Evening star., 1939-05-25
Postmaster Pay
Held Up 10 Enforce
Political Ban
Mitchell, Civil Service
Commission President,
Makes Disclosure
BY J. A. FOX.

Warning against efforts at polit-
ical manipulation in the selection
of postmasters, Harry B. Mitchell,
president of the Civil Service Com
mission, disclosed in a speech today
that Controller General Fred H.
Brown had just ordered the pay of
one postmaster withheld when the
Post Office Department refused to
remove the official whom the COM
mission held guilty of violating the
political activity rule because party
leaders had been instrumental in
his appointment.
The speech was delivered at Long
Beach. N. Y, at a convention of
chapters Of the National Associa-
ton of Postmasters and the Ma
tional Association of Postal Super
visors, and constituted the first
statement from the commission on
the actual working of the law which
year ago moved $4,000 postmasters
in first, second and third class off,
| ces from nominal civil service into
! the competitive system, with lie
tenure.
Issues pull Only" Warning.
Mr. Mitchell also indicated the
commission felt there had been
other instances where the Post Of
flee Department might have Coop
Grated to a greater extent in carry
ing out the law; emphasized that
the desires of Congressman Can
not have the slightest effect" on
examination procedure, and told
those postmasters who may come up
for reappointment that they are in
for trouble with the n-competi-
tive tests given by the commission,
If they are not conversant with the
duties of their office and have de-
pended on pull to get by.
The speech gave point to reports
that political considerations were
continuing to figure strongly in
connection with the appointment of
postmasters despite the law. Re-
Gently the Civil Service Commission,
without comment, made public a
copy of notice sent to all post
masters telling them they were sub
ject to the political activities ban
Of the civil service rules, whether
they had been appointed prior to or
after the enactment of the present
legislation.
The identity of the postmaster
whose custer is sought was not dis
closed. At the Post Office Depart
ment it was understood Informally
that reconsideration of the case
is hoped for. In this instance a
local committee was involved.
The candidate who ranked first
in the examination for the Office
complained to his Congressman be-
cause the third man had been ap.
pointed. This procedure is legal,
the department having the right to
select any of three top applicants.
The Congressman, however, noti-
fed the protestant that he could
not recommend him because the
local committee had decided on
man. The commission ruled that
this constituted illegal interference
and called on the department to
oust the postmaster.
Upheld by Brown.
Turned down there, the commits
sion had recourse to Controller
General Brown, who said the COM
mission was within its rights, and
directed that the postmaster's pay
be terminated. Under such circum-
stances, the department either mas
to make a showing to justify his
retention, or drop the postmaster
In his speech Mr. Mitchell also
discussed critically the long-estab-
lished practice of the Post Office
Department in calling on Congress
men for recommendations based
on the character and residence" of
applicants where eligibles have been
certified for postmasterships, de-
claring this properly should be de-
veloped by investigators.
In the. same general connection,
1t was brought out that since May
l, character investigations have
been conducted by commission re-
presentatives acting alone, the Post
Office Department, which formerly
aided, having withdrawn on the
ground that the volume of work
was becoming too great.