Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-16

CIVIL l. rem E Mt

The House committee on reform of the
civil service with Representative Glliett
of Massachusetts as chairman. continued
this morning It's hearings with regard 10
the various bills pending in the House
providing a retirement and pension hst
for government employees. Prof. Wills L..
Moore, chief of the United States weather
bureau. appeared before the committee and
made an interesting statement in regard 10
the operations of the civil service law in
his department. Mr.. Frederick R. Aiien'
commissioner of patents. was present at
the hearing, but did not speak. as the COM
mittee took an early adjournment out OF
respect to the memory of Senator Hanna.
Prof Moore discussed the conditions at
the weather bureau with regard to the
employment of civil service clerks ana
the promotion of officials under the civii
service system. The bureau is under the
civil service laws, but Prof. Moore salo
that it has been found necessary to enact
rigid bureau regulations he belleXeo
that these regulations have tended TO Sc
cure an efficient management OF the Varl-
Gus Offices under him.
Weather Bureau System.
Some of the things We do said Prof
Moore. may appear heartless and unfeel-
ing but the bureau is held responsible
for results directly by the people, and we
find it necessary to go very slowly in Sc
Iecting our men for the important posts.
All employees are taken on trial for six
months. At the end of the fifth month
careful examination is made of what the
temporary appointee has done. His rec
ord is taken in charge by member or
the bureau staff regarded as competent to
pass upon the merits of the case. After
this man has carefully Investigated the
showing of the temporary employe he
makes a report to the bureau chief. IT
he recommends that the employe be con-
tnued as permanent officer in the bureau
the recommendation is followed out.
IF within one year after the applicant
is appointed permanently in the public
service he goes wrong or proves incompe-
tent this fact is charged up against the
official who recommended the appointment.
This system makes the latter responsible.
ard results in better and unbiased judg-
ments."
Prof. Moore outlined the various classes
of examination the men of the bureau are
required to take before being promoted to
higher grades. Under this system employees
are required to engage in constant study
for the Improvement of themselves; they
must keep abreast of the times and make
the most of their present positions If they
are to be promoted to the next grade above.
Accurate Service Now.
Prof Moore declared that the service to-
day is more accurate than ever before.
question by Representative Lacey who
asked for comparison between the pres
ent time and the days when the weather
bureau was military affair, the work
being in charge of sergeants, corporals and
privates of the army.
Speaking further along this line. Prof.
Moore declared that the reason for the
accuracy of today may be found in thu
fact that many of the old employees under
the military system still in the sery-
ice. and now holding responsible po-
sitions as district forecasters and kindred
work. Some of these men have been in
the bureau since it's inception twenty-eight
years ago.
Prof. Moore went on to say that no men
in the bureau are kept in responsible posi-
ton when they have demonstrated them
selves to be in the least untitled for the
work. He cited the case of a man who
had been an exceptionally expert and &C
CuTate district forecaSter, who, by rea
son of Il great bereavement, had his men,
tai ability to calculate and deduct conclu-
s!ons from the data available so broken
and benunrbed as to be no longer fit for
the duties he had performed so well The
bureau took notice of this case, and re-
duced the forecaster. He was q man of
large fund of experience and available in
formation, making him useful in other
branches of the service where important
work to be lone. Nevertheless. he had
to be reduced for more accurate man in
the forecast division.
u.
o. action had led him into no serious con-
troversies. There had been no appeals over
his head to the civil service commission,
but some cases had been taken past him to
the President. He had In every instance
been supported by the executive.
Aged but Efficient.
Coming to the question of the retirement
age limit and so forth OF employees, Prof.
Moore stated that some of the best men
bod boa in ba
They are now sixty years old and over, but
are strong and talented. Consequently he
said. he would not fix an arbitrary age
Emit of retirement restriction, but would
leave leeway so the bureau chief backed
by the Secretary of the department, and
fEdorsed by the President. might say that
this or that man ought to be kept in the
bureau for the good OF the service.
Prof. Moore said that in the bureau he
required all the men to serve a definite
term in the different grades. He sad oc-
cas.onally a bright man is found who could
be pushed along little faster in his work,
but the average required the term speci-
fed, and he believed 1t better to make no
exceptions. This system does away with
the question of favortism. At the end of
the term of service in one grade the en-
ploye IS still required to pass a suitable
examination.
At the conclusion Of his statement Prof
Moore presented TO the committee copy
OF a Cllt ne hau prepared on the retire
ment subject. This bill will be included
In the report of the committee and intro
duced in the House.
Prof. Moore's idea is that instead of MAX
ing 4 general retirement system applying
to the whole government service, 1t would
be better to adopt a system for each de-
partment. At the end Of few years the
result of the systems in the several depart
ments could be studied and then perhaps
general system adopted He thought that
In this way better results can be obtained
than by an unwieldy retirement provision
embracing the entire civil service system.
The committee will meet again next FRI
day morning at 1890 O'Clock, when Com
missioner Allen of the patent office will be
heard.