Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-27
BAN ON POLITICAL
ACTIVITIES BY i. s.
WORKERS SCORED
Warnings to Classified Civil
Service En7rIoyes Protested
to Chairman Work.
FORBIDDEN TO WEAR
BUTTONS OR BADGES
Campaign Signs en- Autos Also
Prohibited-Nearly 10000
Affected in District.

Warnings to classified civil service
employees against political activities m
the present campaign have reused the
ire of Representative Addison r. Smith
of Idaho, Republican.
Mr.. Smith in a letter to Chairman
Work of the Republican national COM
mittee declares that the chairmen of
the Republican and Democratic ma
tional committees should take steps to
unloosen the tongues of the classified
employees and enable them to walk the
streets and highways as free, independ-
ent American citizens instead of cring-
ing Government slaves, and without De-
ing branded as political eunuchs and
denied the privileges that every free
American citizen enjoys"
His protest goes to the warning to
the Government employees that they
must confine expressions of views on
political subjects to private CONVERSE
tons, and that they must not display
campaign stickers or signs on automo-
ollSo VI WCd1 SuiAPoASA GueVoiio VI
badges.
Calls Warnings Absurd.
To ban such expressions of political
preference by the classified employees of
the Government, Mr. Smith insists is
absurd. presumptuous, ridiculous, con-
temptible'
Chairman Work said fatty, when
questioned about the protest OF Mr..
Smith, that he did not intend taking
any steps in the matter, that the Civil
Service Commission was tine govern
mental body which had full authority.
Chairman William C. Deming of the
Civil Service Commission defended the
warning issued to the Government en-
ployes, which quotes the following rule
of the commission:
mo person in the executive civil
service shall use his official authority or
influence for the purpose of interfering
with an election or affecting the results
thereof. Persons who by the provisions
of these rules are in the competitive
classified service. while retaining the
right to vote as they please and to eX-
press privately their opinions on all
political subjects. shall take no active
part in political management or in
political campaigns"
Orders Issued for Years.
Mr. Deming said that the commission
had for years been in the habit of is
suing such orders and warnings as
those now put forward in campaign
years. The present warning, he said,
was more specific than in past years be-
cause the commission had been asked
for rulings by employees themselves on
the use of automobile tags, wearing
buttons, etc. He pointed out that the
employees were left entirely free to vote
as they please, to make voluntary con-
tributions, but not in a Government
building or to another Federal en-
ploye. The restrictions prevent the en-
ploye while in the service of the whole
public from turning his official posi-
ton to the benefit of one of the parties
into which the whole public is divided
or from becoming 'perniciously active"
in politics.
In the District of Columbia there are
some 10000 employees of the Federal
Government. most of whom are in the
classified civil service. Outside the Dis
trict the number of employees of the
Government. classified and unclassified.
is about $4,000, of whom 100000 are
classified. The warnings issued by the
political activity do not apply to the
unclassified employees, who include pres
idential appointees. They are not di-
rected against members of the cab
met, for example or other presidential
appointees like Mrs. Mabel Walker Will
lebrandt, Assistant Attorney General.
There is no rule and no law which
applies to such officials of the Govern
ment and they are left entirely free
to participate in political campaigns as
they see fit, governed only by the pro-
prieties of the situation.
Alleges Discrimination.
Mr.. Smith. in his letter to Chairman
Work, complains particularly because
the classified employees are discriminate
ed against in this matter when the
higher Government officials are left
free to do as they wish He says:
The members of the cabinet and
heads of bureaus are active in urging
the people to support one or the other
OF the political parties because they be-
lieve in the principles and policies of
their party, but If the employees should
undertake to do so, they are threaten
ed with dismissal. Why should it be
considered dishonorable or criminal for
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