Evening star., 1924-11-04
DAY PROVES QUIET
/. IN DEPARTMENTS
Few Absent Because of Vot.
! Many Cast Ballots
Early in Day.

Election day proved to be quiet in
the Government departments. with
few employees taking time away from
their duties to vote. Work continued
with slight difference from that OF
preceding days.
sMoSt of those who We're entitled to
the franchise cast their ballots by
mail. while a few, who were unable
to use the mails, took time off to go
home for the purpose.
No provision was made in any OF
the departments, so far as could be
learned to enable employees to have
time off at the expense of the Gov
ernment. All who went did so using
their own personal leave. This was
considered necessary under the rules
and regulations, although it was
noted by officials az a sad commen-
tary upon the system of gosecnment
that was urging all to vote as u pa
triotic duty and then charging voting
time against personal leave.
Many came to work this morning al
. o'clock with A smile of citizenship
and the proud declaration in the pres
cnco of Their votelesS friends of the
District oil Columbia that already they
had voted. either in nearby Mary
land and Virginia before coming to
work.
Many Early Risers.
Some officials estimated that there
were more early risers among this
group OF voting Government EN-
pIoyes today than there had been for
the past four years. Little tardiness
was reported as a result of the early
voting. Some expected to vote after
returning home this evening.
No indication was available, of
course, as to how the employees Of
ha odr oir,iS fra had
voted. Many of Democratic and other
political faiths are employed. not
only in minor positions in the Govern
rnent machine, but in places Of high
responsibility and trust.
Under the civil service system, il
mas been the air to build up a Gov
ernment personnel which shall be
continuous, without regard to party
affiliation, in the great rank and file
Key posts have been changed, so that
the administration is under direction
of departmental and establishment
heads in sympathy with the party IL
power, but many men of large au-
thority are still in office. who admit,
on questioning, their affiliation with a
party other than the party in power
Discussion Non-Partisan.
Discussion among many of the olde'
Government employees who have beer
in the service for many years wa
non partisan, as resulting from yea
after year of voteless and loyal serv
ice TO the Government, without re-
gard to which party was in power.
81 never voted but once" saiC
one Eray-haired veteran of Uncl,
Sam, and that was in a small tow.
in the far South, and on a strittl.
municipal affair. / have felt that
could serve my country better withou
mingling in partisan politics, and
have tried to administer this post
with its contact with thousands OF
Government employees, absolutely on
basis of efficiency, without regaY,
TO the political or religious faith OF
the employe or applicant for a job
Other Government employees, how
ever, evinced keen interest in tn
outcome Of the election and in the
fortunes of their favorite candidate
Although certain civil service reEu-
lations prohibit the wearing of cam
paign buttons and insignia, d num-
ber OF buttons have been in evidenc
throughout the Government service.
Several members of the cabinet are
out of the city to vote today, while
more Of the higher executive official.
of the departments than other en-
ployes left for distant points to vote.