South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-04-14
TO PROBE HARDING
EDICT DISMISSING
BUREAU WORKERS
Civil Service Association Feels
President Erred in
'SpOils' Order.

Special Washington Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, ID. G, April Ia
The National Civil Service Reform
association. through its executive
committee. Is undertaking 20 get a.
the bottom OF the alleged movement
within the national administration
20 break down the civil service sys-
tenn The associations committee
will make a finding after II gathers
all the information possible.
The inquiry that is about TO be
undertaken by the National Civil
Service Reform association will 20
into the question OF the legality OF
the executive order dismissing en-
bloc civil service employees, without
the formality Of a hearing or even
the submission OF charges The
supporters or civil service reform
very generally feel that the order is
without legal standing Attorney
General Daugherty. on the other
hand. has advised the president that
the order is not in violation Of the
civil service law.
II would be difficult 70 over-esti-
mate the pressure that has been
brought 20 bear on Pres't Harding
during the last few months by the
spoilsmen Of his party Failing to
persuade the president 10 move, the
spOilsmen appealed TO two members
OF the cabinet and apparently
through these two cabinet officers
got the action which resulted in the
wholesale dismtssals in the bureau Of
engraving and printing.
The spoilsmet within the party
are now trying to persuade the pres
ident 20 revoke the executive order
under which first. second and third
class postmasters. commonly known
as presidential postmasters, are now
appointed. The spoilsmen would
like 10 go back to the system which
prevailed before PTes't Wilson issued
sn executive order prescribing
method for the appointment Of pres
idential postmasters Obviously the
president is undecided at this time
TO what extent he will yield to the
insistent' demands of the spOilsmen
Recognize Harding's Claims.
Fourth-cl pOStmasters are by
law under the civil service. The
limited civil service applied TO first
second and third class postmasters
has no authorization in law. The
president can. II he so desires. turn
the presidential postofices absolute
y over to the spoilsmen. Senator's
and representatives apparently are
well satisfied with the system that
e now enforced. II Is n well-known
fact that If a republican senator
or a republican representative u
specially interested in the appoint
ment OF a postmaster. and is alert,
he can get what he wants. The
eligible list Of three persons is in
variably submitted to the senator
or representative interested and he is
permitted to suggest his choic
There is a disposition among pub.
lie men, regardless OF party afilia-
tions. to indorse all that Pres't Hard
ing has said IN the last few days,
privately or publicly, about the i'm
pOrtance of the civil service not
standing in the way of efficiency
IN government employment. IL is
generally recognized that the pres
ident is on solid ground so far as
this phase of the controversy is con
cerned. But it is the jobs, rather
than efficiency. that the spoilsmen
are interested in.
The entire controversy is assum-
Ing national proportions and the
report OF the National Civil Service
Reform association Is certain TO at
tract widespread attention.