The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-08-07
HAL COOPER in
FIGHTING ROLE
Congressman Henry Allen
Cooper Brings Sword
Into District.
DISCUSSES POSTOFFICE
Cooper Charges Postmaster
General with Disregard for
Civil Service Law.

Fall politics filled the air IN the
opening meeting of the LaFollette
campaign held at Polonia hall, Fri
day evening when Congressman Henry
Allen Cooper was the main speaker,
bringing a message to Kenosha which
he claimed was the truth about the
Kenosha post Office situation"
Mr.. Cooper assailed the newspaper
and his opponents in his speech.
Congressman Coo1er laid certain
charges at the dooI of Postmaster
General Harry S. New. He said that
New, before the eligible list of post
master applicants for Kenosha had
been filed at Washington picked
on Tom Scott for the position, be-
cause Scott was the only Coolidge
delegate from Wisconsin.
"A deliberate attempt was made"
concluded Cooper at the close of his
address, Sin violation of the civil
service law, of President Harding's
order, in violation of instructions
given at Kenosha during the examina-
ton, to have Mr.. Tom Scott appointed
though he failed to pass both ex-
aminations."
MI OCOPCAT A~JS 10 w.
Mr.. Cooper's story presented the.
facts from his point of view as fol-
lows: According to President Harding's
order of May 10, 1921, he said that
the postmaster position was to be
placed upon civil service basis.
Applicants were to pass an examina-
ton and on the three highest consid
cred as eligibles. An examination
took place at Kenosha; he said. Mr..
Scott took the examination and failed.
Another examination was held, and
Scott failed again. ."That might hap
pen to anybody" added the con-
gresham.
The speaker then proceeded to fay
the Kenosha Evening News. 81 take
the Kenosha Evening News regularly"
he said, shut 1 think the Kenosha
Evening News, as Josh Billings says,
knows too many things that amt so'."
Tells of Interview With New.
Congressman Cooper then went on
to say that he was called to the Office
of Postmaster General Harry S. New
and the situation at Kenosha dis
cussed on May before a list of
eligibles, that is the three highest who
had passed the examination at Keno
sha, had been filed at Washington.
At this point Mr.. Cooper read from
his correspondence letters which he
had exchanged with the postmaster
general.
Mr.. New Asked Him to Drop In.
The gist. of the charge was that on
1nffnr
from New asking him to 'drop in and
discuss the GAINESVILLE post office nom
nation" That was on Saturday. On
Monday, May 9Th, Mr.. Cooper dropped
in and the postmaster general had
gone to the White House. On Tues
day, May 9Th, Mr.. Cooper found the
postmaster general in. Both remained
standing during the brief interview.
Cooper's letter written to the post
master general after the interview
recalled the scene as follows: 81 said 4
have called in response to your note
saying that you wished to talk with
me about the GAINESVILLE post Office
nomination. Well, the eligibles are
Kimball, Matheson and Fountain At
this point you interrupted me, i think
it is the Kenosha nomination | want
to see you about, Kenosha is in your
district isn't it? Yes l replied.
Then you said, 4 want to talk to
you about Scott who is delegate and
who is l believe on the list
/ was greatly SURPRISED as had
not before received any intimation that
list of eligibles for the Kenosha APP
pointment had been filed. Accordingly
/ asked, Has a list of eligibles been
fled for Kenosha?' To which you ans
wered, yes, l think so. have been
so informed Then you astonished
me by saying, There seems to be only
one thing l can do, as Scott is elected
a Coolidge delegate to the national
convention. He is the only such dele
gate from Wisconsin. What do you
think about it?' / said, We'll of
course you and the president can
recommend and appoint any of the
eligibles. / cannot control the ap-
pointment and must leave that en-
tirely to you if you wish to make it.
From my Office that afternoon | tele-
phoned the secretary of the U. S.
civil service commission and asked
him whether the commission had yet
sent in list of eligibles for the post
office appointment in Kenosha. He
consulted his record and said no, con-
frming this in an official letter which
he wrote that afternoon. 1t now APP
pears that on the day of May of my
with you, although there
was no list of eligibles, you had al
ready decided to appoint Mr.. Scott
because of his politics in absolute
violation of President Harding's order
of May 10, 1921, which provides that
no person shall be considered for a
post Office appointment unless he has
first passed a civil service examlna-
rion and had his name placed on a
list of eligibles and that all persons
examined for the post Office appoint
ment shall have an equal and fair
chance regardless of politics. make
no criticism of Mr.. Scott. But he
was only one of several applicants
who took the examination. The others,
Miller, Shaw, Trenary, Morehouse,
Rhode, Leuck, Piske, Bieneman and
Holderness undoubtedly believe that
the appointment would be made upon
the merits and strictly in accordance
with the law, executive order and
the important instructions, of the
civil service commission. But it is
evident that they were greatly mis-
taken"
Absent Editor Replies.