Evening star., 1903-07-16
OLD AGE NOT A BAR
WILL NOT DISQUALIFY APPLI-
CANTs FOR FEDERAL POSITIONS.
If Physically and Mentally Fit for the
Places They May Be Appointed
Opportunities for Veterans.

President Roosevelt has issued a civil
service order eliminating ge from the dis
qualifications of applicants for positions on
the labor rolls of the departments of the
government, and the civil service commits
sion now has before it for submission TO
the President the question whether veter-
ans of the civil war shall not have prefer
ence in the appointments from the registry
list of laborers. 1t is expected that the
question Of preference will be settled at an
early date. Until this time it has been i'm
possible for veterans of the civil war to
get an appointment on the laborers' rolls.
as the rating for age practically disquali-
fed them, the handicap for a man of fifty
six years of age being about eighteen
points. No matter how well the veteran
might stand in the other ratings. he could
not hope to make a general average sutt
cient to obtain a position.
Judge Kimball Congratulated.
Judge Ivory G. Kimball, commander of
the Department of the Potomac, G. y. r.,
is receiving the congratulations of his de-
partment on so successfully presenting the
discrimination against the old soldier to
the President and in getting part of the
disqualification removed. AS the matter
now stands the veteran is on the same
footing as a younger man in applications
for labOrers' positions. If Judge kimball
succeeds in his efforts to have the veterans
given preference they will stand SO well
that many of them will he able to obtain
places on the laborers' rolls of the govern
ment service.
Judge kimball took the matter up w til the
President in June the situation having
been discussed in G. A. r. councils prior to
that time. Judge kimball handled the
matter so vigorously and pointedly that the
president was impressed and instructed the
civil service comiSson to take the matter
vi
that he did not think veteran should be
Disseminated against for age if he was
physically and otherwise qualified to per-
form the duties of the position to be filed
After giving the matter consideration for
several weeks the civil service commission
recommended, and the President issued, an
order removing the age rating if the appli-
cant fully qualified physically to do
the work desired
Veterans Were Barred.
In taking the mater up with the Presi-
dent Judge kimball pointed out that the
civil service order establishing a registry
list for laborers effectually excluded from
appointment veterans of the war of 1851
65 by reason of the fact that a great re-
duction for age was made. The general
average which determines the place of an
applicant on the labor rolls of the Treasury
Department, for instance, is made up by
taking account of three things: first. age;
second, pnySlCal COnultlOn, thlru. industry
and adaptability. Applicants from p years
to 40 years OF age are marked 1G0 Tor age.
Each year after forty-five reduces his per
centage. until. at 56, his rating is only
efghty-two At tiftyfour the youngest
possible age for a soldier of the civil war,
the rating is 81 for age. Younger men,
therefore. start with so much advantage
over veterans that the latter have had no
chance for a place.
The Case Of Joseph Fought.
Judge Kimball cited to the President a
particular case coming to his knowledge. 1t
was that of Joseph Fought a gallant SOL
dier of the civil war. Fought was IN un-
usually good health and without wounds.
He had been a bugler for General Custer,
who said of him. Joseph Fought is the
bravest man l ever saw: l would rather
lose my best platoon than to lose him"
Fought repeatedly tried to obtain Ia
borer's position having worked in the
Treasury Department on temporary ap-
pointments. In September. 1902 his posi-
ton the laborerS list ghty. be-
cause his age rating had been placed at
eightytwo. 1t was admitted by treasury
officials that he was physically qualified to
perform the work of nearly any position in
the laborers force in the department. but
the regulations made it impossible for him
to get place.
Judge kimball asked that no reduct on
be made on account of age. but that the
sole qualification shall be the physical con-
dition of an applicant and his adaptability
to the work.
Contended for Preference
AS to preference, Judge kimball. it is
stated in G. \. Z. circles, has conten.ied
at the civil service commission and else
where that the Presidents civil service
order of January II, 1902, giving prefer
ence to veterans of the civil war in all ap-
pointmerts, applies to the case of laborers
as well as to all other appointments. The
order of that date was general. applying to
all positions under the civil service. La
borers are in d way, under the civil Sc V
ice, and it is claimed therefore should
come under the order of that date as 10
preference Should his contention in this
respect be sustained the laborer S rolls VIII
be generally open to soldiers.