The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-12-24
I TE:ROF.
CLERK IS
NEW|N
CASE
Deposed Senate Clerks Con-
nection With Organization
Is Mysterious Development
By WILLIAM HARD


A new complication was adde'
to the contentious case of M
E. H. McDermot, recently dis
missed from his position ii
deputy clerk of the Senate Com
mittee on Post Offices and Pos
Roads, when today from SEM
torial sources a letter was prs
duced indicating that Mr.. McDe:
mot had solicited funds from user
of the fourth-class or parcel pos
mails on behalf of an institution
called the postal Shippers anG
Federal Service Bureau"
It has been charged widely in
statements in the newspapers for
some days past that Mr.. Nc
-Dermot had received money from
some organization of postal en-
ployes in order to forward de-
mands for an increase in their
pay under the Edge bill, which
the President vetoed and which
numerous Senators will endeavor
to re-pass over his veto on Jan
uary 6.
Puts Doubt on Interpretation
The letter released today throws
some doubt on that Interpretation
of the case. 1t indicates, at any
rate. that Mr.. McDermot's sympa.
thies included the fourth-cIass or
parcel-post users of the mails and
that he offered to promote their
interests against increases in fourth
class or parcel-post postage rates in
return for their joining the Postal
Shippers and Federal Service Blu.
reau," with an annual subscription
individually Of one hundred dollars.
The letter was written appar-
emily on or about June 20 last and
was signed by G. F. Bradley as
secretary of the Postal Shippers
and Federal Service Bureau, with
headquarters in Washington, and
by Mr.. McDermot as general man
ager of the bureau.
On the letter head, among the
other officers of the bureau, are
mentioned David Burpee, of the
w. Atlee Burpee Company, of Phila-
delphia. and Leonard Vaughan, Of
Vaughan's Seed Store. Of Chicago.
G. F. Bradley, secretary of the
bureau, is listed as representing the
Templin- Crockett-Bradley Company,
of Cleveland.
PurpOrt Legal.
The purport of the letter is the
perfectly legal one of defending.
representing, and promoting the in.
terests Of the, users of the parcel
post before the Postoffice Depar;
ment and Congress.
1t is thought extraordinary If
Mr.. McDermot, besides offering TO
represent users of the mails in an
effort to keep postage rates down
should be found simultaneously TO
have been taking money from or.
CARNATIONS of postal employees IN
order to put postal wages up.
Excerpts from the letter from
Mr.. Bradley and Mr.. McDermot 20
users of the parcel.post, who in
this case happened to be in the
seed business, here follows:
For some months past those
of us who have been studying the
sitution at Washington have fell
more than considerable alarm in
respect to the likelihood of the
enactment in the near future OF
radical legislation affecting the
parcel post, in the maintenance of
which along present existent lines
the seed men are so vitality inter.
"Mr. Z. H. McDermot, of Wash
lngton, d. c., formerly secretary Of
the Joint Commission on Postal
Service, was selected to be general
manager of the bureau. Mr.. Nc.
Dermot has been very active for
the past year in the formation of
this bureau; he has a close contact
with the trainers or the laws which
have been enacted during recent
years affecting the postal service:
has a wide acquaintance among
representative people In Washing.
ton and with postal officials
throughout NE United States, and
we feel is gifted in every way