Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-25
WORKERS WARNED
AGAINST POLITICS
Civil Service Commission
Cites Order Forbidding
US. Employees Activity.


All Federal employees have been
warned against taking active parts in
political campaigns this year in an
order issued by the Civil Service Com
mission. The order is similar TO those
issued by the commission in former
campaigns.
Attention also was called by the conn.,
mission to an order issued by Postmas~
ter General New stating that it Is I'M
wise for postmasterS to accept polltl-
cal managements or become consplcu-
GUS in political campaigns"
Text of Warning.
The civil service warning reads as
follows:
Competitive employees, while retain
ing the right to vote and to express
privately their opinions on political
subjects, are forbidden to take an active
part in political management or IN
political campaigns. This also applies
to temporary employees, employees on
leave of absence with or without pay,
substitutes and laborers. Political &C
tivity In city, county, State or national
elections, whether primary or regular,
or in behalf of any party or candloate,
or any measure to be voted upon. is
prohibited This rule applies to tenn
porary employees in classified positions
The commission also called attention
to the sections of the criminal code
which provide that no legislative
officer, officer elect or candidate Tor
election, and no executive or judicial
officer or employe shall solicit or be
concerned in soliciting or receiving any
money or contribution Tor political pur-
poses from any other officer or employe
of the Government; that no sollcita-
ton or receipt of political assessments
shall be made by any person in any
room or building occupied in the dis
charge of official duties by any otflcer
or employee of the United States; that
no officer or employe shall be as
charged or denoted for refusing 10
make any contribution for political
purposes; and that no officer or en-
ploye of the Government shall directly
or indirectly give or hand over 10 any
other officer or employe in the service
of the United States or to any member
or delegate to Congress any money or
other valuable thing for the promotion
OF any political object whatever.
Section 1872 of the Criminal Code
! provides that whoever shall violate any
| provision of the four sections snail De
| fined not more than $4,000 or I'M
prisoned not more than three years, OF
! both.' says the order.
| With reference to presidential otncersi
/ the commissions warning says:
Presidential apDointees are forbidden
by statute to use their official authority
| or influence TO coerce the political
action of any person or body, to make
/ any contribution for political object
/ to any other officer of the United states
of to solicit or receive contributions for
political purposes from other Federal
officers or employees, or 10 discriminate
! among their employees or applicants
/ for political reasons.
otherwise. presidential appointee
will be allowed to take such part IN
/ political campaigns as Is taken by any
| private citizen, except that under regu-
i lations issued by many of the depart
ments he will not be permitted TO nolo
a position as member or officer OF any
political committee that solicits funds;
| to display such obtrusive partisanShir
as to cause public scandal; 70 attempt
Ao maniIAhatel party primaries or con-
yentions: tx use his position to bring
about his selection as a delegate to con-
ventions; to act as chairman OF palit-
icaI convention: to assume the active
conduct of political campaign; to use
his position to interfere with an election
II to affect the result thereof; to neglect
his public duties.
News Message.
The order issued by the Postmaster
| General is as follows
| THE status of presidential post
! masters Is somewhat different from
! that Of persons In the classified civil
service. Although the statutes above
| referred to apply to them as well as tt
| others in the service, their political ac-
| tivities are not restricted in the degree
| that those In the classified service are
| and they are allowed to take such a
part in the political campaigns as Is
| taken by any private citizen.
Presidential postmasters' conduct IS
governed by the rules and regulations
| of the Postmaster General. He must
not use his executive authority to in-
fluence or coerce those under him. His
conduct toward the public should be
that Of one realizing that his service
must be strictly impartial. and that al
should be treated with the same
promptness and courtesy He ShoulS
not make himself offensive politically
or otherwise TO any party or group of
persons he Is obliged to serve. Presi-
Dental poStmasters, however. do have
q right to engage to a reasonable ex-
tent In political matters. but il Is
deemed unwise that they should accept
political management or become con-
spicuous in political campaigns"