Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-27
"Seein' Things at Night. !"

PRESIDENT Hoover is now suspected of
attempting to build up a great polit-
ical organization and to accomplish this
end 1t is alleged that a card index of
all Government employees has been de-
V1sed. The Democratic opposition has
swallowed the tale whole and through
its publicity bureau has put forth a
statement attacking Mr.. Hoover and
all his works. A diabolical plot by the
Republican President is pictured for
the edif1cation of the country.
If the tale were true 1t might or
might not be important. There is a
list Of civil service employees in every
department, which shows when and
where these employees were appointed.
A duplication Of such q list would
scarcely be important. Furthermore,
under the rules of the civil service.
these employees cannot be disturbed for
political reasons, and they are not 50
disturbed.
A statement issued by Walter H.
Newton. one Of the secretaries of the
President, denied, however, that any
effort is being made to card-index the
civil service employees of the Govern
ment. 1t appears that for years the
practice has been to keep a card index
Of presidential appointees at the White
House, and the card which has aroused
this tempest In teapot is similar
card. Mr.. Newton said that in a rou-
tine way the cards were sent out eight
months ago, to bring the list up to
date. He added that as many as three
hundred OF the cards have been cata-
logued since last March.
The card, on its face, seems to cover
only those employees and officials who
have a specific tenure of office and,
therefore, are not under the civil serv.
ice law. Nor. does the card, wonderful
to relate, ask the employe what his
particular brand Of politics may be.
This is a serious oversight.
The President of the United States
is the Chief Executive of the Nation.
1t is his duty to know as much as pos
sible about the personnel Of the execu-
tive branch Of the Government. When
Democratic President is in Office, he
appoints to office members of his own
party, and the same is true Of Re-
publican Presidents. An examination
of the records will show that the latest
Democratic President, Woodrow VIII
son, was not given to appointing Re-
publicans to office, certainly not until
the World War came along and politics
was temporarily forgotten in the eff
fort to win the war against the foreign
enemy. This is no reflection on Presi-
dent Wilson. "A President Is elected
in a political campaign. His admin
istration and his policies require him
to have men in ONCE who will give
their best services to carry out those
policies.
The fear is expressed that President
Hoover, through having a secretary or
| two more than has been the custom of
Presidents in the past, is intent upon
doing things to Congress, though just
what the President could do along this
line is not clearly disclosed. Congress
seems to be well able to take care OF
itself in any conflict between the two
branches Of the Government. Any eff
fort to bring the executive and the legis-
lative branches into harmonious action,
even through q secretary of the Presi-
dent, may be helpful, although Demo-
cratic minority naturally dotes on a
conflict between Republican President
and the Republican majority in Con-
gress.
According to the White House, the
card index Of presidential appointees
is an ancient system-so ancient that ii
might have cobwebs hanging to 1t. II
is reported that during the Wilson ad-
ministration such an index was kept
No apology is made for it, and none IL
needed. A President must know wher
the terms Of presidential appointees tc
public Office expire, who hold these job
and on whose recommendation they
were appointed. Apparently another
mares nest has been discovered.