Evening star., 1936-02-22
POSTMASTER BILLS
OFFER MAJOR GAIN
TO MERIT SYSTEM
Question of Residence Main
Point of Difference in
Proposed Measures.
RAMSPECK WOULD END
CLAUSE IN MOST CITIES
o'Mahoney Plan Suggests New
Rating Go Into Effect After
January /, 1888.

The recent revival of interest at
the Capitol in the question of apply
ing the merit system to the appoint
ment of all postmasters was given
further impetus by President Roose-
velt's declaration in favor of such a
change. at his press conference yes
terday.
Senator O'Mahoney. Democrat, of
Wyoming, sponsor of one of the pend
ing bills on the subject, was greatly
encouraged by the Presidents refer
ence to the question.
While a variety of bills have been
introduced since the Seventy-fourth
Congress convened IA months ago,
they have not progressed far toward
enactment up to this time.
In the House, Representative Rams
peck's bill has been reported from
committee, but still awaits action on
the floor. 1t has the same general
merit-system objective as the bill
sponsored by Senator O'Mahoney and
Representative Mead, but differs in
some detailed provisions.
One By Vandenberg.
In addition to the O'Mahoney bill,
the Senate Post Office Committee has
two other measures before it on the
same general subject, one by Senator
Norris. Republican, of Nebraska, and
the other by Senator Vandenberg,
Republican, of Michigan.
All three of the Senate bills are still
awaiting committee action.
The O'Mahoney- Mead bill would
provide for appointment of all post
masters in accordance with civil serv.
ice requirements after January l.,
1888. The Ramspeck bill would take
effect sooner. The esential difference,
however, Is that the Ramspeck bill
would do away with the requirement
that postmasters be residents of the
city or area covered by their Office.
whereas the O'Mahoney measure
would abolish the residence clause
only in the larger Offices, having gross
receipts of 81 ZOO, 600 or more a year.
The merit system would apply gen.
orally, but in Offices having receipts
of less than S1,000,000 a year the
residence requirement would be re-
tanned
Other Qualifications.
Another feature of the O'Mahoney
bill is that in the offices having gross
receipts of $1,000,000 or more a year,
no one would be eligible for postmas-
ter unless he had four years of ex-
perience as postmaster of a first
class Office, or four years in super
visory civil service position in the de-
partment. or four years of experience
as an executive in the business world
The Vandenberg bill also seeks to
bring about appointment of post
masters by promotions within the serv-
ice. or by civil service examination
in the case of new appointments. His
bill has an added provision to pro-
hibit the Postmaster General from
being an officer or member of any
political committee while serving as
Postmaster General.
10-Year Term Urged.
The Norris bill, which is broader in
scope than the others, provides for
the merit system of appointment.
Like the Vandenberg measure, it
would make it unlawful for the Post
master General or any other official
of the Post Office Department, to be
chairman or member of any political
committee while in Office. The Norris
measure sets forth that its purpose
is to remove the Post Office Depart
ment "in its entirety" from political
control. One of its provisions would
fix 10-year term for the Office of
Postmaster General.