. Wilson have
been held up by the republican Sem
ate. despite the fact that these ap-
pointments have been made only after
civil service examinations. After Mr..
Harding comes into Office these sew
eral thousand post Office appointments
republicans have been named and can
show their loyalty to the party and
their acceptability to the representa-
tive or their district and the senators
OF their state. they may be renamed.
ALREADY MI Harding has had called
many republicans who have won
postmasterships under the Wilson
civil service arrangement and who
are afraid now that they will be
thrown down and out under a re-
publican administration.
From present indications all dam.
ocrats whose names have been sent
to the Senate, after examination for
postmasterships of the so-called pres-
idential classes, will be excluded
from further consideration and their
places will be taken by workers in
the political ranks. The terms of
all the incumbent postmasters will
be considered at an end four wears
from the date Of their appointment.
Rush of Applicants Expected.
Mr.. Harding's statement that he
considers only one class of postmas-
ters protected by the civil service
and the forecast of his early chang
ing of the Wilson executive order
signal for great rush of applicants
for office. AS a matter Of fact. the
rush already has begun. Senators
and representatives are telling the
President-elect they are being be-
sieged from all quarters and that
there are nine or ten strenuous an
plicants for every postmastership in
the country which can be filled by
presidential appointment
The Post ONCE Department Offers
the greatest opportunity for the re-
ward of the politically faithful It
is the great avenue Of party ma =
tronage, and in the coming admin
istration it is to be presided over
by the directing genius of the repub-
lican political organization, Mr.. Will
H. Hays. While postmasterships gem
orally are conceded to the repre-
sentatives and senators, Mr.. Hays
to all who are recommended. Mr..
Harding will make the formal ap-
pointments. but Mr.. Hays will give
the O, K.