The Washington herald., 1922-04-05
PRESIDENT IS FIRM
ON CUSTER ORDER:
CONGRESS SIZzLES
White House Declares No
Charges Will Be Made
Public.
NEW DEFENDS ACI
Senator Intimates Many
More Democrats Will
Be Dismissed.

President Harding believes he
was justified in dismissing from the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
former director James i. wilmeth
and all the division superintendents
in the bureau.
The President authorized the an
nouncement yesterday that there
would be no charges presented TO
the dismissed men. but that he. as
Chief Executive of the Government
firmly believed that he acted for
the good OF the service in the
wholesale custer order issued last
Friday night.
The clamor set up by Democrats
In Congress for an explanation ot
the, lay-on continued unabated.
With Republicans for the first time
entering the fight with a defense
OF President Harding's action.
No Restorations.
breaking the silence IL has main
tanned since Friday. the White
House declared that no charges
against the dismissed employees will
be made public. because no charge
was preferred. Should the President
be shown he violated the. Civil
Service statutes in abolishng the
bureau Offices. IL was stated. he will
reverse himself and take cogni-
rance of the law. However, there
will be no restorations of the dis
missed employees. IL was added.
There had been no wish on his
part to reflect the character of any
government employe. President
- T.
clared in a letter to John J. De
viny. a member of the delegation
of ousted bureau chiefs which
seeking an explanation that would
clear their good names"
Caraway Asks Explanation.
But the President did hold that
a sweeping change In the bureau
was essential for the good of the
public service" the letter said.
A partisan fight of huge dimen-
sions appeared on the horizon as a
result of the debate that occurred
in Congress over the lay-off. Prsc-
tically the entire day was devoted
to discussing the dismissals in the
Senate.
Senator Caraway. OF Arkansas
who has introduced resolution
calling on the President to explain
the dismissals. continued his criti-
cism of the Presidents action. He
was Joined in his demand for an ex-
PLANTATION by Senator George w.
Norris. Of Nebraska, and Senator A.
o. Stanley. of Kentucky.
New Defends President.
tor New. OF Indiana. declared that
there are times when not even the
President of the United States can
make public every motive that ac-
tuates him and every reason which
impels him to act"
New declared the cause Of the
Democratic lamentations in this
case was the removal of large
number of ONCE holders of that
political faith and the thousands
that are to be removed.
Ten thousand Democrats have
been dismissed so FAR. declared New.
and he indicated that thousands
more are due for the same fate.
DO you think 1t is right to throw
out good Democrats and replace
them with Republicans, despite the
civil servic, regulation" New was
asked by Senator Stanley, Demo-
crat OF Kentucky.
That's what I think about it,"
answered New.
"I think it is nice for the Senator
from Indiana to state his position
SO clearly said Stanley. 1T is
more than the administration has
DONE
Referring to the lay-of in the
bureau, Byrns declared:
Never before in the history of
the Civil Service has the President
taken such drastic action to work
his will or the will of the party, It
is the most cruel and heartless thing
that has happened in the history of
the civil service.
He said that II. L. Wilson, ousted
chief of the Photographic section.
was a world war veteran; that
Thomas F. Slattery. former head
of the electrolythic section, was a
veteran of the same war; that
Ralph II. Chapel. former chief of
the machine and engraving divi-
sion, was a Spanish-American war
veteran; that P. J. Farrell, deposed
foreman of the bureau. and James
A.. Chamberlain. foreman of the
garage were both yeteraDS of the