Evening star., 1944-08-08
Letters to The Star
Replies to Mr.. Kent's Word
Come From Two Readers

Come From Two Readers
To the Editor Of The star:
Take Frank Kent's word for IT,: Over
three million Federal "jobholders," each
worth approximately four votes, make
up q bought vote" of II to is million.
leaving "only 100000 potential free
voters, voters not subsidized by Gov
ernment money"
Take facts on 1t: % Nearly two
thirds Of the "jobholders" work for the
War or Navy Departments, most Of
them on Industrial production like that
Of private plants filling Government
orders; (2) q large proportion of the
"tobholders" originally were employed
under Civil Service procedures which
test merit. not party ties; 90 practi-
cally all the "jobholders," however first
employed. are safeguarded by law
against political pressures; % relatively
few OF them are more secure or more
prosperous than they now might be In
private employment-why should they
be grateful" to any administrat ton, as
such?
Take the average Federal employees
word for it: II vote the way see it.
with rs much concern as any other
citizen for the general welfare of the
Nation. My vote hasn't been sold, and
it's not for sale. And As for my con-
trolling other votes-ask my wife!"
What's The Stars word on it? Your
readers would like to know what you
think Of the fragrant insult which Mr..
Kent offers civilian employees of the
Federal Government.
ONE OF THEM.
To the Editor OF The Star:
was surprised that The Star, paper
famed for its general fairness, published
Frank Kent's TRADE against Federal
employees, quoting the Dunn Survey,
which he highly recommended, to the
effect that many Of such employees were
bought"
have had more than 20 years of
Government employment. under four
administrations, two of each Of the
leading political parties, but I have vet
TO have any one try to indicate how I
should vote, and I always have made
1t point to express my preferences to
and sundry II asked. venture to
assert that this is the experience of 80
per cent Of the thousands of employees,
ana l also venture to assert the opinion
that none Of the large industries can
show any such record as the employees
OF the Federal Government In the mat
ter OF absolute freedom from interfer-
ence with the right to vote as one
chooses.
Since Mr.. Kent has raised the oues-
ton, have heard charges that some
neWspapermen and columnists are CON.
trolled by their sponsors or by their edi-
tors and their editors by the big adver-
tisers. What has Mr.. Kent to say about
this? Has the Dunn Survey made a
study along that line2 1t seems to me
tnat 1t is much more important than
its alleged survey OF the Government
employees.
believe that Federal employees will
average up In honesty, fairness and in
dependence with the employees of anv
nrm IN any branch Of commerce and
industry. Doubtless those who vote as
Mr.. Kent thinks they should are fear
less patriots" risking all. F.M.
Wants "Old" Soldiers Released
To the Editor Of The Star:
There are three points which have
beer emphasized repeatedly In the news:
Cd That there is an appalling debt,
Que to the expense Of this war, which
must be paid OF in future taxes; ca
that there Is . desperate need for man
power for both production of war mate
rias and necessary civilian work; 90
That the Army states definitely that 1t
ooes not need, or want, men over 80.
All this leads to the question: Why is
there still retained within the Army a
group OF men, apparently unwanted.
whose release would help to relieve the
two former situations? These are the
older fathers, who were called in the
lew months previous to the passing of
the new draft law in April.
There are many Of them we'll over the
age which the Army sets as a limit. vet
their training continues. MANY have
abilities and years of experience which
could be OF real service in relieving the
manpower shortage; whereas. in the
Army, they are not even using these
abilities. They are either driving trucks.
digging ditches or being sent to school
70 learn something entirely different
from that work for which they alreadv
are qualified
No taxpayer objects to the necessary
expenses OF this war. Certainly, the pay
our soldiers receive is pitifully small
compared to the service they are rem
oerlng. Also, the allowances made tn
families are far out of proportion to
the sacrifices made.
Why continue the apparently unnec.
essary expense Of training these men
and paying allowances to their fam
lies? The Army says it doesn't want
them. Civilian jobs need them. To
release them seems the only sensible
and logical course. As
MIR. Mellett on Sidney Hillman
To the Editor of The Star:
How many Americans does Lowell
Mellett think are naive enough tn he
taken in by his carefully chosen data in
support Of his claim that Sidney Hillman
is not a Communist?
Some of us citizens are sufncient,v
aware Of the attempts of certain of
those within our ranks to destroy our
form OF government, to inform ourselves