Evening star., 1922-04-04
PRESIDENT HOLDS
He WAS IN RIGHTS
MbUREAUCHANGES
Said to Be Satisfied That He
Had Authority for Making
Recent Dismissals.
ACTION AGAIN ATTACKED
IN SENATE AND HOUSE
Secretary Christian Replies to Mem
orandum of Discharged Officials
Left at the White House.

Tho President is satisfied that he
hss exercised his rights and. authority
hn his best possible judgment re-
EardinS the changes made. by him in
She executive positions at the bureau
iof engraving and printing, it was said
bn the highest authority at the White
House today.
! The President, in answer to ques-
fions regarding the reasons for his
brder summarily disphissing the ex-
ecutives in question, was represented
as saying there waf. nothing new to
offer. and that therG were no charges
filed with him ag ainst any OF the
executives in queS ton.
When asked what he would DO
about abolishing- offices created py
law, the President is known to nave
said, that if such was the case ne
would reverse b imself and take cog.
nizance of the law, but that tnere
would be no restorations by such
process.
President'. Action Attacked.
While Pretident Harding had the
deposed offic ials of the bureau OF en-
craving anil printing informed today
that he was not yet ready TO tell
them why they had been dismissed
Senator Caraway. on the hoor OF the
Senate, and Representative Byrns OF
Tennessee, on the floor Of the House
attacked the move of the President IN
issuing the executive order-
Demand that the President INFORM
the dismissed officials why .ney raa mau
been discharged was made by Repre-
sentative Byrns. He said that they
were entitled to this information IN
the interest of ordinary common oe-
cency and simple Justice.
The civil service law was Ignored
by the President, Senator Caraway
charged on the Senate floor Inc AT
tcrney General was with him when
he did it. he said. He said that no
resident herst0fore t,i sssv,es nao law % In the @
manner in which President Harding
had disobeyed it.
Letter From Secretary Christian.
John ]. Deviny. one Of the deposed
yoficials, and who was in charge OF
all night work at the bureau, made
public a letter which he received from
George P. Christian. jr.. secretary to
the President, today. 1t was reply
to a memorandum which the ex-
officials left when they called at the
White House yesterday afternoon to
demand an explanation.
The letter does not clarity the
clouded conditions which have pre-
vailed since the wholesale dismissal.
II have shown 70 the President the
statement left by you ana your aSso.
the White House this afternoon, the
letter read. He asked me to reply
and say that he would have been
glad to meet your delegation had ne
thn of
though he Is not yet prepared to make
his statement relative to the execu-
tive order which was made effective
on Friday evening, March 81.
1.-THE President has had no wish TO
reflect upon the character OF any
government employe. but he did hold
that a sweeping change in the bureau
was essential for the good OF the pub
lie service. He regrets the tnsinuat-
ing publicity no less than those DO
who havo been discontinued from the
public service"
The memorandum which was pre-
pared and signed by the group OF
deposed officials when they were m
according to Mr.. Deviny, said that
they had come for the purpose of
learning why they were dismissed.
TO ask for a copy of any charges
those who made the charges and to
make reply.
Wants Investigating Committee.
Senator Caraway, author of pend
ing resolution calling upon the Pres
ident to inform the Senate what were
his reasons for issuing this execu-
tive order, introduced another reso-
luton today similar to ono offered
in the House by Representative
Moore, calling for the appointment Of
a committee of five senators to in
vestiRate the whole matter and re-
port to the Senate.
Senator Caraway declared on the
floor of the Senate that no President
hitherto had ever dared to disregard
the civil service law to the extent of
this order, and that no President had
dared to disregard public opinion and
- the rights of human beings to such
an extent
",rhe President ignored the law with
the Attorney General in conference
with him." said Senator Caraway.
The Arkansas Senator declared that
no man with any human kindness in
his heart could read this order and
not know that ii was inhuman, and
also that it was in violation of the law
'.:The President says that he has no
explanation to make at present." said
Senator Caraway, land that later he
may find a reason which the public will
accept"
: Senator Caraway said that some Of
the dismissed men had called on the
President at the White House, but that
NE was compelled to play golf," and
therefore did not see them. He then
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