East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-12-09
Politics SuppIantS Merit
Rule in Postal Service
is Charge; Facts Given.
BY RICHARD LTNTHICUM

| = iNiC'iA NJ LIN IllN L NJ
WASHINGTON. Dec. 9.-The dis.
examinations of Postmaster General
| Hays against eX-seFvice men in the
matter of appointments of postmast-
eTs. following an executive order of
President Harding overthrowing the
Soldiers. Preference law, which are
cQming TO light in various parts of the
country will no longer be possible if a
bill introduced by Senator Trammell,
(Dem. Fla.) at the request OF his DEM
ocratlc colleague, Senator Fletcher,
| becomes a law
Senaor Fletcher's bill gives prefer
ence to honorably discharged soldiers,
sailors, and marines and the widows
land the wives of such, for nomination
as postmaster, and aside from its gen
Ieral provisions is as follows:
That when a vacancy exists or
hereafter occurs in the position of
postmaster preference shall be given
| to honorably discharged soldiers. sail
ors, and marines, and to the widows of
such, and to the wives of disabled sol
iers. sailors and marines who them
selves are not physically qualified to
hold such positions; and it shall be the
duty of the postmaster general to
submit to the president for nomination
as postmaster the name of the veteran,
or the widow, or the wife obtaining
the highest eligible rating as the result
of an open competitive examination
conducted by the United States Civil
service commission. under such rules
! and regulations as may be promulgat-
ed by the post office department and
the commission"
Under the Wilson administration the
existing law was construed to give
preference to eX-service men. This
was an act approved March 3, 1919,
giving preference in appointments to
clerical and other positions of the eX-
iecutive departments and an independ-
ent government establishments to hon
orably discharged soldiers sailors,
land marines and widows of such. if
they are qualified to hold such opposi-
tions."
In an executive order April 49,
1920, President Wilson declared that
the veteran preference statute shall
apply in the selection of persons fol
appointment rs postmaster at offices
of the first, second and third class, "
In all appointments to civil service
lpoSltions President Wilson was also d
stickler for the appointment of the
highest eligible on the list and thi'
rule was insisted upon and carried out
leNcept where preference was given Il
eX-service men, their wives or widows
President Harding's first executive
order with reference to the appoint
mcnt Of postmasters issued May 10
1921, ,abrogated President Wilson
executive order making it mperatiY
to name the highest eligible on tn
list and provided that amy one of tn
highest three on the list should b
elegible to appointment, In this way
If there was one republican among tn
! three, although he might have tn
lowest rating of the trio it would b
. made possible to appoint him over tn
: two democrats who would have
higher civil service rating.
, / mus lut NtNeiWlS preference INV
b construed by President Wilson 10 ap
= ply to presidential postmastership,
, Was overihrown by Ihe executive orde
, of President Harding. and thus a doc
was opened to give republican poll
7 ticians preference over eN-service me
| by making any one OF three highest o
/, the list eligible to appointment, in
stead of the highest on the list as uu
der the Wilson administration. regard
less of the fact Of whether the ap
: pomtee was Il democrat or a rcpubli
team.
As result of President Harding
discrimination asainst eN-ser,lce me
in these executive orders. discrimma
ttons by the postmaster general hav
naturally followed and are begmnm
to come To light.
Al schenectady, y. v, Edwin L
Gonde was nominated for postmaste
over two oN-service men. one of whom
a Spanish War veteran. was postmast
er at the time. and the other a maio
in the world war. who MAS also
spanish war veteran