Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-06-17

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will the Senator yield?
Mr.. NoRRIs. I yield to. the Senator. from
Mr.. ROBINSON of Arkansas. The Senator has
just referred to the declaration of the Second
Assistant Postmaster General made publicly
to postmasters that unless they do support the
candidacy of President Hoover they will lose
their positions in the public service. I desire to
ask the Senator from Nebraska if he does not
believe, in view of that statement, that they
will certainly lose them if they do go out and
take the status of partisans and there follows a
change of administration?
Mr.. NoRR1s. That would be the natural re-
suit, | should think. | do not want to see that
brought about. l have long advocated that the
Post Office Department ought to be taken out
of politics. Such a proclamation and such an
idea, l think, receives the approval of all men
who want to put our Government, and par
ticularly that great department, on an efficient
basis and raise it above the mire and dirt of
men who have no interest in our Government
or in the welfare Of our people except to get
the jobs.
Mr.. ROBINSON of Arkansas. Mr.. President
Mr.. NoRR1s. l yield further to the Senator
from Arkansas. .
Mr.. ROBINSON Of Arkansas. Pretense has
been made of placing postmasters within a
kind Of civil service; that is to say, the selec-
tons are presumably made as the result of an
examination held under the rules of the depart
ment and the civil service. Yet, notwithstand-
ing that fact, ~posrnasters are being urged and
required to make partisan campaign contribu-
tons. In some instances, particularly in the
South, they are denied appointments, no mat
ter how well qualified, unless they have con-
tributed or manifest their willingness to con-
tribute to a partisan campaign fund.
agree with the Senator from Nebraska. 1t
is a disgrace to the Government and a disgrace
to this administration for one high in author
lty"to intinidate postmasters in the way that
was attempted by Mr.. Glover.
Mr.. NoRRIs. Of course the intimidation, as
| said before, does not stop at postmasters.
Mr.. ROBINSON of Arkansas. Oh, no.
Mr.. NoRRIs. Where is there an official hold
ing office but who knows that what is said to
the man who is holding down a post-office job
applies to him?
Mr.. President, | do. not desire now to take
the time of the Senate to enter into a discus
sion upon what l believe to be the principles
that should govern the appointment of post
masters and other officials. 1t is sufficient to
say that we have passed laws making partisan
political activity a crime in some instances and
making it a sufficient reason for the discharge
from public service of men who debase their
positions and make political headquarters of
their offices, which ought to be open to all the
people, regardless of party.
| only want to say in conclusion that if the
President of the United States wants to retain
the confidence Of the patriotic people of this
country, he will repudiate, in the name of his
administration, these sentiments expressed by
the Second Assistant Postmaster General. He
will not only repudiate them but, if he does
what believe is his duty, Mr.. Glover himself
will be a private citizen before the sun sets
tonight.
From the Congressional Record,
Senate Proceedings.