Evening star., 1922-04-03

thelr records.
Senator Caraway said that judging
Hill, the new director of the bureau.
"he thinks it was a political matter"
The plan followed. Senator Cara
way said. apparently had been first
to dismiss these men and then call
in the Attorney General to find out
why the President had dismissed
them.
The Attorney General is asked to
find some reason to Justify the
Presidents action" said Senator
Caraway: He. will find whatever
the administration wants it to find,
either corruption or inef!iciency."
Commended Before Dismissed.
Senator Ashurst said that he had been
informed that one Of the men affected
by the executive order. E. H. Ashworth.
custodian Of dies, rolls and plates, at
pm. Friday had been commended for
his faithful service by a committee ap-
pointed to check over his work, and at
6 AS pm he was discharged. Senator
Ashurst said he understood that the
committee that Investigated Mr.. Ash
worth's accounts and work had been en-
gagged in the investigation for three
months.
Representative Moore's resolution de-
mands that a committee find 1.-THE
specific facts and reasons upon
which the executive order is based
and by what, II any, real investiga
tion it was preceded; whether the
persons removed. or any of them, have
failed in the performance of their du-
ties; whether there is ground for be-
lieving that the good of the service is
likely to be promoted by their re-
moval or by the new appointments,
case that the order may be regarded
as a step in the direction of a return
to the discredited spoils system, by
disregardng the spirit and as is also
claimed the word Of the civil service law.
Representative Moore, in his reso-
luton, emphasizes that the executive
order was made Notwithstanding the
law, which provides that no person in
the classified civil service of the
United States shall be removed there
from except for such cause as will
promote the efficiency of such service.
as for reasons given in writing, and
the persons whose removal is sought
shall have notice of the same and of
any charges preferred against him,
and be furnished with a copy there
snoable time for personally answering
the same in writing and affidavits in
support thereof"
Representative Moore points out in
his resolution that previous to being
notified of their sudden dismissal by
ii
President, accompanied by 4 copy of
the Presidents order. none of the per-
sons dismissed, SO far as they were
aware. had been complained of to the
Secretary of the Treasury, to whose
department the bureau of engraving
and printing belongs, or complained
of by him or otherwise made the sub
ject OF complaint.
Misconduct Implied.
Representative Moore's resolution
calls attention that the executive or
der recites that the action of the
President was taken for the good of
the service" which. he says. carries
the importation that the officials re-
moved had been guilty of misconduct,
which is a grave injustice to them, if.
as is alleged to be the fact they are
persons OF capacity. character and ex-
perience, who have discharged their
duties faithfully and efficiently. some
Of them being officials whose inven-
tions and improvements have been
freely used by the government to its
great advantage, some of them hav-
ing heretofore declined attractive Of
ferS of private employment because
of their devotion to the interests of
the government and some of them be-
! ing war veterans.
Representative Moore recalled that
| it was stated by the press at the time
+! proved by the Attorney General, who
| was then in conference with the
President, and that it is now simi-
| larly stated that the Attorney Cen
eral will cause an eX parte inVeSti-
cation of conditions in the bureau
F.: termining whether the order, already
executed, was justified by the facts.
Representative Moore protests in his
| resolution that "in view of this. re-
cent utterances which show that he
| is hostile to the general policy en-
an investigation made. and any de-
cision promulgated by the Attorney
General. would hardly inspire public
| confidence"
| Representative Moore insists that
| it is "in every sense proper and de-
i sirable that there should be a thor
ough and impartial inquiry into every
feature of the transaction in ques-
tion," and for this reason he intro
| duced his resolution.
| No Political Motive.
| That President Harding was not ac-
| tuated by political reasons in sum-
marily dismissing the bureau execu-
tives was emphasized today by White
| House callers.
! The President, they said, had very
good reason for his action, and in
support of their statement said it was
! not a partisan move. They declared
there were probably as many repub-
licans as democrats among the Off
cials dismissed.
I These same White House callers,
after talking with the. President, ex-
pressed the opinion that the whole
| matter would be cleared up. You
/ may be sure the President did not
| act without good reason" one
! prominent caller declared, but be-
| vOnd ffat he wOU16 pof
! There was no further official state
ment from the White House today on
| the situation, and there was no con-
firmation of the report that there
) would probably be shake-up in
some of the Treasury bureaus.
Disloynlty Charged.
| THE government departments are
reeking with disloyalty to the ad-
ministration, and the sooner these
disloyai officials are disposed of the
! better 1t Will be for the administra-
tion and the entire government,
Senator Harreld Of Oklahoma said
| today at the White House.
| He came to the White House to
discuss patronage with the President
and when asked for an expression
! regarding the recent order bringing
about the changes in the bureau oil
engraving and printing, he said that
| he was sure the President had acted
| wisely and that he had every reason
for making changes in the manner
he did and that he sincerely hopes
the President would not stop there
attention in more than one case oi
| disloya1 democratic holdovers, anc
| that he hoped there soon would be q
| change OF conditions, and that loyal
| and efficient republicans would be
| found in all of the key positions in
A1