Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-03
THURSDAY. AUGUST 8, 1922.
WHICH SIDE WILL HE sERyEi

Senator du Pont In the contest Tor |
chairman OF the New Csstle County |
Republican Committee was MP sur
prise. having been generally conceded
before the committee meeting. the Sc
lection OF Harry II. Billany for the
position was entirely unexpected by
those outside OF tho inner circles. Not
that the new county chairman Is
tyro in politics or lacking in kny of
the requirements OF the chairmanship.
but that q man holding the high posi-
ton In tho Federal service that Mr..
P,,lany now holds should have been
chosen for such a completely partisan
place a. the chairman OF a local cam
paign committee. A selection of this
character Is a deliberate challenge
10 Civil Service principles.
Mr.. Bulany Is fourth assistant Post
master General In President Hardings
cabinet. This position does not come
under the Civil Service regulations,
but the improperly of such a selection
should be manifest. BY accepting the
committee chairmsnship he assumes
manaSement OF partisan political
campaign. thereby laying himself open
to the charge of "pernicious political
activity" in the event that hl= posi-
ton should be challenged in Congress
by political enemies. Cabinet officials
under the Federal administration
ara no, barred from participation In
pcl,t,c~, campaigns. but they are not
expected 20 sive time and attention
20 their active direction. either gen.
orally or m local districts.
Mr.. Bi,lany. AZ fourth assistant
Po~tmastcr-oeneral. has Immediate
charge of thousands OF fourth-class
postmasters. including those In Della
ware. All these eubordinates OF Mr.
pn,anv are prohibited by law from
direct connection with political cam
pa,sn work. Blu. will not tho active
participation Of their official chief In
such work be likely 90 have an evil
effect upon many fourth class post
matters and incite them TO the per
n,cious political activity" their ohie'
in now indulgins in7
Also. as fourth assistant Fostmas
ter-aeneral Mr.. Bnlany must be
very busy man. II is reasonable
presumption that close attention e
h,. important official du,ies--and thus
Far ne has performed them In a man
ner that has brought him ibera
mesure of commendation-win' 90
cupy all his working hours. When
therefore. Will he be able 70 spare tn
tin> necessary 90 an efficient per
formanoc OF his duties as chairman
the New CAs,le County Republican
Committee7 For that is a position
Uh,oh will require much Of his stten
ton from now until the Noveinbe
election.
- l.sNh 4
Rillany continues the task he ha
entered upon Of filling two positions
one a public and the other a politics
osF,oe. the interests OF one or the othe
surely win have to be neglected.
Now. which position will Mr.. Bi
lany consider OF paramount inpor'
ancs a, least from now until the clos
Of the campaign Which Will hav
his preference when the demands
10th become pressing and confiictin
n. they are bound TO do7
These are questions OF public in
portance. The people have a rigl
to not only expect, but demand IN
Mr.. Bnlany give full attention TO n
public duties In the Postofiice Ddpar
rnen,. Ae they pay him fair sflla'
for doing this much and will npt
satisfied with less. There is. pr
sumably, no official compensation a
tached to his political position, b
having accepted 1t. he naturally e
poets to give to II the time and a atte
ton that those who chose him will
likely TO insist upon.
1, will not be unreasonable, The,
fore. II Mr.. Billany should soon .
confronted by a considerable arnot
OF public sentiment in protest agail
any interference of partisan work w
the performance OF his public duti
And II he finds II impossible TO s&ti
this public protest by a continaaI
in both positions. should he not Ab'
dan one or the other?