Evening Star Newspaper, April 18, 1930, Page 33

POST OFFICE SALES PROBE MAY G0 ON Brookhart, in Radio Forum Talk, Reports Conditions Still Unsatisfactory. A new investigation may be launched 1 by the Senate subcommittee on post | offices and post roads into all-ged sale of Pederal offices in Southern States, it was intimated last nigh' by Senator Smith W. Brookharf, Republican, of Jowa, chairman of the subcommittee. Speaking over the National Radio arranged by the Washington | Star and sponsored by ths Columbia | CHARGES POST EVENING OFFICES SOLD | organizations throughout the South the patronsge of & Republican ad-| ministration. * * “I have protested on behalf of 235 Republican Representatives to the President and shall continue to pro- test even more vehemently that Re- publican patronage be not used for the purpose which it is evident from the newspapers and even from your own defense it is being used in Texas.” The committee also had in its pos- session a letter addresesd to R. B, Creager by Will Wood, chairman of the national Republican congressional committee, extract from which is as follows: “I am more concerned as chairman of the national Republican congressional committee in the success of the Republican party throughout the country. 1 have been endeavoring to agsist, as much as possible. Republican fear, however. that the leaders and | managers of the Republican organiza- tion in many States of the South and in | your State are not desirous of having ! a real, militant Republican party. It seems that those so-called Republican organizations are more desirous of the ‘loaves and fiches’ than they are of | Republican success based upon prin- STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY, NAVY BUREAU LETS $209,803 CONTRACTS| Boilermakers’ Shop Extension Is to Be Built at Cost of $35,740 by Grant. Official announcement was made yes- terday at the Navy Department that | the Bureau of Yards and Docks has | awarded contracts totaling $209,803 for | the construction of various works over the country. Included in the list of improvements | were a contract for $79,443 awarded to | the General Electric Co. of Schenectady, | N. Y, for a turbo alternator and auxiliary equipment at the Naval Powder | Factory, Indian Head, Md.; a contract for $35740 for an extension to the boflermakers’ shop building at the APRIL Washington Navy Yard, awarded to Ira | Thomas Brant of 944 Fourteenth street | 18, 1930. WORK PROGRESSING ON MT. VERNON ROAD Force of 120 Men Employed and Job Expected to Be Completed by May, 1831 Special Dispatch to The Star. ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 18.—Work on the grading and drainage of the Mount Vernon boulevard is now pro- gressing rapidly and Vincent Schiavi. the contractor, announces that he has 120 men at work. Preference is being given to local labor by the contractor | and only 10 of the men with him were brought here from Buffalo. The maximum number of men to be employed will be 175 and this number | is expected to be reached in about 2 months, when all of the work is under way. All efforts are being made below this city at the present time, as the greater portion of the work lies in that direction, but by July some work will be begun toward Washington. along the road and forms for the con-| British chartered accountants are to certe are being made here. | be found ‘ail aver the world, New York The thre: crews are now working in | ;. uing 70, Chicago 29, Buenos Aires, single shifts, but as the days grow ; longer double shifts will be employed | Argentina, 36, and Singapore, Straits in a few places. | Settiements, 29. SUDINEN SEREVECE : Shabby homes are out of order at this Palnts beauti{ul season when everything is new, fresh and colorful . .. This useful thought suggests the painting of the porch, refini§h— ing floors, redecorating breakfast sets, and touching up little places that may need attention ... You may satisfy all your paint requirements at J. Frank Kelly, Inc., and be assured of making your purchases at very reasonable prices ... Our Sudden Service gives you prompt delivery...Drop in and tell us your needs or call North 1343, All Orders Given Prompt Attention ciples. 1 . “No doubt you are aware of the ac- tion taken by the national Republican congressional committee at its meeting southeast, and a contract for $1,249 to | the Stern Co. of 625 Louisiana avenue for a display case and refrigerating | machine for the naval operating base | Completion of the contract by Janu- ary 1, 1931, is expected by Schiavi if conditions continue favorable. He has until May, 1931, to finish, according to Broadcasting System, Senator Brook- | hart sald “the President has taken steps to correct matters in Georgia, Delivery Service J. FRAN South Carolina and Mississippi, but so far as I know no steps have been taken in Texas.” “Charges have also come to the com- mittee,” 'he said, “that the old crowd in the first three States have managed to worm back in and are still sub- stantially dominating the situation, although under cover. Further Inquiry Hinted. “Reports have also reached the com- mittee that they have had conferences with important members of the admin- | istration here in Washington, at which | these arrangements were planned. The | committee has not yet been discharged,” said the Senator significantly, “and these matters may call for further in- vestigation. The committee will cer- tainly not stop short if there is any whitewash of this situation.” “Political considerations still govern the general selection of postmasters,” declared the Senator, “and in some of the Southern States Federal offices have been practically sold to the highest bidder.” Senator Brookhart launched into a lengthly criticism of the situation as found by his committee, quoting at length from the committee record, giving names, and amounts of money testified as having changed hands for the alleged purchase of Federal office. Will Push His Bill ‘To correct the .evils he said existed, Senator Brookhart announced his in- tention of pressing for early considera- tion the bill he has introduced pursuant to the recommendations of the com- mittee, which would “entirely prohibit soliciting or receiving contributions from Government employes for any ggl]tlc&l purpose.” The law should also amended, Brookhart said, “to put an equal prohibition and punishment upon the taking of any promissory note or pledge for such purposes.” ‘The Senator said he saw no way to correct “the whole evil” except by the extension of the presidential primary principle. “If a presidential primary should be provided giving the people the entire voice and control of nominations for President by primary vote this will entirely eliminate the delegate conven- tion, which has after all, been the greatest evil in our political system.” Senator Brookhart's address was as follows: Public service can be efficient only when the employes are selected upon merit. If political influence or, worse still, the corruption of money, are to seiect the Federal officers, the deca- dence of our civilization has already be- gun. Congress recognized this prin- ciple by the enactment of the ecivil service law, but that law does not cover the whole situation. Political considerations still govern the general selection of postmasters, and in some of the Southern States Federal offices have been practically sold to the high- est bidder. This deplorable condition can be Uraced directly to the convention sys- tem of nominating Presidents. Under the party scheme of control the Re- publican national committee makes up the temporary roll of the national convention. The votes admitted to the convention by this roll decide all con- tests for seats in the convention. The one exception is that a contested dele- gation does not vote on its own con- test, but, it does vote on the contests in all other States. This plan gives the national committee a practical dic- tatorship over the personnel of the eonvention. Whoever controls the com- mittee controls the convention. This control is usually exercised without re- gard to right or fairness. The most conspicuous example of this s found in 1912, when Roosevelt was a candidate against Taft. The overwhelming sentiment of the Repub- lican party, both North and South, was for Roosevelt. but Taft was in control of the national committee. The result was that when a Southern State was carried by Roosevelt, the Taft com- mitteeman selected a contesting dele- gation and then put these contesting delegations on the temporary roll. ‘These delegations then voted to seat one another, each refraining from vot- ing on its own case, but voting on all the others. The system is air-tight. water-tight and bombproof. It could not be broken even by the great popu- lar strength of Roosevelt. It all rested in_the control of the committee. The particular means by which the committee was controlled was patron- age. The President, who makes the ap- pointments, would constitute the na- tional committeeman as his referee for that State, and all appointments for postmaster or other officers would be made upon the recommendation of this Treferee Investigation Thorough. Some of these referees, more avarici- ous than patriotic, decided to use this power as a means of collecting funds, most of which went for their own bene- fit. The postmaster or the revenue col- lector would be required to contribute as a condition precedent to getting this recommendation. It was this sys- tem the subcommittee on post offices and post roads, of which I was chair- man, investigated. This investigation was quite thorough in the States of Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi and Texas. The investigation did not apply to the Northern States, princi- pally for the reason that most of the Congressmen are Republicans, and after the civil service examination se- Ject the one from the three highest eligibles certified by the Civil Service Commission. Even this is a vicious system and ought to be abolished. It 18 a nuisance to a Congressman and nearly all of them frankly admit it. Even in these cases the civil service ought to determine the selection upon merit, and leave no purely political con- siderations for anybody. In the State of Georgia the commit- tee had the very able and efficient as- sistance of both Senator Harris and Senator George, and the following con- ditions were found: The committee investigated carefully the charge of payment of money to the heads of the organization in that State in order to secure favorable rec- ommendation to the departments here in Washington for appointment, to pub- lic office. ‘The committee, from ex- amination of witnesses and the records 80 produced, found that there had been set up a regular collecting organiza- tion, which would indicate from the! cards turned over to the committee that it was the purpose to secure from 5 per cent to 10 per cent of the salary of the postmasters and practically all | Washington banks in 18 months in his CNATOR BROOSHART. monthly to the treasurer of the Stlte! organization. We found upon examination of the records and from the canceled re- turned checks and the stubs of the check books, that the money so collected, or the greater portion thereof, was distributed as salary and traveling expenses. We also found that these pay- ments and this policy had been con- tinued back to' the time when Henry Lincoln Johnson was national commit- teeman from that State. Thé records showed: that he received the sum of $300 per month, with various travelihg expenses added thereto. Ben Davis and John W. Martin received salaries of $250 per month, with many expense | items added to this salary. Made $500 Payment. ‘The committee found that the post- mistress at Conyers, Ga., had secured her appointment as postmistress at that | place through the payment of $500 by a party whose name they would not divulge. When the term of this post- mistress expired she was advised to see Mr. Martin, the Republican State treas- urer, at Atlanta; and it had been in- timated to her that it would be well to contribute another $500 to the State treasurer. The postmistress had an in- terview with L. H. Crawford, the United States marshal, and he advised her not to contribute one cent; that she had an excellent record and there was no question of her reappointment. Following this advice, she returned to | her work feeling that she was safe and | would receive .another appointment. | However, a short time afterwards a | notice was received at the post office at Conyers calling for an examination to fill the office of postmaster. Be- coming alarmed, the postmistress then communicated with Mr. Roscoe Pickett, chairman of the. Republican State cen- tral committee of Georgia, and arrange- ments were made of a satisfactory na- ture and the examination was called off by telegraph. In a private con- versation with the postmistress, acknowledged that $500 had been paid in order to receive this reappointment. She made the following statement to the Department of Justice: “A man, now-dead, whose name I do not want to disclose, went to see Mr. Martin and gave him $500, to the best | of my knowledge and belief this money | being 5 per ‘cent of my salary for four years. This was given as a free-will contribution. This money was paid in cash. As far as I know no receipt was fiv?n by Mr. Martin for this money. belleve this money was given to Mr. Martin around the first of December, 1926.” ‘There are other similar cases. The following is quoted from a statement of Senator George of Georgia: “Thousands of dollars have been ex- acted from the victims of this vicious policy, not for party purposes, but for the personal benefit, use, and enrich- ment of a few grafters. Not one cent collected from postal employes in Georgia has gone to support the Re- publican ticket, State or national, but all of it has been appropriated to the private use of the officials of the Re- publican party in Georgia except 8o | much as_may have been necessary for actual office expenses of the Republican State committee.” In South Carolina the committee | found as follows: | ‘Testimony taken by the committee and summing up of the affidavits sub- | mitted with other testimony, it would | indicate beyond a reasonable doubt that | practically all the Federal offices were placed on sale. James H. McCord, postmaster Hodges, 8. C., states under oath: “In 1924 was called on by R. R. ‘Tolbert, brother of J. W. Tolbert, when my reappointment was pending, who stated that the expenses connected with | maintaining the Republican organiza- tion and assisting with the political campaign were too heavy for ‘us’ to bear alone and that ‘we' believed postmasters who held their positions should assist in paying these expenses. It was insinuated that those who con- tributed would retain their positions | and the impression was given me that | 1 would meet opposition for reappoint- ment and retention if I failed to con- | tribute ¢ ¢ ” Continued in Office. This man did contribute and was continued in office. In one instance a United States at- torney in South Carolina and a mayor of a large city recommended a man known as “king of the bootleggers” for | appointment as a prohibition agent. He | was given the place. | In reference to the patronage situa- | tion in Mississippi, the committee found | a most unusual condition existing rela- tive to the, barter and sale of Federal patronage. This was carried on by | the Washington referee for all patron- | age in Mississippi. In testifying before -the committee Millar McGilchrist, special assistant to | the Attorney General of the Depart- | ment of Justice, who prosecuted these | cases for the department in, Mississippi, gave some very interesting testimony. Mr. McGilchrist told of a party leader who had deposited about $50,000 in at own name and that of his secretary. It was evident he had objained the money by selling public offices. The records from the Department of Justice produced by Mr. MecGilchrist further “show that one man re- ceived a check from the Pullman Co. in the sum of $4.000 and from the co respondence in the files of the depart- ment it would indicate that he had re- ceived this money to combat the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in thelr efforts to secure a better wage from the Pullman Co. | (o0, Texas the commilttee found as fol- | fows: In the case of Lloyd E. Hill of Fort | Worth, Tex., who served in the Span- | ish-American War, on the Texas bor- der and in the World War, and was | gassed on the battlefields of France, | the committee found that he signed a the other Federal officers appointed in the State of Georgia. The committee further ascertained from the examina- tion of witnesses that in many in- stances lump sum donations were re- quested at the time the candidate for Federal office was appointed. If it was impossible to secure a lump sum, then e caion.andthe Fegeral offcer was proposition an e e) Vi Rgusied 10 pay & stipulsted amoun! it ter of note for $1,200, payable to R. B. Creager, at a meeting held at Fort ‘Worth, Tex., in the month of May, 1921. Mr. Creager addressed this meeting and Mr. Henry Zwiefel also was one of the spokesmen, he later on being appointed United States attorney for the Dallas district. Mr. Hill informed com- mittee that he had disc the mat- securing the appointment as postmaster at Fort Worth with Mr. Kingsbury and that he, Kingsbury, was Creager's representative for that dis- trict, and_said he would recommend Hill for this appointment. Kingsbury further stated to Hill that in case he did not receive the appointment, his payment would be retirned. It is interesting to note that Maj. Hill made several payments, totaling $600, on this note. At the time he signed the note he was in charge of a subpost office at Fort Worth, drawing a salary of $1,800 per annum; and this fact alone goes to show beyond.a rea- sonable doubt that Maj. Hill had been led to believe he would receive the ap- pointment, for no reasonable person | would for one moment consider pledg- ing to any organization the sum of $1,200 when they were only receiving a salary of $1,800 per annum. Maj. Hill further states that in his conversation with Mr. Kingsbury it was understood that the $1,200 would cover a 2-year period. The postmastership at Fort Worth then was paying $6,000 per annum, and 10 per cent would be $1,200. List ¥s Submitted. It is very interesting to note that Mr. Withington in submitting to the com- mittee a list of the active notes did not know whether any of them were postmasters or not. This list was sub- mitted to the Postmaster General for a check-up and we found that 242 out of the 350 were employes of the Post Office Department. So by far the greater portion of all the active notes then in force were secured from Fed- eral employes. The records would in- dicate that the Republican State com- mittee of Texas for the years 1921 to 1928, inclusive, has taken around 3,116 notes and received cash payments thereon in the sum of $165,170. This, of course, does not include cash pay- ments where no notes were taken. The committee has a sworn statement from Leonard Witherington, secretary and, director, Republican State head- quarters of Texas, under date of De- cember 13, 1929, showing that the total amount of notes collected in their drive during the Summer totaled $42,- 998.20 for the year 1929 In connection with the situation in Texas, it is appropriate to call atten- tion to a letter written by Hon. John Q. Tilson, leader of the Re- publican majority in the House of Rep- resentatives, addressed to Mr. Leonard Withington at Dallas, Tex. Withing- ton was then in charge of the Creager headquarters, and drew a salary of $10,- 000 per annum. The letter was dated March 12, 1926, and was in part as follows: “You state that the issue is whether there is to be any Republican party in Texas at all. For all practical pur- poses, there is no Republican party in Texas, except in the fourteenth dis- trict, which elects a Republican to Con- gress who stands by the Republican President and loyally helps to carry out thé Republican program. It looks to us here in Washington that the re- mainder of the Republican party in Texas is purely an organization for the purpose of distributing and enjoying “Rfter Baby Weak, Skinny. Gained 22 1. “After my baby was born I was very weak and ‘skinny.” But when I took IRONIZED YEAST I began to eat and felt better. Now feeling good and can work hard every day. Have gained 22 1bs.” %hw New IRONIZED YEAST Builds Weight, Strength, » Nerve Force—Quick Ends Constipation, Indigestion, Nervousness. Clears Com- plexion Results—or No Cost experience Mrs. Benoit's that the s little JEAST has ensbled lousands of in, run- Mrs. L. Benoit gown people to fill out ugly hollows; gain 8 to 16 Ibs. in 8 weeks, change bony limbs to roundn quickly clear complexion. Get new strength and pep from the very start. Why You Gain So Quick This_new, more powerful IRONIZED YEAST is two marvelous tonics in one —specially cultured, weight-building Malt Yeast and strengthening, blood- enriching Iron. Highly concentrated by new process which makes it man; times more effective than unmedicat ¥y Gives results in half the time required by yeast and iron separately. Get IRONIZED YEAST from drug- st today. Quick results guarantosd. oney refunded if not pleased. Gains 17 Ibs. New Complexion Looks 10 Years Younger “Since_taking IRON- 1ZED YEAST my ap- petite is good and m| Scotiand, Ga. - A Thousands Praise Teacher Gains 18 Lbs. “Gained 18 Ibs. in two months taking IRONIZED YEAST. Also got more energy and tmproved complexion.”—L. L. Clark, DeRuyter, M ¥ . | Wurzbach was condemned. The | the good of the Republican party.’ last night when, without a dissenting vote, your attitude toward Congressman ex- pression of the members of this com- mittee is the expression of all the Re- | publican members of Congress so far | as I know. Not Yet Too Late. “I hope that it is not yet too late to cliange vour course and show by vour work that you are a real Republican and desirous of doing xam?lhlng“ for Th> President has taken steps to cor- rect matters in Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi, but so far as I know, no steps have been taken in Texa: Charges have also come to the commit. tee that the old crowd in the first three States have managed to worm back in and are still substantially dominating the situation, although under cover. Reports have also reached the commit- tee that they have had conferences wiith important members of the administra- tion here in Washington at which these arrangements were planned. The com- mittee has not yet been discharged, and these matters may call for further investigation. The committes will cer- tainly not stop short if there is any whitewash of this situation. I do not see any way to correct this whole evil except by the extension of the presidential primary principlc. If a presidential primary should be provided giving the people the entire voice and control of nominations for President by primary vote this will entirely eliminate the delegate convention which ha: after all, bren the greatest evil in cur political system. The defeat of Roose- velt in 1912 perhaps changed the whole tide of American history, and followed by his death before the 1920 convention, this is certainly tru>. The Harding ad- ministration with its Daughertys and its Falls is certainly due to the vicious convention plan. If the people want to control their own Government and kcep it clean, they must have a primary sys- In addition to this, the committee recommended amendments to the cor- rupt practices act that will entirely pro- hibit solieiting or receiving contribu- tions from Government employes for any political purpose. The law should be amended to put an equal prohibition and punishment upon the takii.g of #ny promissory note or pledge for such pur- the committes I have introduced such a bill and hope to press it to carly con- sideration. — Special Dispatch to The Star. FAIRFAX, Va., April 18—Mrs. J. E. Nickell was Wednesday afternoon re- elected president of the Woman's Auxil- jary of the Fairfax Volunteer Fire De- partment. Mrs, F. W. Huddleson. Mrs, E. R. Holbrook was elected vice president from the north side of town; Mrs. John M. Whalen, vice president for the southern section: Mrs. Lewis Coyner, vice president for the eastern section, and Mrs, Paul Allder, vice pres- ident for the western section. Mrs. N. Peyton Young was elected secretary and Mrs. Henry Beavers, treasurer. The ladies of the West Fairfax sec- tion decided to serve a lunch on the court house grounds on Memorial day, as has been their custom for the past two years, The auxiliary accepted an | invitation from George B. Robey, to take charge of the lunch counter at the fire- men's carnival May 22, 23 and 24. Came | Was at Pearl Harbor, T. H. Provision is| his contract. tem that expresscs their genuine voice. | = poses. 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