Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-15

The civil service commission has had in
operation for over three years series of
what are known as practical! examinations
for the trades OF UNCONVENTIONAL positions
in the service of the government" ex-
planned IN official of the commission to a
Star reporter. land it has been found to
work very satisfactorily. mechanic can
take that examination. although he may be
unable to sign his name to his application.
Throughout the south there are thousands
Of Culored mechanics who unable to
write. but under the rule the application is
just IS good when signed by a cross as If
signed in full. The commission has estab-
Iish"d local boards of examiners in hun
lreds of cities whose duties are to classify
and grade applicants The classifcatiOns
are made on age, character as a workman,
experience and physical condition. though
In the latter no physicians certificate is
necessary. The highest grade for age is
given those between twenty-five and forty
I've years The character of the workman
: graded in quality, ability and industry.
This has to be established by vouchers
signed by three former employers. From
his Information registers of eligibleS are
male up on which officials draw when they
heed the service of wOrkmen. Every kind
~ a tradesman is registered, including pi-
OTIS and divers. There are hundreds of
.'opks employed by the government but
after Repealed effort il IS found absolutely
-mprdctiCable to classify or grade them
and finally cooks We're excluded from the
classified service altogether. 1t was i'm
I"SSihl" to decide upon a qualification for
- good cook. for what one section or state
would call a good cook another would con-
s'iier a very poor one. The wages paid
looks by the War Department in it's diff
fTr-nt branches run an the way from SD
t. Ssi per month. which. of course includes
Irtri and lodging Throughout Alabama,
MISSISSIPPI and louisiana in connection
WIN io- gangs OF men at work on river
and !rVrt work, il has been found better to
board the workm.n. that they can be
Ley together and worked To a better ad-
NaHtasr- II Is an easy task to secure stew
iFds and boarding masters. the men who
Hr''.l'S" the supplies. but when it comes to
getting cooks the whole system seemed
likely To go to pieces The civil sery-ica
commission having decided that appointees
q llr registered class have the same rights
$ iH.'S' OF the educational ClasS-that is
t'ft t-iry cannot be removed without being
-iFi.iSHrd With written charges. which they
or" L. h- allowed In answer-it was neces-
Sir\ 10 furnish cooks with written charges
y get them out Of the service. Often one
tttt "i a party would consider a man a
t"-"i cook. while the other half would be
sur" h was thoroughly bad one II
ttHSlyi mp matters so that cooks We're ex-
Guided from the classified service and nouv
can h- hired by officers in charge of nav.
IS or by stewards or boarding masters to-
e. ,-,.- OF Us snort time as is desire the
'--AF A'lti4S4tt- tF-lllS Il4t their COOkipO
Itedse those who have TO eat it
X
learned trick while in the Pbili3-
1ln-s IN the matter Of keeping birds out
Oh iruit trees volunteered a weIl-known
oHlcidl Of the Post Office Department TO a
star reporter. which may be of value to
many Just now. when SO many cherries are
O7ihs destroyed by birds. 1t is simple. in
expensive and. as far as / could observe,
L'a t4'a- II consists in hanging a small
mirror on the top limbs of the tree
There should be at least six inches of
F!HS t" the mirror. SO that it can swing
about as it is blown by the wind The
Nash 7t the mirror. il appears. scaras tho
o''H away One OF Two five-cent mirrors
haHg on tree is sufficient though of
S'.FS7' three or four would be that much
UT i was told that this method had
N'Fk"d IN the Philippines successfully for
many vars. and that the birds do NOT
E''" familiar with it as they do with
tr~cTpw. Since my return here + firI
tllat tho mirror scare is not 1rrL,7ou-r bsra
10 tAtt II has been in use by MICHIGAN
= III growers Tor many years / have tried
!. 'ns S',t IN q small way and it is amusing
"td- sur II creates among the birds
i think there is no doubt but what are
Known as suicide clubs exist in fact as we'll
a IN fiction observed one of the phvsi-
ans Of the Government Hospital for the
I-'Ss'i4' 10 q star reporter. and that three
recent suicides in this city are the outcome
o the existence If q club Of this charac-
ter Ny investigation into the circun-
Stances "f quite "a number If suicides of
t!lS Kind has convinced me that these sui-
eide clubs are always composed of men
" "a" Use Intoxicating Iquor and use il to
e--SeSS- While under the influence of in
t,N''tutS and often as result of bragga-
d"ri' they organize such clubs. After that
10y discuss the subject among themselves
ana others. and find plenty Of occurrences
Il the newspapers 10 prove or disprove, as
ey desire. any position they may have
tsk ken 'H the subject II IS as Well known
as aiitthiaS can BE- in psychology that i'm
4i'7s!HtiS grow r ther than diminish and
u Al often. whether person is willing or
N"t. his original impression 10 do a GER
tam thing grows on him uEconsciousIy and
u at at certain times and under certain
c. motions of nOn-sUccess or failure in
material matters h. j. more controlled nv
u tEdu At others. / am satisfied thar
u -, suicide clubs have done much To in
Cfrts" tn" number Of suicides The per
> rs Who are not liable 10 be influenced by
= On association or agreement are what are
ki-'HN as popular people the apparently
= 'i-Ittured and easy going people who
m -kr and retain large numbers of friends
i',SitiFr people never join a suicide club.
N Iced. they seldom come in contact witb
thr KIND OF people who do 1 do not care