Evening star., 1936-02-07
Politics and Post Offices.

been the treasure chest into which the
politicians have dipped to reward the
faithful. 1t has, indeed, been the
source of jobs which the political party
in power has ladled out by the thousands.
Until the New Deal agencies came into
being with the present administration
the Post Office Department was the big
source of supply from which the spoils
of political war were distributed to the
victorS. Senator George w. Norris OF
Nebraska, independent Republican and
sponsor for President Roosevelt, yester-
day expressed his great regret that the
Chief Executive of his choice has done
nothing to remedy the situation.
The Senator was led to make his at
tack upon the system of appointing post
masters because of what had happened
in Cody, Nebraska. There, he said, an
acting postmaster had been appointed
when a vacancy occurred. The Civil
Service Commission, in accordance with
the rule. held an examination and certi-
fled to the Post Office Department three
who had passed the examination with
the highest marks. But the acting post
masters name was not on the list. So
political influence was brought to bear.
first to have the examination examined
into. and second to hold second exam
ination. More than year elapsed, with
tinuing to hold office. She went to school
at Government expense, according to
Senator Norris, and when the second ex-
animation was finally held she stood
third on the list. Despite this fact, she
was appointed.
This kind of thing, Senator Norris
insisted, is not calculated to provide
efficient postal service for the American
people. Furthermore, the Senator is con-
vinced that it reacts unfavorably to the
President and to members of Congress,
because together they are responsible for
the appointments of postmaSterS. For
every postmaster who receives appoint
ment he pointed out, there are scores OF
applicants who fail to receive job. All
of these disappointed office seekers and
their friends are potential enemies OF
the members of Congress and OF the
President. The Nebraska Senator went
so far as to say that the political opera
tion of the postal service was going to
cost President Roosevelt millions of votes
in the coming election.
The case cited by Senator Norris is
perhaps extreme. However, the system
under which the Civil Service Commis-
sion is required to certify the three
highest names after an examination for
postmaster gives the political leaders
ample latitude to provide for their
friends. President Woodrow Wilson
issued an executive order providing that
the person who stood first on the list
must be appointed. This was decided
improvement. But when he went out of
Office the old rule was re-established and
has fourished since.
Politics and post Offices, Senator Norris
insists, should be absolutely divorced. He
would take no halfway measures. Only
the most efficient should have the jobs
of running this service, irrespective of
party afiliation. And just as politics
should have no part in the appointment
of postmasters, so postmasters should
take no leadership in political matters.
That, said Senator Norris, should apply
not only to postmasters, but also to the
head of the postal service, the Postmaster
General. If the Postmaster General hap
pened-as he does today-to be the chair
man of the Democratic National Com
mittee, Senator Norris said quite frankly,
81 would remove him."
Members of Congress and high off,
cials of the Government applaud the
sentiments of the Nebraska Senator.
They feel, perhaps, that he is right; that
the postal service and, indeed, all the
civil activities of the Government should
be divorced from politics in their admin
istration. But they sit hack, for the most
part, and do nothing about it. The task
is too great. 1t would take Hercules
from the Golden Age to tackle it.