Evening star., 1922-06-16
CUSTER PETITION
HELD BOOMERANG
Document Listing Federal
Employees as Democrats
Said to Contain Errors.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Mark Hanna and BoieS PenroSe would
turn over in their graves if they knew
what was happening in Washington to-
day. Loyal republicans, faithful in the
party service, are being described as
signed by scores of republican members
Of Congress, who want President Hard
ing to uphold Assistant Secretary Elmer
Dover of the Treasury Department in
his efforts TO make places for political
followers who have gone unrewarded.
The document, which has been sent
to every republican member OF Con-
gress by the group which Is interested
in forcing an upheaval in the govern
ment departments. contains so many In.
accuracies that it probably will prove
boomerang to its sponsors. There al.
ways have been a large number OF
government employees without political
affIliation who won their positions on
merit under past republican and demo-
cratic administrations, and who have
always been looked upon as non
partisan body of employees. rendering
faithful service 10 whichever party was
in power.
Some Inaccuracies Cited.
But the published list is not merely
confined to these. 1t lists as democrats
men who have only recently been put
in office, as republicans, and it also em-
braces men who are no longer in the
government service. Here are few
typical examples contained in the docu-
ment and the facts about each. The
document says:
Il. Paul Gilbert, active democratic
politician. taking tie stump for Gov,
Cox in the campaign of 1920. At pres
ent holding position of undersecretary
Of the Treasury
The facts about Mr.. Gilbert are
these: He is a republican brought
here during the war by Mr.. Lefhng.
we'll. another republican. Mr.. Gilbert
is a son of the late Seymour Gilbert
one of the most prominent republican
leaders of New Jersey.
Another Faulty Classification.
The document says further:
John kiley. private secretary to
Secretary Mellon, active democratic
politician and close personal friend
of Joseph Tumulty."
The facts about Mr.. Kiley are: Mr.
Kiley was one of the secretarial stan
of the late Mark Hanna. He came
into the Treasury Department under
Secretary George b. Cortelyou. re-
publican, and served republican Sec
retaries as well as democrats ever
since and is no more a democratic
politician than is President Harding
Appointee Of Senator Penrose.
The document further states:
Carl A. Mapes. solicitor Of internal
revenue, democrat, son-in-law oil
Wayne Johnson, from whom he in
herited the position of solicitor"
The facts about Mr.. Mapes are these
Mr.. Mapes is about the same age as
Wayne Johnson-in fact. he is a
| brother-in-law of Mr.. johnson. who
| 1t Is true. was democrat. But Mr.
Mapes was appointed as republican
| and Senator Penrose of Pennsylvania
was influential in getting him ap.
pointed. Mr.. Mapes is republican
having been secretary to Senator
Townsend Of Michigan, republican
who ipdorsed him for the place. Mr.
| Mapes was before that secretary to
Representative Gardner of Michigan
republican. and before that was In
the office Of Representative Wilson OF
Illinois, another republican.
| The document lists Chester A. Ben
nett and Charles A. Barnard a.
democrats" The former is son OF
former Representative Bennett. a re.
publican, and the latter is the son OF
! the former Justice Barnard of the Dis
trict Supreme Court, a republican ap'
pointed by President Mckinley.
| Endorsed BY GO. r. Delegation.
j Malcom A. Coles is listed as dem
ocrat. He was appointed through
! che influence of Senator Shortridge
republican, of California, and had thu
. Endorsement of the entire republican
delegation in Congress from Califor
mia, including Senator Hiram John
son.
: Finally there is J.. c. Halls. alsS
| listed in the document as democrat
He was formerly the private secre
| tary of Senator Lenroot Of Wiscon
sinsin, republican.
| These are only cases taken at ran
dom from the list of 100 Officials
| whose removal is being asked. o.
that same 100. forty-seven secured
their appointments through civil serv
ice and not through politics. Their,
has been a movement. however, t.
take out of the civil service mel
who hold important positions. SO as t,
make way for political appointments
Commissioner Blair of the interna
revenue bureau has vigorously op
posed such a step, but the politician
In Congress are fighting him tootl
Il