Evening star., 1935-02-17
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

lust now to be critical Of human ma
ture. He had been told by Al Smith
that people are not in the habit OF
irritating Santa Claus at Christmas
time. And Jim. who took stock IN
what Mr.. Smith said, is the New
Deals Santa for whom every day has
seemed to be Christmas.
But now 1t dawns upon Mr.. Farley
that those who have been getting his
gifts are far from satisfied. and that
those who we're left out, instead OF
being charitable, are bitter. The more
that CongreSsmen get from the gen.
erous Postmaster General, the more
they want. Mr.. Farley's remaining
hope is that the 3,50o,0o0 jobs to be
created under the forthcoming five
billion-dollar Federal works program
will at least lessen the pressure on
him.
To date the New Deal has created
108, 1876 Federal jobs that did not exist
on March 4. 1888. The cost OF those
jobs to taxpayers IS approximately
$3.50 100000 a year. All OF these
places on the Federal pay roll, opening
the way to those millions in pay
checks, are outside the classified
service" In other words. they are
filled by appointment rather than ny
civil service examinations. Still, that
is not all. Even before Andrew jack
son proclaimed that Ito the victor be-
long the spoils." the defeat Of one po-
litical party and the assumption OF
power by another has been followed
by a big job turnover. When the
Democrats took over the Federal Gov
ernment in 1888 there were about
1oO, 900 Jobs in the "spoils" category.
The salaries involved amounted to
nearly $3.50, 100000 annually. Those
Jobs with salaries attached are in ad-
dition to the l08,7S6 created since
March, 1888.
Added together, that makes around
200 900 openings in the Federal serV-
ice for Democrats to fill and about
$500, ,O00, 900 in attached annual sal
aries to rebound to the benef1t OF
party followers. OF course, this Is
only q partial picture because there
is q heavy turnover in the classified"
or civil service departments, with JOB
Openings lIlClC tIldt ACA1AOSAo oeS ~@~-'
at least an even chance to capture.
II all the New Deal jobs and all
the "spoils" Jobs in the regular service
had gone to Democratic Congressman
on a strictly pro rata basis, each one
would have had about 600 jobs to NIL.
That is quite a sizable number OF jobs
in these times.
The catch Is that some OF the
Jobs, probably not a large propor-
ton, went to individuals not approved
by Democratic Congressman. In addi-
ton, one section of the country quite
often found that 1t had received less
Federal patronage than another sec
ton. In both instances Mr.. Farley
has found himself on the pan" He
has done his best to make each Job
20 as far politically as he can. but
his efforts have not satisfied.
One reason Is that some leading
New Deal officials. including Harold
Ickes, Secretary Of the Interior and
administrator of public works, and
John H. Fahey, head Of the Home
Owners Loan Corp, have run the
Postmaster Generals agents out OF
their organizations, They have in
sisted on the right to appoint tech
nical workers on the basis OF skill,
and not politics. Certain others have
done the same.
The result has been a threatened
revolt in Congress. Some Democrats
In the lower house have promised
to walk out on President Roosevelt
unless he gives them more jobs. Mr..
Roosevelt has referred to these Con-
gressmen as young soreheads" and
let it 60 at that. Mr.. Farley will
attempt to placate the patronage re-
volters.
But there is one in that classifica-
ton whom he no longer can pacify.
That one is Huey Long. Senator
Long has been denied control over
Federal appointments in Louisiana.
His attacks on Mr.. Roosevelt and on
the Postmaster General can be read
In that light.
Then the question Is raised: What
is all this about? How are Jobs
handed out? Is there o system for
dividing up work in the Federal
service?
At present the Federal Govern
uient has $4,000 civil employees. Two
thirds Of these are under civil service
and, presumably, outside the field
of political control. The remainder
are in sppointive positions subject
to the whims Of politics. That raises
o question as to how this politics
u applied.
One formal document on this sub
ject has come to Light through the
Texas delegation In Congress. That
delegation has drawn up an agree
ment, submitted. to Mr.. Farley, which
reads:
"The Texas delegation In Congress
has unanimously agreed upon the
following:
'The two Senators are to control
the following patronage: District and
n vva1to N Aiudoas dtofpirt atfnrnovs