‘United Statee department of Eoriculture, 
©ffice ot tbe Secretary, 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 
Septembeb 22, 1916. 
Memorandimi No. 177. 
WARNING AGAINST ACTIVITY IN POLITICS BY OFFICERS AND 
EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
To Officers and Employees of the Department of Agriculture: 
Attention is invited to the forms of activity in politics which have been held to be forbidden under the rules of 
the Civil Service Commission. All officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture are enjoined to adhere 
strictly to the rules of the Civil Service Commission and the laws applicable to this subject, which are indicated 
below : 
1. Political Activity. 
Rule I, section 1, of the civil-service rules reads as follows ; 
No person in the executive civil service shall use his official authority or influence for the purpose of inter- 
fering with an election or affecting the result thereof. Persons who by the provisions of those rules are in the 
competitive classified service, while retaining the right to vote as they please and to express privately their 
opinions on all political subjects, shall take no active part in political management or in political campaigns. 
(1) The first sentence of the rule applies to all persons in the executive civil service, irrespective of the method 
of appointment. Presidential appointees are forbidden by statute to use their official authority or influence to coerce 
the political action of any person or body, to make any contribution for a political object to any other officer of the 
United States, or to solicit or receive contributions for political purposes or to discriminate among their employees 
or applicants for political reasons. Othervvdse a presidential appointee will be allowed to take such a part in political 
campaigns as is taken by any private citizen, except that he will not be permitted — 
1. To hold a position as a member or officer of any political committee that solicits funds. 
2. To display such obtrusive partisanship as to cause public scandal. 
3. To attempt to manipulate party primaries or conventions. 
4. To use his position to bring about his selection as delegate to conventions. 
5. To act as chairman of a political convention. 
6. To assume the active conduct of a political campaign. 
7. To use his position to interfere with an election or to affect the result thereof. 
8. To neglect his public duties. 
The second sentence of the rule applies to all persons holdin 
the appointment be permanent or temporary in character, and 
applicable to unclassified laborers. The following are some of 
bidden to this class of employees : 
Service on political committees ; service as delegate to 
party ; service as officer, representative, or delegate of a political 
the polls on election day ; publication of political articles 
the publication or editing of a newspaper in the interests of a 
making speeches before political meetings or political clubs ; 
as inspector of elections, ballot clerk, ballot inspector, judge 
or holding of elective office. (See circular of United States 
political activity, issue of May, 1916.) It is not to be assumed 
because they are not mentioned. 
g positions in the competitive classified service, whether 
by departmental action has also generally been made 
the forms of activity which have been held to be for- 
county. State, or district conventions of a political 
club, or as chairman of a political meeting; activity at 
bearing on the qualifications of different candidates ; 
political party ; the distribution of political literature : 
circulation of petitions having a political object ; service 
of election, or member of election board ; candidacy for 
Civil Service Commission giving information concerning 
that other forms of political activity are permissible 
2. Political Assessments ok Contributions. 
The civil-service act provides that “no person in the public service is for that reason under any obligation to con- 
tribute to any political fund or to render any political service, and * * ❖ pg j^ot 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 indirectly, 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 employee 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 employee, and section 119 prohibits the solicitation or 
receipt of any political 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 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 meaning of the law. 
the solicitation taking place where the letter was received. Section 122 of the Criminal Code provides that whoever 
shall violate any provision of the four sections mentioned above shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not 
more than three years, or both. 
While persons not in the competitive classified service are not subject to the prohibitions of section 1 of Rule I, 
the statutes concerning the solicitation or receipt by one officer or employee of political contributions from another 
officer or employee apply with equal force to all who serve the United States, whether classified or unclassified. By 
thus serving in the capacity of treasurer of a political club any officer or employee receiving from another officer or 
employee who is a member of the club any fees or dues or other contribution for a political purpose thereby renders 
himself liable to prosecution for violation of section 118 of the Criminal Code of the United States, and the member 
so paying him such fees or dues or other contribution for a political purpose violates section 121 of the Criminal Code. 
62333°~16 
Secretary. 
