The New York herald., 1921-07-18
WILSON'S KEY MEN
| TO Be CLEANED OUT
Complaint Made That Division
Heads Are Continuing Aid
to Democrats.
RELIC OF OLD MACHINE
Instances of Rank Favoritism
and Jobbery in Big Con-
tracts Are Cited.
Special Despatch to THE NEW York HrRMn n.
New York Herald Bureau,
washington. ID. c.. July IL,

Special Despatch to THE NEW YonK HrRM n.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., July IL.
Responding to the urgent demands Of
Senators, Representatives and members
of various Republican organizations,
the Harding Administration has started
out on a definite campaign to sweep
out of office in Washington and in the
country men who, left over by the Wilson
Administration. are still holding posi-
tions of Importance or key positions" as
they are commonly called.
Instance after instance has been given
Mr. Harding's personal representatives
of Democrats receiving distinct prefer
ence over Republicans in the matter OF
houding their Jobs and of transacting
business from the outside. These re-
ports were laid before the President
with the result that Mr. Harding began
issuing unequivocal instructions to the
heads Of the departments to clean house
Immediately.
1t is being charged by Republican
lawyers and business men who have deal
ings with some of the departments that
the friends of men prominent in the Will
son Administration still are receiving
special favors; that they are able
through the we'll organized system Of
bureau chiefs and division heads to OBJ
tain accurate and complete information
concerning official plans and policies
that are denied the average man who
seeks to do business with the Govern
ment.
One of the cases cited was that OF
where "key man" or division head
arranged for the sale of set OF sur
plus materials by negotiation. Prior to
making this arrangement with group
of purchasers he had refused to nego-
tiate for its sale to another group on
the ground that the sale was such a
large one that his department would
have to advertise for bids. The deal
was on the verge of going through and
was checked only when one Of the un-
favored firms which waLted to bid on
the material laid the matter before the
head of the department. The deal was
cancelled. but the head of the depart
ment never would have known the real
import of the scheme II an outsider had
not informed him Of It, since he was
prepared to accept the key mans" rec
ommendation as matter OF routine.
Another example of how smoothly the
old Wilson machine Is running within
the Republican Administration is fur
nished by an occurrence in another de-
partment. This time it was purely a
loss to the Government involved.
The appropriation for minor branch
OF the Department of Labor was run
ming short toward the close of the pn 81
fiscal year 1t became necessary to
curtail expenses for June. Consequently
the man under whose division this
branch comes decided to lay off a few
employees during the month, The result
was that he laid off two Republican
women clerks, women drawing small sal
aries. and retained the acting head Of
the branch office. who Is a Democrat
and the son of man who not so long
ago was an extremely prominent Demo-
cratic Representative in Congress. This
acting head had been transferred to the
Job only short while before and never
had made a record which indicated that
the branch could not get along without
him.
1t could certainly have run a month
without, hin-. and yet he was retained
while the two women clerks whose eff
cheney records were unusually high were
forced to loaf for a month without pay.
When the case finally reached the at
tention of the Secretary It. Was too late
to do anything but wait for the first OF
July to arrive and bring the, renewed
appropriation. 1t has been definitely