Arizona republican., 1922-03-21
P. D. FINANCE
BILL PASSES
SENATE At TER
HEATED FIGHT
Measure Carries Appro-
priation 90 $623, 773, 900
Or $63, ,309, 900 Mo ore
Than House Draft
TRepubIican A. P. Leased WireJ

WASHINGTON, March 90 - The
postoffice appropriation bill, carry
ing s623,773,000, was passed late today
by the senate after a heated fight.
The measure carries $65. 500 900 more
than as passed by the house, $4,000 :
900 of the increase going for federal
highway aid.
The bill also carries provisions for
restoring to service the New York
pneumatic mail tubes and for con-
tinuing the New York to San Fran
cisco air mail service. The vote on
the tube amendment was SO to -
and came after bitter attack had
been made on the proposition by sew
eral Democrats. The $4,000, 900 was
accepted by the senate without debate
and without a roll call.
The fight centering around post
office appointments, originating early
in discussion Of the bill, resulted just
before adjournment of the senate in
the introduction by Senator Harrison,
Democrat of Mississippi, of a resolu-
ton calling on the President to supply
the senate with the number Of ex-
ecutive orders he has issued removing
postoffices from civil service classi-
fication The resolution went over
unueF InG IuAtS.
The fight which eliminated in the
Harrison resolution was precipitated
by an amendment increasing the
number OF postal inspectors from 42O
to $50 q move which Mr. Harrison
charged was to make more places Tor
Republicans. The debate quickly en- =
tered the subject of postmaster ap-
pointments and the President was
G1U
Marion. Ohio. office from civil serv-
ice by executive order SO that he
could appoint the postmaster in his
home town.
This amendment involves s2S5, 900
but it required two hours OF discussion
and a record vote, 40 to II, before IT
was finally put into the bill.
AS for the New York, tubes, Senator
McKellar. Democrat of Tennessee,
claimed that the senate was giving
its approval to something that is
dangerously near a brazen steal OF
federal funds"
Senator Norris, Republican of Neb-
raska. predicted that another gem
Grafton would see the construction
of such tubes for the transportation
of mail between great cities instead
of in the more limited districts such
as congested areas of New York.
During consideration of the amend
ment to increase the number of postal
inspectors from 420 to $50. the senate
defeated an amendment by Senator
McKellar to increase the number only
20 instead of 100.
Senator Harrisons charges of poll
itics arousea the Republicans and
Chairman townsend of the postoffice
committee, informed the senate that
there were pending some 47OO0 claims
and protests in the postal service, and
he believed the additional inspectors
would save the government as much
as $4,000, 600 year in clearning up
those case.
From the subject OF claims against
the government the debate went into
the filling of vacancies in postmaster
ships and here politics again was
charged. Senator McKellar, DEM
ocrat of Tennessee. described Presi-
dent Harding's ruling giving former
service men priority in appointment
after passage of civil service exam
nations. as the greatest hoax we
have seem" He scorned statements
that the ruling was being carried