New-York tribune., 1922-04-11
HardinggReserats
Complaints On
Bureau Custer
Action Taken Entirely for
Good of the Service, He
Holds: No Executive Ex-
planation Is Necessary
Answers Letter of Union
Rumors of Theft or Irregu-
larities in Department
Again Officially Denied

WASHINGTON, April lU.-Pre Sldent
Harding is keeping in close touch with
affairs at the United States Bureau of
Engraving and Printing following the
drastic shake-ul Of week ago when a
score of executives were discharged.
THE President held ar-~ther conference
to-day with the new irector of the
bureau, Louis A. Hill. :>ho told the
President that the invcr <ory, begun
Sunday. will be completed week.
At the same time a letter Which the
President wrote 20 a represe. *a,ivo of
the dismissed employees m king it
nlain he would brook no intt Sc .ence
n his reorganization plans wa nade
public.
the return to work of some of the 1000
employees before the inventory is-,om-
plete6 All of them will be at > ork
again inside Of week.
Solution of the mystery of the :, I'd
inc last Friday Of the package So
Treasury bills in the Potomac Rser,
near the bureau, was announced to-
NIGHT by Chief Moran of the Secret
Service, who said the bills were a part
Of bundle of 1000 sheets, each CON
tainng four IS notes. stolen from the
bureau about year ago.
President Harding states in = letter
TO Luther {. Steward, preside,-> of the
National Federation of Fedc.sl EN-
ployees. made public by thai organiza-
ton tonight. that the changes made in
the Bureau of Engraving sd Printing
"were ordered after EXTENDED dcibera-
ton and were inspired wholly for the
GOOD OF the service"
Il do not understands" he added,
"that such statement or such an
action impugns any ones character or
calls for charges against the employees
concerned or demands explanation by
the Executive
Text of Harding's Reply
The letter follows:
"l have before me your letter or
April /, in which you write to me in
protest Of the Executive action in eff
fectng the reorganization of the Blu
reau of Engraving and Printing and
with which you inclose to me the let
ter of Gertrude NJ McNally, secretary
OF the women's union, making similar
protest. Because You and Miss Nc
Nslly speak officially for so large Il
pa. OF Federal employees, | desire
personally to make courteous acknowl-
edcment. but | must suggest at the
confused with apology.
THE 'hanges made at the bureau
We. o1,>ered after extended delibera-
ton. .,nC were inspired wholly for the
good cf the service. 1t was so stated
st the time. ! do not understand that
such d statement or such an action
impugn1 any ones character or calls
for charges against the employees CON
cerrcd or demands explanation by the
Executive.
'The order in the case specifically
stated that those of the dismissed en-
poyees who were eligible to retire
ment would be retired as from the date
Of the order, which ! think you will
agree is not subject to the construc
ton that their characters were i'm
pugned in any way. Miss McNally's
letter states that these persons are
ineligible to reinstatement in the gov
dismissed on charges, and they lose
tn benefit Of the retirement act This
indicat tes a distinct Misunderstanding
OF the action taken. There were no
charges and there was a distinct as
sursnce that the benefits of the re-
tlrement act were preserved.
Sweeping Action Necessary
On the circumstances which were
presented to the executive at the time
OF taking this action it seemed appar-
ent TO me then, as it does now. that nc
action less sweeping than was taken
could give complete assurance of the
full protection Of the governments in
terests
Il shall maintain every regard for
the civil service law, but if a respon-
sible executive head may not take such
action as is deemed necessary for the
good of the public service, then such
an inhibition on the powers of the cx-
ecutive ought to be made very clear to
Congress, to government employees and
to the American public, to which we
are all answerable Then the espons-
bility may no longer be lodged with the
executive. Until such understanding is
made clear invite you and others VINO
speak for Federal employees to join me
IN doing the things deemed necessary
to promote the highest possible degree
Of Federal service"