Show Politics Out But But- But Senator Finds He Cant Can't Get Postmasters Named Famed By Frederick C. C Othman V WASHINGTON There WASHINGTON There is a city in South Dakota that Senator Senator Senator Sen Sen- ator Karl E. E l will identify identify iden iden- only by its l i initial VM i i iiI Might be Madison Madi Madison Mad lad ison S. S D D. his home town This m mysterious ous metropolis lis is inhabited almost exclusively exclusively by Re- Re pub publicans I i can s. s Most lost of these are exceeding- exceeding Mr l Othman ly smart Some are starry These latter spend a good deal of time submitting to civil service examinations for local postmaster They take these examinations examinations examinations examina examina- and being smart they get the three top spots on the list and you continue to reject all three of them said Senator Senator Senator Sen Sen- SenI I ator He was talking to Postmaster General Jesse Jess M. M Donaldson who went UN Now ow I am not seeking this patronage the gentleman from Madison ladison continued But these young men have star dust dustin dustin in their eyes They believe what they read about the civil service law law no no politics in post- post masterships So they write me when they get turned down and I tell them frankly that a postmaster is purely political patron patronage e. e Quote the Law Ilaw Then uThen they reply and they quote the law which says their race their creed and their politics shall have no part in their selection And they wonder wonder wonder won won- der if 1 is telling the truth Now I ask you Mr 1 Postmaster Postmaster Postmaster Post Post- master General whether post- post masterships are political jobs or arent aren't they Poor Donaldson was on the well known spot A veteran of 45 years in the postal service and the only career man ever everto everto everto to be appointed to the top job he was beginning to sweat Of course it was a hot day and 1 of course he is inclined to be plump He read the law aloud It said flatly that political and religious faith shall have no part in the selection of oC a postmaster Yet every postmaster postmaster postmaster post post- master hired by Donaldson is suggested by a Democratic Senator a Congressman or orIf oriC orif or- or if iC none exists as in South Dakota Dakota Dakota-by by a voter of the Democratic Democratic Democratic Dem Dem- faith Only Consideration We have a law prompted Senator and it says political considerations are not notto notto notto to be considered when you and andI I know that is the only con con- Donaldson said he guessed maybe the law never had been strictly enforced He said he remembered that when congress congress congress con con- gress was Republican so were all the postmasters He said he presumed that his political advisers advisers advisers ad ad- might possibly be thinking think think- ing about politics when they selected postmasters but he personally did not know their thoughts This struck Senator l as a wishy-washy washy answer And what about that postmaster in the city of M. M Donaldson said if Republicans cans only were in the three top grades then a Republican most certainly would get the job Senator goaded him some more Donaldson got sore He blurted out the horrid truth Only way to get politics out of the post office is for the Senate to give up its ancient privilege of confirming or turning down postmasters after they've been appointed I guess Im I'm starry-eyed starry too tool Strikes me as a good idea |