Evening star., 1932-09-15
Free Speech Endorsement
Under Civil Service Lauded

election is poor sportsmanship. There
fore, the Presidents action in restoring
Mr. Kerr to his place is stand Tor
decency and traditional Americanlsm,
says the Sun approvingly.
Such tyranny as was evidenced IN
the dismissal of this clerk President
Hoover would probably not have stood
for in any event" according TO the
Norfolk Virginian-Pilot (Democratic).
The law prohibits political activity on
the part of such employees" says the
Charleston (W. Va Daily Mail (inde-
pendent Republican,, which thinks
this is a phrase that lends itself to
elastic Interpretation" and is certain
that ut would be we'll to have an off,
cial and explicit statement OF its
meaning"
The whole field Of "free speech" is
concerned in this seemingly rather
minor incident, according to many pa
pers AS the Texarkana Gazette (in-
dependent Democratic) puts IL: IF Mr..
Kerr's dismissal had been permitted TO
stand it would have set precedent
that would have muzzled the free
speech of every employe in the Gov
ernment service. Unless he cared 10
risk losing his job, no Government en-
PlOyc COulO lldhC W S-NPANSo AiIS
personal opinion on the bonus, prohibi-
tion or any other national issue-if
such personal opinion ran contrary to
the views of the administration. Moth
ing could have been more regrettable.
or more unjust in a land where free
dom of speech is our oldest and most
cherished tradition, the right OF which
is guaranteed by our Constitution" an
opinion echoed by the Haverhill Eve
ming Gazette independent Republican,
and by the indianapolis News Gnde-
pendent Republican,. The latter says
further: There is no desire on the
part of the people to regulate the
thought or opinions of postal or other
activity would be forced political serv-
ice by the superior officers. The Presi-
dent has declared that there shall be
none of this. In holding that an en-
ploye is entitled to his own views. he
declared for the traditions of American
free speech"
In the words Of the Walla Walla
Daily Bulletin independently The
individual case is settled. but the i'm
port of the action goes far beyond the
boundaries of the City of Gary and the
State Of Indiana. 1t strikes home to
the inherent rights of every American
citizen, whether he is on the Federal
pay roll or walking the streets without
job" Referring to the Civil Service
Commission, which it explains was
created to insure the highest caliber OF
service for the Government without re-
gard to political party or personal opin-
ion," the Bulletin holds that Ito dismiss
any Federal employe for declarations
against the policy Of the administration
Is to defeat the high principles upon
which the commission Is founded" AS
the Rock Island Argus independently
sees 1t: This case will probably es-
tablish an important precedent" The
Boise Idaho Statesman is Of the opin-
ion that from what has been pub
lished, it would seem that the employe
should not have been discharged in the
first place" The local postmaster who
discharged him gave a painful exhi-
bition of zeal outrunning wisdom" ac-
cording to the Milwaukee Sentinel. and
has been properly rebuked,' while the
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Cinde-
pendent Republican, attests that "the
Presidents fortnight action has left no
cover for further Misrepresentation of
administration attitude as to freedom
Of opinion In the service"