Evening star., 1926-05-27
CITED
FOR u. S. DRY ED|CT.
Local Agents Being Employed
Daily by Departments for.
Federal Work.
RY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

President Coolidge. this writer has
discovered, has any number of prece'
dents for impressing local officials into
Federal police" service by executive
order Not only President Grant In
1879 set the precedent. TO which the
prohibition authorities purpose hav-
Ing recourse. hut Presidents Roose'
welt. Taft and Wilson issued similar
orders affecting various Government
departments. The orders ar" still
in force and powers under them are
being invoked every day all otec the
country. They are police powers.
similar In all essential respects to
those which Gen. Andrews. under
the Coolidge order, desires to have
exercised.
The Secretaries of the Treasury, of
Commerce. of the Interior and or
Agriculture are he departmental
chiefs who for periods running PACK
as far as 1907. have employed local
officials for Federal work. Secretaries
Mellon. Hoover. Work and .Iardine.
ever since taking office AT Washing
ton. have used these State employees
without any question of invasion ot
States rights ever having been raised.
Prohibition authorities declare that
it Is only because "sacrosa net" wet
the Coolidge executive order has been
"a He'd into question. In principle. "
Is asserted, 1t differs no whit from the
executive orders hereinhe fore referred
TO.
These arc AS follows:
Five Orders Are cited.
Officers and employees Of the Ibe
paftment Of Acric,llt ure are author
wed To hold state and territorial po-
Sitions when such action is deemed
necessary ny the Secretary of Acri-
culture To secure more efficient ad
ministrati"n. president RooseveIt's
executive order Of June c6. 19n7D
State and county officials may he
appointed special agents under the
Rureau Of the Census for the colec
tion Of cotton statistics. president
Taft's executive order Of August 4.
la09l
Employees of the Recla nation
Service and the National Park Serv-
ice may. with the approval of the
Secretary of the Interior. accept ap-
notntments as deputy state fish OF
game uardens. If NJ compensa sation is
attached to the position. president
Wilson's executive order of July 2,
1a14D
La aborers in charge Of lights In the
the operation of the order Of January
II, 1873. president Wilson's execu-
tive order Of October 6. 1850
Employees of the Treasu Depart
men' may, with the approval Of the
Secretary Of the Treasury. accept ap.
pointmen' on any State. county or
municipal council of defense for pur-
poses Of mohiiizinE and conserving
the resources of the country. tPresi-
dent Wilson's executive order of April
Ia. 1919
All Of these executive orders rank as
exceptions To the original Grant order
of January II. 1873.
PRINCIPAL L. s. Policeman.
The Secretary IF Agriculture Is the
principal Federal policeman He
employs no fewer than 400 State Of
ficials In the Enforcement Of the mi
gratory bird law. They serve without
Federal compensation until actually
employed. when they are paid 50 a
day About IS State chemists are en-
ployed off and on by he Department
nf Agriculture In police work in con
nection with Enforcement of the pure
food and drug act. These local Off
cials have the right Ia initiate cases