Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-19
Assistant in LanSford, Pa,
Office Also Suspended After
Alleged 0bIiteration of
Marks on Envelopes.
MEMBER OF CONGRESS
SUSPECTED BY OFFICIAL
G. o. P. Candidates Afiliation
With Quakers Basis of Charges
Against Him in Circulars-75,-
600 to 100000 Believed Distrib-
uted-Inquiry to Continue.

Postmaster General New this
afternoon announced the Suspen-
sion of the postmaster and assist
ant postmaster of LanSford, Pa,
pending an investigation of what
he believes to have been a con-
Spiracy to violate postal regula-
tions in the mailing there recently
of thousands of alleged whisper
ing campaign circulars against
Herbert Hoover.
New declared that inspectors Of
the Post Office Department have
reported to him the name Of q
chauffeur, employed by a Con-
gresham, who is said to have de-
livered the circulars for mailing.
Office h Taken Over.
The suspended employees are Robert
H Stickler, postmaster, and Mrs. Bessie
Burns Stickler. assistant postmaster,
the postmaster. The Office has been
taken over by a postal inspector from
the department here.
The postmaster general. in announc-
ing the suspensions, told The Star:
II am perfectly satisfied that there
has been not only violation OF the
proprieties, but of law, and that the
mailing of these circulars is the result
of a conspiracy costing thousands OF
dollars. Somebody furnlshed the money.
1T couldn't have happened IN the
way it did without somebody in that
post Office knowing a good deal more
about the facts than any of them have
yet been frank enough to admit
Reflected on Patriotism.
The circulars in question, The Star
has learned, cast aspersions on the
patriotism of Hoover because OF his
membership in the Quaker Church.
They declared Hoover was member
of the "FIicksite Quakers," who be-
trayed" their country in the Revolu-
tionary War The pamphlets declared,
further, it is understood, that Hlckslte
Ouakers drove their fatted cattle past
the starving soldiers at Valley Forge
and sold the beef to British soldiers,
laughing at the plight Of Washington's
men.
The circulars are understood to have
pointed out in effect that Gov. Smith,
the Democratic nominee, rs a MEMBER
of the Roman Catholic Church, whose
Young men did not. hide behind the
skirts of religion to avoid military serV-
ice. but fought for their country on the
battlefields of France"
A poster, bearing similar reading mat
ter. recently came to the attention OF
national committee.
which had photostatic copies made OF
II AT the time it was understood that
the committee was making private
investigation into the origin OF the
roster, which had been displayed in
PENNSYLVANIA. 1t bore the ''signature"
of "non-parti5an committee"
The circulars under investigation by
the Post Office Department are SAID 10
have been probed also by the Repup-
lican national committee. 1t IS pc
lieved that evidence uncovered by
agents of the committee led to the call
ing in of postal inspectors.
II appears that the inquiry by the
Republican national committee first de-
veloned the fact that the stamped
r1ostmark on the envelopes of the
mailed circulars was indistingulshable.
1t was this fact, together with other
allegedly suspicious circumstances, that
is said to have led the investigators to
call the matter to the attention of POST
master General New.
Penalty Is Dismissal.
officials familiar with postal laws and
regulations told The Star this afternoon
that paragraph of section 525 of the
Postal Laws and Regulations appears
to be the only inhibition against de
10 of YlrC This
paragraph reads:
The willful impression on any mail
matter of postmark bearing any other
date than that on which such matter
is mailed or the eraSure OF any
date Of a postmark or back stamp
whether for purpose of fraud or de-
ception, or to conceal a delay or deten-
ton of mail matter or any other Off
cial error or delinquency, may Sub1ec'
the offender to dismissal from the Serv-
ice"
Under this regulation the severesi
penalty that could be meted out to g
postal employe found guilty of oblit-
Grating a postmark would be dismissa
from the service. at the discretion of the
Postmaster General. The regulation
could not be invoked against any one
outside the postal service.
Action Was Prompt.
Mr.. New acted promptly this after
noon upon receipt of a detailed repOr
from Postal Inspectors A. E. Furnis
end j. 4. Speak, who conducted an in
yestieation at LanSfOrd.
The report submitted to New by tn
INSPECTORS declares that an employe Q
the office admitted that thousands G
envelopes containing the circulars Wer
stamped in the LanSford Office, in tn
presence of the postmaster, with a cor
cut into the shape of a four-leaf clover
The Postmaster General declared thi
was done apparently to conceal tn
ulace of mailing of the circulars. Sue
an act, he said, is a violation of para
graph 2 of section 525 of the posts
laws and regulations, prohibiting eras
ure of the date on postmarks.
New asserted that the investigate
would be continued. and expressed tn
opinion that others might be involved
According to the report of the in
spectors both Stickler and Mrs. Stick
Ter denied knowledge Of the alleged in
proper stamping OF the envelopes, all
when later confronted with the allege
m confession of another employe in th
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