Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-16
The Census and Politics.

Are Democratic World War veterans
to be excluded from employment In
taking the census Of the United States
excluded because they ARE Democrats?
This is the question which Representa-
tive Louis Ludlow, Indiana Democrat,
has propounded In q letter to Secre-
tary Lamont Of the Department Of
Commerce, which includes the Bureau
of the Census. Mr.. Ludlow points out
that 573 supervisors and about 100000
enumerators will be required to take
the census next year. Whenever pos
sible, he says, veterans Of the wars will
be given preference in picking these
employees. The preference is granted
because of their service in the wars.
What Mr.. Ludlow wants to know Is
whether war service is to count in this
matter or membership in the Repub-
lican party.
When Government jobs are not
placed under the strict regulations OF
the civil service by law, they usually
20 to members Of the political party
in power. This applies whether Repub-
licans or Democrats are in power. ITO
the victor belong the spells" has been
recognized in politics for many years.
To safeguard employees in the service
Of the Government the civil service
rules and regulations have been estab-
lished. otherwise, there might be a
tremendous turnover of Government
employment whenever one party goes
out of power and another comes In.
But the law providing for taking the
census was passed deliberately by Con-
gress without placing the census emu
merators under civil service and provid-
ing for the passage Of examinations,
etc. The employment is temporary. A
census of the population of the United
States is demanded by the Constitu-
ton only once every ten years. AS a
matter of fact, it will be twenty years
since the last census was taken when
the new is begun, owing to a derelic-
ton Of duty by Congress.
Under these circumstances it has
been expected that the census jobs
would be passed out to deserving
Republicans" just as they would have
gone to deserving Democrats" had a
Democratic President been in the White
House. Mr.. Ludlow, however, has
raised q nice question that should re-
uuire some consideration. If it is the
purpose of the Government to reward
military service by awarding census
Jobs to veterans, 1t seems hard that
the man who risked life in the trenches
should be barred from this employment
Just because he is a Democrat. Yet
Mr.. Ludlow, in his letter to Secretary
Lamont, declares that his information
is exactly to that effect and thumbs
are to be turned down on Democrats
whether they are war veterans or not.
In support Of such practice it may be
pointed out that If two veterans OF the
World War were candidates for the
Office of United States attorney, for
example, and one was Republican
and the other a Democrat. the Repub-
lican would be expected to get the job
under a Republican administration.
Even were the Republican candidate
not a veteran Of the war he would
still receive the appointment over
Democratic war veteran.
Mr.. Ludlow proposes to Secretary La
mont that the following rule be laid
down:
I'm choosing enumerators there shall
be no discrimination against any vet
Grams, their wives or widows on &C
count of political beliefs"
To do otherwise in the distribution OF
the huge number Of enumerator jobs,
Mr.. Ludlow insists, would show "the
Government taking sides with one
group Of veterans and ignoring another
group in distributing the rewards Of
military service and sacrifice"