Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-01
Illegal, in Opinion
of Civil Service
g, Commission.
PRESIDENT ADVISED
BY MIR. DAUCHERTY
Caraway to Demand An
Explanation Before
Senate.

with the summary removal by
executive order last night of Direc-
tor James L. Wilmeth and thirty-one
other officials of the bureau of en-
craving and printing, President
Harding made drastic sweep of
civil service employees that has never
had its equal in the civil service
annals. Thirty-two executives, at
fecting every division in the bureau,
were removed by the order, but five
were reappointed.
Louis A Hill was Immediately ap-
pointed director and forthwith as
sumed office. He promptly offered a
complete new slate of men to fill the
were appointed.
The sweeping action Of the Presi-
dent set civil service employees
throughout the city agog today, and
started thousands of them to discuss
ing the apparently dimsy foundation
on which their jobs stood
. There were intimations of charges,
but none Of them were forthcoming
from officials. and Director wilmeth
stated that he nor any of the others
nao received any copies of any charges
that may have been filed.
Under civil service statute, it is
required that before a civil service
employe is dismissed, he must be
served with copy of any charges
and specifications, and given an op-
portunity to reply tnereto. This sta
tute was called to the attention of
the President today by the civa
Service Commission.
Order Held Legal.
However, it was stated unofficially
at the Department of Justice, that the
President was empowered to take the
action and that it was the opinion
that his executive order was legal.
Assertions were made that the ac-
tioH was d political move, but at the
Treasury Department 1t was stated
that the dismissals came as a result
of various reports of dissension and
unsympathetic reception of new
Treasury policies. to clean up which
it was decided to rem1ve the entire
executive force. The Older was made
"in the interest of efficiency and
Election on the personal integrity OF
any of those involved"
The Attorney General now has a
full report of an inquiry into the
operations of the bureau, Director
Burns of the bureau of investiga-
tion said today. He added, however,
that his bureau had nothing to do
with the investigation which resulted
i'll the dismissals, and Chief Moran
of the secret service also impaired
the information that his bureau did
not make the investigation.
Will BE Taken to senate.
Reasons for the dismissals will be
sought on the floor of the Senate
kansas. He said today that he would
demand an explanation from the ad-
ministration to determine the rea-
sons, pointing out that If 1t was done
for political motives the administra-
tion should at least be frank enough
to say SO.
The reorganization of the bureau of
night by President Harding through
executive order was made for the
purpose of ECONOMY mad efficiency"
1t was stated at the Treasury today.
The dismissal of Mr.. Wilmeth. TO-
gether with practically all responsi-
BILE heads in the bureau, was declared
to be mo reflection whatever upon
the integrity of the outgoing officials.
In Sympathy With Policies.
While charges of politics" were
freely nlade in many unofficial cir
Giles today, 1t was declared by those
in authority that the direct charge
of politics" could not be laid against
the action of the President. 1t was
equally true. they said. that the whole
sale and cleansweep reorganization
had been effected in order to bring
the bureau up to a higher standard of
efficiency. and particularly to harmon
ize the management Of the bureau
throughout not only within itself,
but to bring it entirely into sympathy
with administration policies.
The summary action Of the Presi-
dent. it was learned, was not to be
taken as indicating need of change
on account of any Suspicious" con-
ditions. and the intimation that there
might have been graft" within the
establishment where the entire out
put Of paper money. bonds. certifi-
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