Evening star., 1922-04-04
PRESIDENT HOLDS Il .,
He Was IN RIGHTS. /
IN BUREAU CHANGES

IN BUREAU, CHANGES
fContinu.d from First Page.)
read to the Senate the letter addressed
by Secretary Christian to the members
of the party WHO called on the Presi-
dent
Calls Actiop Despieakle.
Senator Caraway declared that It was
a "despicable thing" for the President
to do injury to any Of the government
employees and then to decline to say
why. ''He knows, he must know" said
Senator Caraway. who added that this
action would bring a blush of shame
to the face of any man or woman who
voted for President Harding.
Referring to published. interview
with Director Hill who succeeded Mr..
Wilmeth TO the effect that the adminis-
tration has in contemplation the re-
moval of employees in other bureaus OF
the Treasury for the better efficiency
of the government, Senator Caraway
said that apparently it was proposed to
make the public forget what had been
done in the bureau by distraoting their
attention!
Byrns Censures Action.
Consuming the wholesale expulsion
OF OI1CldtS ITOIn tHe puiSdu, TNCpEC-
sentative Byrns told the House that
"if President Harding was honestly
seeking efficiency he should have fired
Comptroller of the Currency Crissin-
ger, instead of f. H Ashworth, the
custodian, of dies. rolls and plates at
the bureau.
REPRESENTATIVE Byrns explained that
Mr. Ashworth is a veteran emplDye.
appointed from his own state-Tennes-
see-and that he has known of his eftf-
Client work for many years. he tod
the House that on the very day the
expulsion order was issued by the
President and with Controller Cris-
singer present, the committee ap-
pointed by the Secretary of the Trea-
sury on which was a personal repre-
sentative of Mr.. Crissinger. had made
a report highly commenting the con-
dition in Mr.. Ashworths ofiice. ne
said this committee found the records
correct. and at the same
time called attention to discrepancy
in the records of the controllers Of
fee. which would have to. be correct
ed by the record of Mr.. Ashworths
office.
Says Own Records Were Faulty.
"This report was made at 4:30
O'Clock last Friday. and al $50
pm. Controller Crissinger was with
President Harding when the eXecu-
tive order was signed" said Repre-
sentative Byrns. so that if there was
in Mr.. AShworth's office,
it must have developed after ne ieIt
work that day. and the man VINO ad-
vised with the President for Mr.
Ashworth's dismissal stands convict
ed by the report of an administration
on which he was repre-
sented, of discrepancy in the records
OF his own office, which had to be
by Mr.. Ashworth's record
He pointed out that Mr.. Ashwortns 8
position was established by act or
Congress. and SO could not De suh-
marily abolished.
Veterans Removed. He Says.
Representatives Byrns also criti-
cised the dismissal of five overseas
and Spanish war veterans. He sald
that H. l.. Wilson. chief of the photo
litho section. was an overseas vet
eran. that Thomas F. Siattery, chief
of the electrolythic section. was a
world war veteran; that Ralph n
Cha ppelI. chief of the engraving ana
machine division. was a Spanish war
veteran; that p. ]. Farrei. foreman OF
the building. was Spanish american
war veteran. and that lanes -
foreman of the garage
was a Spanish war veteran, and SUI :
ferins from deafness on account OF
injury received in the service
REPRESENTATIVE Byrns asked II the
reference to some repuo-
licans being dismissed as not hard
ing republicans" meant that all those
in the republican party who are not
Harding men and who are in a big
a nd increasing majority must not eS-
pect to get any jobs in the govern
ment service.
q scorcs. AAr es Mystery.
Descrtbinp, the action of the. Presi-
dent in dismissing the officials as
the shambles of 1922" representa-
tive Byrns declared that the secrecy
and air of mystery surrounding tho
issuance of the order and the cause
for it's issuance. ''is' far from cred
table to those Responsible for it."
This action in arbitrarily remov-
ing from their positions some OF ths
most efficient and loyal off1ciais OF
the bureau is nothing short of an out
rage and more especially so on ac-
count of the manner in which 1t was
done" Mr.. Byrns continued. 1T is a
son of the rankest kind to certain
malcontents in the bureau and II
may be said that some f<those VINO
have been given the places vacated
clouds. Never before in the history
of the civil service has q President
taken wholesale action of this kind,
and it was done without nearing
without a word of warning and with
out the slightest opportunity to De
heard"
Pointing to the fact that those dis
missed also are deprived of retire
.ment rights. to which their long
service would soon have entisIeo
them, Representative Byrns said. Ihe
action taken cannot be ciassed o'her5
wise than as arbitrary. cruel .la ana
heartless." The reason assigned, TOR
the good of the service, may mean
ANYTHING or nothing. he continued.
II submit that every earmark of TINS
order indicates that 1t was a political
move to reward those VINO nave pow >, !.
erf,,i political backing behind them
Mr.. Byrns said he had made an IN
ouiry and was informed that practl-
cally all of those removed are deino-
Gratis in faith, and very rev, ne sald
not exceeding one:third, w VINO D are Wn noe
ington for many years and doubtless
had no powerful political backing
behind them such as was behind the
newly appointed director OF the bu-
reau.
Erxes Frank Dealing.
He said he had not the slightest
obiection to. the administration TAX
ing the offices If it desired them: but
I do insist that II TINS pc the hsn oo1sce the
should deal frankly
with the public and not seek to cover
its real motive:
"The suspicion that politics was the
reason for this order
which so f1agrantly violates the civil
service laws ais heightened by the
fact that the new officials were given
new titles. Was this An effort to
misIead the public in the belief that
the action was taken because Of a
of the bureau? 1t
would appear so. for the old positions
have not been abolished. except by a
slirht and unnecessary change of