Evening star., 1938-08-22
POLITICAL WORK
WARNEDAGA|NST
BY CIVIL SERVICE
Poster Reminds Classified
Employees Such Activity Is
Prohibited by Law.
STICKERS ON AUTOS
ARE INCLUDED IN BAN
Specific Answers Given in Reply
to Query of Backer of Lewis
on Legal Acts.

S~Sso'
In the midst of hot political primary
fights, the Civil Service Commission
today began to distribute here and
widely throughout the country con-
spicuous warning" that political &C
tivity of classified employees of the
Government is prohibited"
The warning is In the form OF a
poster, with notice to post con-
spicuously" 1t is expected to go up
in post offices and other public build
ings all over the United States.
The warning is being issued also in
answer to numerous questions which
are pouring in from all sections in
regard to what Government workers
may or may not do.
One of these questions, from support0
ers of Representative David j. Lewis,
who is running against Senator Millard
E. Tydings in Maryland. was answered
specifically by the commission today
in letter which warned that stickers
could not be used on Government
workers automobiles. Neither could
Mr.. Lewis proponents in the classified
service participate actively in the
campaign, the commission said.
Is Not Interference in Fight.
1t was emphasized, however, by a
commission official that the same kind
of answer is being given to this sort OF
inquiry everywhere and could not be
interpreted as an intersection of the
commission into the Lewis-Tydings
fight. The same rule would apply to
Senator Tydings' supporters, it was
made clear.
The request on behalf of Represent
ative Lewis came from John G. For
syth business agent of the Machinists'
Union here. He pointed out that thou
sands of employees in the Government
Printing Office, the Bureau of Engrav-
ing and the Navy Yard, as well as those
in the Naval Academy at Annapolis,
belong to organizations affiliated with
the Central Labor Union, which in
dorsed Mr.. Lewis at recent meeting.
"A committee of 1000 Marylanders
is being formed Mr.. Forsyth wrote,
composed of workers Can employees
of these institutions belong to that
committee, or may they have stickers
on their cars for Representative Lewis,
friend and supporter of the Presi-
dent?"
Passive Membership"
In its answer, the commission told
Mr.. Forsyth that under the provis-
af ~ i,r,1 n,,Io
l, relating to political activity of Fed
eral employees, persons employed in
the classified civil service are re-
stricted in such activity to voting
and to expressing privately their po-
htical opinions"
"A classified employe may take no
active part in the management of a
political campaign" said the COM
mission, although he may attend a
mass meeting and cast his vote mere
ly as an individual on any question
presented. He may not pass this
point in participating in delibera-
tions.
While classified civil service en-
ployes may become members of COM
mittees which have the furtherance
Of various civic or like projects as
their basis, in connection with which
there may or may not be political con-
siderations, such employees would, so
far as any such political considera-
tions or activities are concerned, De
restricted to passive membership.
1T may be definitely stated" con-
tinued the commission, that en-
ployes in the classified civil service,
regardless Of the establishment In
which employed, may not, under the
provisions of the political activity
rule, become members of committees
expected to actively participate in
political campaigns. This includes
prohibition against the display of
stickers having political significance
on automobiles
Rules for Appointed Workers.
The rules for classified employees
are different from those for presi-
Dental officers, who are in excepted
or unclassified positions" the official
warning" poster explains.
Presidential appointees," the poster
declares, ''are forbidden by statute to
use their official authority or in
f1uence to coerce the political action
of any person or body, to make any
contribution for political object to any
| other officer or employe of the United
States, or to solicit or receive contri-
buttons for political purposes from
other Federal officers or employees, or
to discriminate among their employees
or applicants for political reasons.
The use of such authority or influence
to interfere with an election or affect
the results thereof is also forbidden
| by the civil service rules Officers are
prohibited from requesting or requir-
ing any political service or any politi-
| cal work from subordinates."
Otherwise, the warning points out,
presidential appointee will be
allowed to take such part in political
campaigns as is taken by any private
citizen, except that under regulations
issued by some of the departments he
will not be permitted to do certain
things.
A.