Evening star., 1940-04-09

he pointed out with argument and
reason, which has not been contra
| dicted, that these measures are
basically designed and intended tc
keep elections free in this country
Free men, voting in free elections
Is the fundamental principle we
seek to write into the law.
But that is not all. Evils have
grown up over the years and have
become so firmly entrenched in ou,
governmental structure, it is little
wonder that even our slight efforts
to uprqot them cause cries of pair
and anguish to arise in bitter Sen.
ate debate.
Threat to Spoils System.
The spoils system itself is threat
ened by this legislation. We intenc
for it to be threatened. We hope il
will prove to be more than a threat
For at least a hundred years the
spoils system has been breeding ano
growing in this country. When ]
use the expression "spoils system" ]
am not speaking of some hazy ane
indefinite something impossible tc
define. That expression has a very
definite meaning. Only recently in
speaking during the civil service
week in this same radio forum, ]
quoted Prof. Charles A. Boards de-
scription of the spoils system. His
description is so accurate and sd
fully expresses my own views, I re-
peat 1t here tonight. I quote from
Prof. Beard:
Whenever new political party
came into power, all, or nearly
all, the employees were turned out
of Office to make room for mem
bers of the victorious party. Per-
sons were appointed, not because
they were competent, but because
they were Republicans or Demo-
Gratis, or partisans of some other
kind. Competent officials and
laborers were discharged after
long and faithful service, and in
experienced politicians were put
IN their places. Unnecessary po-
sitions were created to provide
employment for party workers.
Salaries were not closely related
to the nature of the work, but
rather to the requirements of the
political incumbent. Those who
held offices were expected to de-
vote part of their time toward
helping the party in elections,
and often they gave more hours
to partisan services than to pub
lie duties. They made large con-
tributions from their salaries to
party campaign funds, and if
they failed to contribute they
were assessed by the party treas
urers. In course of time, the
public officers became closely or
ganized as party workers. They
made up the bulk of party COM
mittees and conventions. They
were directing captains in elec-
ton campaigns. In short, the
political party became, to con-
siderable extent, an office-get-
ting machine; the ordinary citi-
zen was elbowed aside by Office
holders who had an abundance
Of time at public expense to do
the active work Of parties. Thus
administration was perverted
, from its true purpose of serving
the public and made subordinate
to the job-hunting interests.
Cleveland Fought Trend.
The quotation by Prof. Beard
ends, but well has he described the
evils Of patronage in our political
life. 1t was against such things
that great Democratic President
fought with his vast improvements
and reforms in the civil service.
President Grover Cleveland knew
we'll the dangers which lurk and
hide in the political activity of gov
ernmental employees. In the fol-
lowing words President Cleveland,
in part, laid down the very princi-
pies TO the legislation we propose.
I quote his language:
Officeholders are the agents of
the people, not their masters.
Not only is their labor and time
due the Government, but they
should scrupulously avoid, in
their political action as well as
in the discharge of their official
duties, offending by display of
obtrusive partisanship their
neighbors who have relations
with them as public officials "''
The influence of Federal Office
holders should not be felt in the
manipulation of political pri-
mary meetings and nominating
conventions. The use by these
officials Of their positions to COM
pass their selection as delegates
to political conventions is in
decent and unfair, and proper
regard for the properties and
requirements of official place will
also prevent their assuming the
active conduct of political cam
paigns.
In these words President Cleve-
land expressed almost the exact
purpose of the type of legislation
we advocate.
The question perhaps naturally
arises as to how the legislation I
have been discussing strikes at the
spoils system. The answer to that
seems clear. Political activity of
officials and employees is the chief
strength and support Of the political
machine which exists only through
and by virtue of the spoils system.
Eliminate the spoils system and all
the cogs which go to make the
political machine will be eliminated.
Without cogs no political machine
can operate. With these cogs re-
moved we can quite rapidly move on
to greatly improved and extended
system of merit and efficiency for
all employees. That Is the ultimate
goal some of us have in view. We
have it in view not only for the
Federal Government, but also for
the States and the cities.
States Must Complete Task.
OF course, the Federal Government
cannot set up merit systems in tile
several States, nor can it exert any
power in the various cities of the