Evening star., 1922-04-03

the Senate by him criticising the ac-
tion of the President. Immediately
half a dozen republican senators
were on their feet objecting and the
resolution went over under the rule
until tomorrow.
Senator Caraway obtained the floor
soon after the Senate met and Of
fered his resolution. He prefaced
his statement by saying that he had
no criticism to offer of the President
for using his power to get rid of in
efficient or dishonest employees.
But no man should be dismissed
in the government service and dis
graced without being told of the
charges against him who made the
charges and without being given an
opportunity to reply to then" said
now since in any English-speaking
country star chamber proceedings
have been attempted.
Here are men who were for a long
time in the government service, men
munity, men of family, who have been
dismissed apparently either to permit
the appointment of republicans. or
because their enemies in the bureau
have had the executive ear. These
thirty-odd men have lived upright
lives so far as the record shows. Yet
they are dismissed with no explana-
tion except that it was for the public
good. If the President was right in
this, then the reasons should be given.
If he was not. then this disgrace
should be removed.
"If charges were made against these
men they should have been tempo
rarily displaced and an investigation
made but instead they We're dis
missed summarily and at night. No
employer would take these men on
now with this stain resting on them.
7 seh tn, a c in
for Information from the President
regarding this matter. These men
have a right to know and the country
has right to know also why the
President dismissed them in violation
of the law"
Civil Service Law Quoted.
Senator Caraway read paragraph
that notice Of charges against civil
service employees must be made in
| writing and the employees must be
given an opportunity to reply.
THE President Is not above the law
T, said Senator. Caraway.
crat, interrupted to ask If the dismissals
! had not been made merely for political
purposes.
"That was my first impression" re-
piled Senator Caraway, but it is pos
| sible that there may have been a clique
IF the administration" continued
| Senator Caraway, wants to abolish
! the civil service law and go back to
/ the old spoils system, let it do 1t
openly. It has the power in both
thrown out all the employees, let it
| appoint it's adherents to every place
, under the government, If it can find
enough people still adhering to the
! administration"
Senator Caraway took up the indi-
| vidual cases. He said that George H.
Rose began his service in the bureau
! thirty-nfne years ago at $1.25 day.
| When he was dismissed he was re-
ceiving $4,000 a year as chief of the
a republican, although a resident of
the District of Columbia and not al
! lowed to vote. He was nearly old
Z, enough to retire on pension, Senator
| Caraway said, but messenger
brought him notice in the night
| 'It may be that some irregularities
have existed in the bureau" said
| Senator Caraway. Il do not know.
Recently q clerk in the Treasury De-
partment stole $175,000 worth of
bonds, yet no one suggested that Sec
retary Mellon should be dismissed"
| Service Of Wilmeth Lnuded.
Senator Caraway referred to the
long favorable record of Mr.. Will
| meth. who entered the service in 1896
at $50 a month. he said that Mr..
| Wilmeth never sought any outside
influence for promotion, but that 1t
came to him voluntarily. Senator
! Caraway also discussed the case OF
! John j. Deviny, superintendent OF
! works, who had been twenty-five
! vaars in the service. He was receiv-
[ ing a salary Of $500, and during the
war he worked thirteen hours day.
At that time q Philadelphia company
| offered him $500 to go with it. But.
i said Senator Caraway, he remained
faithful to the government service.
| Senator Caraway mentioned also
| the cases of Ralph Fl. Chapman and
James Chamberlain, declaring that