New Britain herald., 1924-10-01
ACCUSE i. .. p. OF
 UNFAIR SOLICITING
Civil Service EmplOyeS Said to Have Been "Shaken Down.
BY GEORGE H. MANNING.


 (Washington Bureau of N. B, lleraldl
 Washington, Oct, l.-Numerous Republicans in high places in the party counsels may ind themselves in hot water before long as result Of an apparent effort on the part of officials of the G. .. r. To shake down" federal employees for Contrl- buttons 10 the Coolidge Dawes and state tickets
 Complaints from federal employees in different parts of the country that they have received letters winch they consider threatening and su- liciting contributions 10 th' cam- paign funds Of the Republican can didates have resulted in tn, collec- ton of evidence of this unIaWful practice.
 The situation has become so sc- rious that Civil Service Comlaissiun- CT Wales has advised all govern ment workers to disregard all ef- forts to solicit or assess thcm and has requested that all such attempts to shake them down" for the hcre- fit of the G. 0. P. candidates be re- ported to the commission.
 Reform League Starts Probe.
 A complete investigation ut the situation has been commenccl by the Civil Service Reform league with a view to bringing indictmtn nts against some G. Q. r. officials for violating the letter and spirit of the civil service law by soliciting tam- paign contributions from govern ment workers, 1t was asserted by officials of the league today.
 The most fragrant instance brought to light of this shaking down" of federal employcs for cam paign contributions for Republican candidates has occurred in Indiana where Willis B. Dye, chairman of the Indiana Republican ways and means committee has written the workers reminding them that their voluntary contribution is very much needed" and adding that "fCr your further consideration, will state that the uniform amount from the revenue department IS s50. Please forward your check"
 Civil Service Commissl Walts informed all government workers that the law provides a heavy fine up to s5,000 and imprisonment mp to three years for any person Tn or out of government service who so- licits contributions or political pur- poses of any sort provided h. makes the solicitation by mail or in per son at government offices
 Spirit of Law Violated.
 "The law is designed tn prevent just such things as Dye is doing. said Mr. Wales. Tt may ee thai we can't reach Dye. however, fl he confined his solicitation 10 places outside of the offices Of course the spirit of the law is being broken If any government official were tt discharge an employe as result oi his failure 10 contribute or any eIn' ploye or official were to accop' money which has been solicited he would be guilty of violating the Ia" and would be punishable.
 We have in the past il dicted men in just such cases and we War1 the persons who are now trying tt get around the law on tcchnicali' ties that we will investigate anc prosecute where we find the fact' warrant"
 Officials of the Civil Service Re form league regard Dyes letter which directed them to "forWart your check at your earliest possibl convenience" as nothing short O an ultimatum and fragrant attemp to violate the spirit of the civil serv ice law which was designed to pro tect government employees from be