"The Bureau of the Budget and the Civil Service Commission were equally as strong and unanimous in their opposition to the measure. The Department of Justice, in its report on S. 35, pointed out the following possible objection:

"It is believed that the bill might result in an increase in the turn-over in the position of deputy marshal. Such a result would be detrimental to the Government service, both from the standpoint of increased costs in training new employees and from loss of efficiency. The Federal service might also be adversely affected through the loss of morale on the part of deputy marshals whose tenure in office would become uncertain.

""The bill would also appear discriminatory in singling out this class of employees which would be removed from the civil-service system.'

"The Civil Service Commission in its official report remarked:

""There is no sound basis for canceling this procedure which is in accord with the merit system prescribed by Congress in its act of November 26, 1940.'

"The Senate Committee on Post Office and Civil Service is unanimous in its request that the Senate not take favorable action on S. 35."

THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN NO. 4

Plan No. 4 of 1952 was submitted to the Congress by the President on April 10, 1952, under the authority of the Reorganization Act of 1949. Under the provisions of that act the plan shall take effect upon the expiration of the first period of 60 calendar days of continuous session of the Congress following the date upon which the plan was submitted unless by affirmative vote by a majority of the authorized membership of either of the two Houses of Congress a resolution of disapproval is passed. Allowing for the Easter recess of the House, the plan will therefore become effective at 12:01 a. m., June 21, 1952, except for provisions having later effective date, unless disapproved by the House or the Senate.

Approved:

MILES SCULL, Jr., Professional Staff Member.

WALTER L. REYNOLDS, Staff Director.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS,
Washington, D. C., May 12, 1952.

Hon. JOHN L. MCCLELLAN,

Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR SENATOR: The adoption of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1952, submitted to Congress by President Harry S. Truman, on April 10, 1952, will result in the creation of a tremendous political patronage machine headed up by one individual-the Postmaster General-unless Congress takes prompt action and disapproves Reorganization Plan No. 2.

This plan, at first glance, appears to be a very attractive package. The stated' purpose of this reorganization plan is to take the appointment of postmasters out of politics. It provides a new method of appointing postmasters in first-, second- and third-class post offices by placing the selection of these postmasters in the hands of the Postmaster General. If Congress continues in session until June 21 without any recess, this reorganization plan with go into effect, unless either House by a majority vote rejects the proposal.

The proposal has considerable popular appeal. However, on closer scrutiny, it is evident that, while the package is beautifully wrapped, the contents are exeremely disappointing.

Under the present law, postmasters at first-, second-, and third-class offices are under civil-service regulations. When there is a vacancy in the position of postmaster, the Civil Service Commission holds an examination, largely investigatory in nature. From this examination, the top three names are certified and sent to the Senator or Congressman of the party in control of the administration. One of these names is then selected. The selection goes to the Post Office Department, from there to the White House, and the President sends the nomination to the Senate. The Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee sends out a card to the two Senators in the State where the appointment is to be made. This card is sent, regardless of the politics of the Senators involved. When both Senators return their cards, the name is then acted upon by the Senate Committee on Post Office and Civil Service. In the event one of

the Senators objects to confirmation, then the matter is taken up by the Committee on Contested Nominations. This committee is composed of two members of the majority party and one of the minority party. The nominations then are acted upon by the Senate.

Along with Reorganization Plan No. 2, there is a bill now being considered by the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee that would change the method of recruitment so as to provide for the selection of civil-service employees from the top five names rather than from the top three names on the eligible register.

Reorganization Plan No. 2 would take the right of selection away from the elected representatives of the people and give it to the Postmaster General. The Postmaster General has control of a great deal of patronage in his Department, inasmuch as the Post Office Department is a business organization spending over $2,000,000,000 every year, and numerous contracts for various services and supplies are under the direction of the Postmaster General. Reorganization Plan No. 2 would give him the right to appoint 21,438 individual representatives in all of the major cities in the United States.

It is erroneous to assume that politics and political patronage exist only in the elective branches of Government. There are more politics—and more vicious politics-in the administrative branch of the Government than there is in the elective branch of the Government. The American people have absolutely no control over administrators. Reorganization Plan No. 2 would create under the direction of the Postmaster General the most powerful political machine that has ever existed in the United States of America. The elected representatives of the people would have absolutely no control over the selection of these officers.

The position of postmaster, in addition to being an administrative position, is one of great importance, and in most cities the postmaster ranks along with the mayor as being one of the most influential civic officials in the community. The local post offices in the past have been closely identified with community life. This identification would be completely eliminated with the adoption of Reorganization Plan No. 2. Most of the recent difficulties in Government have come from incompetence or confusion on the part of administrative officers of the Government. To assume that by granting one of these men, the Postmaster General, terrific authority and power would result in improved efficiency is an extremely naive assumption.

There has been a growing tendency in Government to grant more and more arbitrary power to administrative officers. Congress has surrendered a great deal of authority to the administrative branch of the Government. Instead of resulting in improved administration, this surrender of authority on the part of the elected representatives of Government has brought about poorer administration.

Congress should act quickly to disapprove Reorganization Plan No. 2.

The National Association of Letter Carriers would favor the appointment of postmasters through civil service if the top man in the examination was automatically given the position without requiring selection by the Postmaster General.

If Reorganization Plan No. 2 is adopted, political favoritism and political patronage will reach a new high in American political history. The National Association of Letter Carriers respectfully requests that the plan be disapproved. Your assistance in the matter will be everlastingly appreciated.

Sincerely yours,

(Signed) W. C. DOHERTY,
President.
JEROME J. KEATING,
J. J. Keating,

(Signed)
(Typed)

Secretary.

Hon. JOHN L. MCCLELLAN,

GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES' COUNCIL

OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR.
Washington, D. C., May 12, 1952.

Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR MCCLELLAN: The Government Employees' Council of the American Federation of Labor, after a very careful analysis, unanimously approved a resolution to oppose Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1952, that was

submitted to the Congress by President Harry S. Truman on April 10, 1952. We feel very sincerely that if Reorganization Plan No. 2 is permitted to become law it would do much to weaken the merit system, because it will take away from the 96 Senators the right to study the qualifications of those recommended to serve as postmasters in all first-, second-, and third-class post offices, and places in the hands of one person, the Postmaster General, the power to appoint the more than 21,000 executive positions, as postmasters in all first-, second-, and third-class post offices.

We believe that centralizing the authority to appoint postmasters in the hands of any one person would lead to the establishment of a system of personal and political patronage which would be extremely harmful to the postal service.

The Government Employees' Council, of the American Federation of Labor, is made up of 25 member unions, with a total membership of Federal and postal employees of approximately 600,000. In representing this membership we have at all times supported and advocated a stronger merit system, but we feel that taking away from 96 Senators the duty and responsibility of examining the qualifications of more than 21,000 postal executives; placing this responsibility in the hands of one person is most assuredly returning to the spoils system in it worst form.

On behalf of our merit system and on behalf of the American people, we most earnestly plead with you to use your influence, and actively support a resolution to defeat Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1952.

Most sincerely,

THOMAS G. WALTERS, Operations Director, GEC, A. F. of L.

Special committee, GEC, AFL: W. M. Thomas, Chairman, President, NPTA; E. C. Hallbeck, Legislative Representative, NFPOC; William C. Doherty, President, NALC; James A. Campbell, President, AFGE; Thomas G. Walters, Operations Director, GEC, AFL.

The CHAIRMAN. General Donaldson, the committee is very happy to have you present this morning and will be glad to hear you regarding Reorganization Plan No. 2, which affects your Department. Do you have a prepared statement?

STATEMENT OF JESSE M. DONALDSON, THE POSTMASTER GENERAL; ACCOMPANIED BY ROY C. FRANK, SOLICITOR, POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT

REORGANIZATION PLAN No. 2

Postmaster General DONALDSON. No, I do not, Mr. Chairman. I made no prepared statement, because the President's message of April 10, 1952, and the plan are perfectly clear and speak for themselves. And I thought, since this subject has been discussed over a period of years, and now that postmasters are under civil service and subject to the provisions of the Hatch Act, the abolishment of the confirmation by the Senate would put them clearly in the same category as all other employees.

I would like to just spend a few moments, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, in trying to give a little information on the appointment of postmasters.

First I would like to call attention to the fact that the report submitted by the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government among other things recommended that the confirmation of postmasters by the Senate should be abolished. They stated in that connection that

the primary responsibility for personnel selection and management other than the Postmaster General and the Director of Posts should rest in the service. The Post Office Department is alone able to determine and find the skills re

quired. The selection of postmasters should be as far as possible from the local community and in consultation with community leaders. We have stated above that all selections of personnel should be subject to merit standards set by the Post Office and approved by the Civil Service Commission and subject to enforcement of that body.

Now, following the recommendation of the so-called Hoover Commission, the task force, in their report to the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government, had this to say, and I quote:

Eliminate political appointments of all postal executives below the office of the Postmaster General, including the postmasters of all classes.

And then they make a statement upon which they base their recommendation.

Following that, the President indicated to me that this recommendation should be followed, and he submitted a report and asked the Postmaster General to submit a draft of legislation to accomplish what had been recommended by the so-called Hoover Commission. Under date of June 24, 1949, I submitted a brief letter to the Vice President and the Speaker of the House and transmitted with that a draft of suggested legislation to accomplish the recommendation of the Commission. Bills were introduced both in the House and in the Senate, but hearings were had only on S. 2213, which was introduced by Senator Frear and was in exact wording of the suggested legislation proposed by the Department.

In connection with the hearings on this suggested legislation, a subcommittee had been appointed, headed by Senator Frear, and on March the 14th, 1950, a subcommittee, attended by Senators Frear, Thye, and Dworshak, took testimony and eventually reported out the bill favorably by the subcommittee to the whole committee; and no further action was taken.

I might, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, briefly give you the history of the appointment of postmasters now from the very beginning.

In the beginning, the postmasters were appointed by the Postmaster General, and several legislative acts provided for that. It provided also not only for the establishment of post offices but for the appointment of postmasters by the Postmaster General. It was not until 1836 that the Congress enacted a law providing for the confirmation of postmasters, and briefly that law reads as follows:

And be it further enacted, That there shall be appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a Deputy Postmaster for each post office, at which the commission allowed to the Postmaster amounted to $1,000 or upwards in the year ending the 30th day of June, one thousand eight hundred thirty-five, or which may, in any subsequent year, terminating on the thirtieth day of June, amount to or exceed that sum, who shall hold his office for the period of four years, unless sooner removed by the I'resident.

Up to that time, Mr. Chairman, the postmasters had been appointed by the Postmaster General, and the terms "Deputy Postmaster" and "Postmaster" were one and the same.

Then, following that, in 1848, section 3 of the act of August 14, 1848 provided:

The Postmaster General is hereby authorized to establish post offices and appoint Deputy Postmasters at San Diego, Monterey, and San Francisco, and

such other places on the coast of the Pacific in California as the public interest may require.

It seems as though they got back to the appointment of Postmasters directly by the Postmaster General.

Then, on March 3, 1863, section 1 of the act of that date provided:

The Postmaster General shall have power to appoint and commission all postmasters whose salary or compensation for the preceding fiscal year shall at the time of such appointment have been ascertained to have been less than $1,000 per year, and in all other cases the President shall appoint.

Then, from then on out, Mr. Chairman, the law changed from time to time, but in each instance it provided for the appointment of what we commonly refer to as Presidential postmasters, that is, postmasters at offices of the first, second, and third classes, to be appointed by the President by and with the consent of the Congress.

That has been the practice over the years, even though there has been some discussion from time to time that the postmasters should be brought under civil service and should be appointed directly under regulations promulgated by the Civil Service Commission.

For a number of years, up to 1917, nominations were made, submitted to the Senate, and appointments were made by the President after concurrence by the Senate, and no examinations were held by the Civil Service Commission, or no provision was made or determination as to how the person to be nominated would be selected.

And in 1917, President Wilson issued an Executive order providing about as follows: That when a vacancy occurred in the Presidential office, the Civil Service Commission should hold an examination and submit to the Post Office Department the name of the top eligible, and that the top eligible must be nominated.

A little later on, he amended this Executive order to provide for the promotion of some one within the service in filling the vacancy, or to hold an examination and nominate the top eligible.

That continued throughout the years from 1917 to 1921, and in 1921 President Harding issued an Executive order similar to the one issued by President Wilson, excepting that there was provision for the selection of one of the highest three eligibles. And a similar Executive order was issued by President Coolidge and by President Hoover and again by President Roosevelt early in the beginning of his first

term.

All of these Executive orders provided for the promotion of an employee in the vacancy office or the holding of an examination by the Civil Service Commission and selecting for nomination one of the highest three eligibles.

That was maintained until about 1936, when President Roosevelt issued an Executive order providing for the appointment of the top eligible, very similar to the Executive order issued by President Wilson in 1917.

In 1938, Congress enacted the law providing for the appointment of postmasters of Presidential offices, which is the one under which we are operating now.

That law provided that an appointment could be made in one of three ways; either by the reappointment of the incumbent postmaster at the expiration of his term, through a noncompetitive examination, or the promotion of an employee in the vacancy office through a non