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30 T1IK NATIONAL I-OIJKST MANTAL. 



they please and to express privately their opinions on all political sub- 

 ject's, shall take no aciiw i.arl in political management or in political 



campaigns. 



The first sentence of the rule applies- to every person in the executive 

 civil service, irrrespective of the method of his appointment. The second 

 sentence of the rule applies to all persons holding positions in the com- 

 petitive classified service, whether the appointment be permanent or 

 temporary in character, and by departmental action has also generally 

 been made applicable to unclassified laborers. 



The following forms of activity have been held to be forbidden by this 

 provision: 



Service on political committees; service as delegates to State, county, 

 or district conventions of a political party, although it was nnderst<>< 

 that the employees were not " to take or use any political activity 

 going to these conventions or otherwise violate the civil-service rules' 

 service as officer of a political club, as chairman of a political meeting, 

 or as secretary of an antisaloon league; continued political activity and 

 leadership ; activity at the polls on election day; the publication or edit- 

 ing of a newspaper in the interests of a political party; the publication 

 of political articles bearing on qualifications of different candidates: 

 the distribution of political literature; holding office in a club which 

 takes an active part in political campaigns or management; making 

 speeches before political meetings or clubs; activity in local-option cam- 

 paigns; circulation of petitions having a political object, of petitions 

 proposing amendments to municipal charter, of petitions favoring can- 

 didates for municipal offices, and of local-option petitions; candidaf 

 for or holding of elective office; accepting nomination for political of 

 with the intention of resigning from the competitive service if elected; 

 recommendation by clerks and carriers of a person to be postmaster; 

 service as a commissioner of election in a community where it was 

 notorious that a commissioner of election must be an active politician ; 

 service as inspector of election, ballot clerk, ballot inspector, judge of 

 election, or member of election board; or generally any form of activity 

 in political management or political campaigns, though not specifically 

 mentioned above. 



Inasmuch as the issuance of a certificate for reinstatement is dis- 

 cretionary with the Civil Service Commission, no certificate will be 

 issued in any case where the party applying for reinstatement has 

 previously resigned with a view of running for office, or with a view 

 of indulging in a degree of political activity which would be prohibited 

 if he had remained in the service, and who afterwards, having failed in 

 his candidacy or having indulged in the contemplated activity, seeks 

 reinstatement. 



POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS OB CONTRIBUTIONS. The civil-service act (22 

 Stat., 404) provides that "no person in the public service is for that 

 reason under any obligations to contribute to any political fund, or to 

 render any political service, and * * * he will not be removed or 

 otherwise prejudiced for refusing to do so." Section 118 of the Criminal 

 Code provides that no Federal officer or employee shall, directly or in- 

 directly, solicit or receive, or be in any manner concerned in soliciting 

 or receiving, any political assessment, subscription, or contribution from 

 any other Federal officer or employee. Section 120 of the Criminal Code 

 prohibits the discharge, promotion, or degrading of any officer or em- 

 ployee for giving or failing to make any political contribution. Section 

 121 of the Criminal Code prohibits any Federal officer or employee from 

 making any such political contribution to another Federal officer or em- 

 ployee, and section 119 prohibits the solicitation or receipt of any politi- 

 cal contribution in any room or building occupied in the discharge of 

 official duties by any officer or employee of the United States, or on other 

 Federal premises by any person whatsoever, whether in the public 

 service or not. In connection with this latter provision, the United 

 States Supreme Court has held that a solicitation by letter or circular 

 addressed and delivered by mail or otherwise to an officer or employee 

 of the United States at the office or building in which he is employed 

 in the discharge of his official duties is a solicitation within the mean- 

 ing of the law, the solicitation taking place where the letter was re- 

 ceived. Section 122 of the Criminal Code provides that whoever shall 



