Evening star., 1922-04-12
Civil Service System
Threatened, Declares
Representative Moore

| The "ominous incident" when thirty
| officials at the bureau of engraving
| and printing were summarily dis
| missed by drastic order from Presi-
| dent Harding threatens to break
| down the civil service system" and
place the business Of the government
where it once was, in the hands Of
| reckless and .unscrupulous spoilsmen,"
Representative R. Walton Moore of
Virginia declared during long
| sreecn in the House today
,afien ne reviewed we ad, the civil service legis-
Of breaking away from the substan.
tial policy Of Mckinley and Roosevelt,
Taft and Wilson.
| Representative Moore emphasized
| that the main issue raised is whether
spoils politicians are to have their
| way and work their will at the ex-
pense of the people of the country.
who desire the best government that
! can be provided" He said that the
essential injustice of the transac-
tion. his sympathy for the individuals
e~ho were wronged," prompted him to
| speak. ~
! Representative Moore referred IN
! statements that the action of the
PRESIDENT traces back to what was
| done by the director when the burea II
force was reduced about 500 Ia st
July. He said he is informed thar
| what the director then did had an
thority in advance of the assis,a n>
secretary of the Treasury. Elliott
Waoswortn: and had the subsequent
approval OF committee headed hv
the controller of the currency.
"Most Doubtful Leg ality.s
Emphasizing that the method Of
removal is of the most doubtfuI
legality" Representative Moore hold
that mo charge of misconduct ,,..
brought against any of the discb,rged
omclais' and that this is confirmed
by letters and statements issued since
! by the White House.
In calling attention to the oualitv
of service of the discharged of1cials
! Representative Moore said. .rh a
work of the bureau REQUIRES the
services Of persons possessing great
technical knowledge and skin T. {.
not denied that such qualities. disci-
plincd by experience, were Possessed
by the twenty-six men, among whom
were five war veterans, ard the four
women who have been displaced All
OF them mad rendered valuable serv-
Ice to the government; several or
them by inventions and imnroved cd
processes for which. of course, thew
were paid nothing, had saved the
government large sums of MONEY
and some of them had declined nri,
vate employment at larger salaries
than the government was paying. be- be.
cause Of their devotion to the work
I in which they were engaged 4Thav
hail from the District of Columbia and
eleven states. They were ali In fhe
classified service. They were an
pointed without regard to partv ar
/ filiations. and most of them were
| appointed before the advent Of the
Wilson administration"
| Representative Moore called atten.
ton to his resolution. which points
| out that the Attorney General was
| called in to search for evidence to
! Justify drastic action of the Presi.
dent. He expressed his desire to get
the naked facts before the people.
but that the rules committee has re.
| fused to consider his resolution.
In conclusion. Representative Moore
| gave the following warming:
since the Presidents order was
! (Continued on Page 3. Column Is