Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-09
COSTELLO BACKS
W|TTNER DEFIANCE
Democratic Committeeman
Says U. S. EmpIoye Has
Right to Express Views.

John F. Costello. Democratic national
committeeman for the District of Co
lumbia, today came out in support Of
Loren H. wittner. Traffic Bureau clerk.
who has defied the Civil Service Com
mission to enforce its ban against po-
litical activity.
Costello said he agreed with Wilmer
In his position. and believed he was
right in the contention that working for
the Government ought not to take away
a mans right to express himself on po-
litical questions. Wittner has openly
espoused the cause of Al Smith, the
Democratic nominee, by making speeches.
and today. in direct violation of one of
the specific rules of the Civil Service
Commission, was wearing a prominent
colored lapel button on his coat for
smith and Robinson"
Reported to Committee.
A report on the wittner case already
has been forwarded to the Democratic
national committee Costello said He
could not predict whether the national
lively, but Costello said that he per-
sonaIly would be glad to do it and throw
behind the fight for political freedom"
the forces of the local Democratic or
ganiZation.
In my opinion" said Costello, "a
man doesn't surrender his citizenship
when he goes to work for the Govern
ment. / don't believe the Government
has any right to take away a mans po-
litical privileges any more than It has
right to take away his religious free
dom" If necessary, Costello said, he
would help Wittner take his case to
court
At the Civil Service Commission there
were some indications that technical
ity would be considered as somewhat
relieving the seriousness of Wittner'S
apparent Haunting of the civil service
rules. Wittner'S letter defying the COM
mission to stop his work for Smith ar
rived at the commission this morning
ami was referred to DR.. John T. Doyle,
secretary of the commission. It will be
taken up and considered according to
DR.. Doyle.
Differences in Connections.
There were plain limitations, how
ever, not only in civil service quarters
but IN other places converSant with the
legal technicalities of the case, that
persons working for the District of Co
lumbia have in the past been conSid-
cred not part Of the Federal eStab-
lShment and therefore not subject to
civil service restrictions in quite the
same manner as persons working in
q Federal department.
Wfttner, however, was appointed I'M
der civil service rules according to an
act of Congress which provides that
appointments and promotions in the
Police Department shall be made in
accordance with the civil service law, |
and he contends stoutly that he should
be subject to the political gag" which |
he complains of so openly to the COM
mission.
Reaction among the rank and file
Of Government clerks was varying to-
day following the Wittner defiance. A
survey Of opinion among several failed
to elicit much response. AS one Of them
put II en- not interested in bucking
the powers that b"
Others who were more outSpoken,
however. f1eclared II their opinion that
the great mass Of Government clerks /
chafed under the restrictions of the
civil service, and would like to be free |
to take part in politics.
Button Ban Specific.
The button ban, which wfttner was
violating today, is specific The rule in |
cludes among its prohibitions "distri-
button of campaign literature, badges,
or buttons, or wearing such badge or
button
Discussing the button rule today |
President Deming of the Civil Service |
Commission declared "the prohibition |
against the display of such symbols by |
classified Federal employees removes /
this temptation from the hot-heads and |
protects their fellow. workers against |
their opportunities. More important |
still, the inhibition preserves the good |
morale of the Office and makes for eff
ficiency."