I hope the committee will investigate this matter carefully and favor the good people of Memphis with a good Republican. Very respectfully yours, W. R. FOLEY. On January 23, J. W. Pumphrey, on the letterhead of John W. Pumphrey Co., realtor, wrote to me as follows [reading]: Sen. GEORGE H. MOSES, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. MEMPHIS, January 23, 1929. DEAR SIR: By way of introduction I wish to state that I am a business man, that I have lived in Memphis for a period of nearly a quarter of a century, that I have been a cotton factor and manufacturer, and that during the past 25 years I have served part of the time as a member of the Republican County Central Committee, that I have always been a Republican, that when I was 26 years old I was chairman of the Republican Congressional Convention of the fourteenth district of Missouri at Cape Girardeau, and was offered the nomination for Congress, and that two years later from that time at Poplar Bluff, I was offered the nomination for Congress for the fourteenth district of Missouri, but was so involved in business I could not afford to accept. That I am a graduate of Columbia Missouri State University, that I am at present a member of the University Club of Memphis, a member of the State and national realtors' associations, and that while in college, I merited and was invited and accepted memberships in the Sigma Nu Fraternity, and the Phi Delta Phi Fraternity, both national organizations for college men; that I was a delegate to the national convention which nominated Theodore Roosevelt. I mention these matters, not in a braggadocio way, but merely to introduce myself to you so that you may know that I am in position to know all of the leading Republicans here in Memphis. I have never heard of Ed V. Sheely's being a Republican until he announced it himself when he received the temporary appointment as acting postmaster. He has represented the Democratic party as ward committeeman, and made the race for city commissioner on the Democratic ticket. He never, at any time during this quarter of a century that I have been in Memphis, allied himself with the Republican party. He never was a ward committeeman for the Republican Party, nor did he ever attend any of the Republican meetings during this 25 years. The local Democratic machine held their registration place in his retail drug store and used it for a voting precinct, and they thought during all of these years that he was a Democrat, and in proof of this, the Democrats are for him from the highest to the lowest. I am one of the charter members of the Hoover Club, which I understand has a membership of about 800, comprising Memphis business men. I have never allied myself with either faction, but have always been just a straight Republican, believing in the principles of Alexander Hamilton against those of Thomas Jefferson. I am not what they call a "lily-white" or a "black and tan," but simply a Republican. I firmly believe that Hon. J. Will Taylor has been misled as to Mr. Sheely. What all the leading Republicans here desire is a civil-service examination so that they may have some voice in the selection of a man qualified by ability and education to serve the public. J. W. PUMPHREY. On January 28, 1929, Mrs. R. B. Logan, from whom I previously had a telegram which has been read into the record, wrote me as follows [reading]: Hon. GEORGE H. MOSES. HOOVER HEADQUARTERS, Memphis, Tenn., January 28, 1929. Chairman of Subcommittee of Post Office Committee, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: I take this opportunity of protesting the appointment of Edward V. Sheely as postmaster at Memphis. I am basing my protest, first, on Mr. Sheely's unfitness by experience and training for a position of this kind. Memphis and the business passing through the Memphis post office have grown to such proportions that for postmaster we need a man who has had wide business experience. Mr. Sheely has not had this experience. Second. I feel that in naming Mr. Sheely postmaster without civil-service examination decided favoritism will be shown, especially as no reasons have been given for this unusual procedure. Third. The condition of the Memphis post office since Mr. Sheely has been acting postmaster is reported to be disorganized. I strongly urge that a committee come to Memphis and go into this matter thoroughly. Some of our members are enough interested to want to come to Washington, but the short time given before the hearing, the expense and long trip mean that the women will not be represented. All of our members will be interested participants if a hearing is held here, however; and I feel that the best interests of Memphis and the postal service will be gained by this method. This is a matter in which I am deeply interested and I ask that you give my protest careful consideration. Respectfully, (Mrs. R. B.) STELLA C. LOGAN. On January 28, 1929, Mrs. H. O. True wrote to me from Memphis as follows [reading]: Hon. GEORGE H. MOSES, HOOVER HEADQUARTERS, Memphis, Tenn., January 28, 1929. Chairman of Subcommittee of Post Office Committee, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SIR: I wish to protest the appointment of Edward V. Sheely as postmaster at Memphis. In the first place, Mr. Sheeley is not the man for the place. The Memphis post office does a large business and it requires as postmaster a man of unquestioned executive ability, and of wide business experience. Mr. Sheely's experience has been limited to a small business, and his unfitness for this place is demonstrated by the fact that since he has been serving as acting postmaster, it is reported that the post office has gotten into a badly disorganized condition. I also feel very strongly in this matter because of the attempt to have Mr. Sheely appointed without the customary civil service examination. In my opinion this would be unfair and would establish a precedent that might give trouble in the future. It seems to me that the best interests of the Memphis post office would be served by not having this appointment made hurriedly, therefore, I ask that you give my protest, as well as all others in this case, careful consideration, and in that way help us to get a man as postmaster who will give us a businesslike, efficient post office. Very respectfully, (Mrs. H. O.) ESTHER O. TRUE. A letter from C. Arthur Bruce, whose telegrams have been read into the record, under date of January 26, 1929. He writes as follows [reading]: Hon. GEORGE H. MOSES, E. L. BRUCE Co., EXECUTIVE OFFICES. United States Senate, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. SENATOR: I feel possibly that you may be interested in a night letter which I sent day before yesterday to Senator McKellar, reading as follows: "My desire also Mr. Townshends appear before Postal Committee Sheeley hearing. We are both tied up by meeting institute New Orleans Thursday and Friday next week. Believe you desire hearing where all parties interested may appear and strongly urge postponement at least week or 10 days beyond Thursday. Townshend and I both writing in detail tomorrow. I personally will be glad to reimburse Mr. Sheeley for any expense to which he may be put through delay." The following day about noon, that is yesterday, I received a reply from Senator McKellar, reading as follows: "Telegram received. I will be delighted for you and Mr. Townshend to appear at any time before next Thursday here and give your testimony. The case has been postponed-this is the third time—and it is not fair to postpone it again. I shall insist on the hearing going on next Thursday. Regards." I have advised Senator McKellar that it is equally impossible for me to be in Washington in advance of Thursday as it is for me to be there Thursday and Friday. This situation is also the case with respect to Mr. Townshend. As you may know, Mr. Townshend is executive vice president of the Hardwood Manufacturers' Institute, which is meeting in New Orleans on Thursday and Friday of next week. I am chairman of the national hardwood conservation committee and am to make a talk on Thursday and a report of this committee on Friday. There is no question from the investigation that we have made here that this matter can not be gone into properly in Washington. Too many statements have been made by employees of the Postal Department here with respect to the disorganization that exists, the inefficiency in the departments, and we know that this evidence can not possibly be presented in Washington. We can't ask these employees for affidavits for very obvious reasons. Nor can we ask your committee to summons them to Washington for the same reason. A committee who is acting on the ground here in Memphis, however, would get at these facts very readily. You can appreciate that the investigation of a business such as the postmastership in Memphis and the conduct of the post office has to be conducted from two angles. It has to be examined from the outside and from the inside. I feel that the committee's attitude will be that they want to get at all the facts in this case, and if it is evident to them they can not get a true picture of the facts, they should be disposed to delay the matter until such time as a committee could get on the ground here and get the real facts of the situation. you know that the reflex of inefficiency in a post office is felt rather slowly by the general public. While we have collected quite a little evidence along this line, at the same time the real examination, as I say, can only be made here, and I hope indeed that this can be arranged. Very respectully yours, C. ARTHUR TRUE. On January 24, Mr. Walker L. Wellford wrote to me from Memphis as follows [reading]: Hon. GEORGE H. MOSES, NONPARTISAN HOOVER CLUB, Memphis, Tenn., January 24, 1929. United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR: A lot of telegrams were passed in reference to the Sheely hearing, and we are bending every effort to get there next Thursday. I have some evidence promised to-morrow which, if true, will wind up this case. There is one thing I do not know whether I told you, but I would like for you to know. Just about a week before the election, I had evidence that the regular Democratic organization were planning to use 22,000 fraudulent votes, and beat Mr. Hoover for election. I took a committee of four, made an appointment with Senator McKellar and told him that I had this evidence and that if the election was stolen that he would not get his seat in the Senate. He asked me what I wanted done and I told him I wanted him to pass the word down the next day that there was to be a fair election. Senator McKellar told me that if the election was not fair he did not want the office, that he would not accept a stolen office, as he always voted to unseat any Senator whose election was shrouded in mystery or doubt as to its being straight, and Senator McKellar did go down and pass this word to the crowd and the election was fair and you know the results. The appointment of Sheely was brought about by agreement between Congressman J. Will Taylor, Bob Church, and Senator McKellar. Bob Church, while posing as a Republican, is hand in glove with the Democratic machinethere is no doubt about this. The evidence is right here and this can be proven. Sheely has been Democratic committeeman in the seventh ward, he has managed Senator McKellar's campaign, in that ward, he has run for city councilman on a Democratic ticket and was defeated, so if Sheely is put in you are really putting in a Democrat recommended by a man posing as a Republican, who is in league with the Democratic Party and who has assisted them in Democratic primaries, casting fraudulent negro votes, and who voted only 1,800 negroes in the Presidential election and most of them voted for Smith. I want you to know all of these facts in connection with this matter and for your associates to know it, as it may help you in considering this appointment, and arriving at conclusions. You realize that we can not get any information from the post office because the employees are afraid to talk except under pledge of secrecy, but if they were investigated by friendly committee who had the power to subpoena, information could be secured that would certainly result in the rejection of Sheely's confirmation. I am just giving you this information now and hope to be able to give you some more in a few days. Kind regards and best wishes, I am Sincerely yours, These telegrams are with reference to the I do not think it necessary to put those in. Farley, also with reference to the hearing, here to-day. WALKER L. WELLFORD. date of the hearing, and This letter is from Mr. saying that he would be And these are my telegrams saying the hearing would be held to-day. Now, in addition to those, I have received a letter from Memphis, under date of January 19, signed by Robert G. Chambers, addressed to Senators Brookhart, Oddie, and Heflin, the subcommittee of the Post Office Department, as follows [reading]: Senators BROOK HART, ODDIE AND HEFLIN, MEMPHIS, January 19, 1929. Washington, D. C. In re: Permanent appointment of Edward V. Sheely, Postmaster, Memphis, Tenn. GENTLEMEN: I wish to take this opportunity of urging the permanent appointment of Mr. Edward V. Sheely as postmaster at Memphis, Tenn. I have known Mr. Sheely for 20 years and have had numerous business dealings with him. Mr. Sheely has a reputation of being one of the most successful of our retail druggists. His conduct of affairs at the post office shows that he is well fitted for the position, as the services at the post office have been good. In short, he is well fitted for the position, and I take this means of urging confirmation of his appointment as permanent postmaster in our city. Yours respectfully, ROBT. G. CHAMBERS. From George H. Bell, whose address is No. 1232 East McLemore Street. Memphis, Tenn., I have this letter [reading]: Hon. GEORGE H. MOSES, Washington, D. C. MEMPHIS, TENN., January 24, 1929. MY DEAR SENATOR: I am writing you voluntarily asking you to support Edward V. Sheely for the postmaster at Memphis, Tenn. Mr. Sheely is worthy of the support of the entire Senate. His efficiency has been excellent. The postal affairs here have been conducted on a clear business basis. Mr. Sheely has conducted the affairs of the post office satisfactorily to the people of Memphis. The nonpartisan club headed by Mr. Walker Wellford has no true and honest purposes for the best interests of the people of Memphis. Mr. Wellford is neither Democrat nor Republican. He is new in the field of politics as an aspirant. The nonpartisan club does not amount to very much in Memphis. It is a faction composed of Democrats and Republicans who have been unsuccess ful in their party ranks. They are nonessential to either party and their following is only a small number. The charges they make are unreasonable. I hope you will go into all the evidence. You will find my statements unquestionably true. I have lived in the city of Memphis for 25 years as a citizen and taxpayer. With best wishes, I am GEORGE H. BELL. That, Senator McKellar, completes the documentary matter that is essential for the committee to have. Senator MCKELLAR. I think, in order to make them "gibe" together, that we had better put in the documents I have. The CHAIRMAN. Yes; go ahead. Senator MCKELLAR. The first I will present is an affidavit of Edward V. Sheely [reading]: STATE OF TENNESSEE, County of Shelby: Edward V. Sheely, now acting postmaster at Memphis, Tenn., makes the following statement: I was born and reared in New Oxford, Pa., February 14, 1870. Attended the public schools, and graduated from the high school in the spring of 1888, being valedictorian of the class. I then attended the State Normal School at Millersville, Pa., preparing myself for a teacher. I taught in Oxford Township the terms from 1889 to 1891. March 1, 1891, I went to Philadelphia, apprenticing myself to the firm of H. C. Blair's Sons, 800 Walnut Street, as a pharmacist. Attended the Philadelphia School of Pharmacy, graduating in the class of 1894 as a pharmacy graduate. After graduating I went to work for Andrew Blair, Eighteenth and Chestnut Streets, staying there until March 1, 1896. I accepted a position with James S. Robinson, Memphis, Tenn., March 1, 1896, staying with him until February 15, 1899. March 1, 1899, I opened up a drug store for myself and am still in the same location. covering a period of 30 years, March 1, 1929. Tennessee honored me by electing me president of the Tennessee Pharmaceutical Society in 1915. The following year I was elected President of the tri-State Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee Pharmaceutical Association. Governor Rye honored me by naming me on the board of examiners in 1917, and which position I held four or five years. I was president of the Memphis Drug Club for a period of 12 years, and on refusing to serve further, I was presented with a gold watch in 1926, which I now carry. Tennessee also honored me by naming me as a State delegate in 1920 at the last revision meeting of the United States Pharmacopia. On account of my activities, local, State, and national in pharmaceutical affairs, the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, in 1925, conferred upon me the honorary degree of master of pharmacy. I served as director of the Memphis Chamber of Commerce during the trying period of the late war and was called upon to act in many important measures. I am a stockholder in the First National Bank and was a director in the Williamson Trust Co. until they liquidated. March 6, 1928, I was offered the position of acting postmaster in Memphis, which commission was given me March 9, on which date I was sworn in as acting postmaster, serving since then in that capacity. As to my financial standing and rating as a merchant, I will refer you to Dun or Bradstreet; but am rather proud of the distinction of being in one business, under one ownership, for the past 30 years. During the past month, especially since the last election, the activities of those who aspire to be postmaster have been quite keen. President Coolidge, about three weeks ago, issued an Executive order not requiring me to enter a civil-service examination for permanent position as postmaster. My name was transmitted to the President by Postmaster General New, who in turn transmitted it to the Senate for confirmation. The same took the usual procedure and was referred to the Postal Committee. In the meantime, however, protests were filed in Washington, taking issue with the President for issuing this Executive order, and also questioning my ability on account of not being trained to be a postmaster, and that the service |