Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-10-18
For Civil Service En-
pIoyees in the Future.
The President and Cabinet Is.
sue an Executive Order
Allowing Heads Of Departments 10 Discharge,
Without Trial, On ProvcGatiOn.

Washington, oct. 17.-An amend
ment to the Civil Sc rvice rules. sweep
ing in character, vas authorized, To-Day
by President Roosevelt. Hereafter
cabinet officer will have the power 10
remove. surnmariIy and without nearing
anv civil service employe in his de-
r;;rtment who, to the personal knoWl-
edge of the head of the department
had been guilty of misconduct or VINO
is inefficient in the performance of his
dutics. Ry the terms of the amend
ucnt. the cabinet officer must have
nclsonaI knowledge Of the misconduct
or ineficiency Of the employe whom
r. proposes 10 discharge. With this
personal knowledge, the power of the
head of the department is absolute.
The amendment authorized, today. IS
enc of the most important and far
reaching made to the civil rules In
many years. It confcrs upon cabinet
officers practically unlimited power as
t. the personnel of their departments.
The amen lmcnt is made to Rule XII.
Section ., which provides that the ap-
pointing officer in the executive civil
service shall report in detail to the
civil service commission all changes
in their departments as soon as made,
and the reasons for making them. a
head Of "A department. may now dis
charge an cmploye for misconduct %"
ineffCiency. with the simple statement
to the civil service commission that
the misconduct or incfiiCicnCy is Il
subject of his personal observation
The discharged employe will have no
recourse.
1t is said that the amendment wa"
made at the instance of members Oh
the Cabinet who hold that under the
present construction of the civil rules
they are often unable to deal properly
with cases Of misconduct ana lnefl-
cheney Of which they are personally
cognizant. Assurance Is given that
the amendment VAS not made to apply
to any particular case now pending
It's purpOse as stated is to improve
the discipline of the departmental
forces.
The amendment was discussed by
III. cabinet 1T it's meeting. today, and
approved unanimously
President Roosevelt issued the fol-
lowing executive order cmbodying the
terms of the new regulation:
when the President or head of an
executive department is satisfied that
an officer or ernployc in the classified
Y rvico is inefficient or incapable and
that the public service would be ma
tcrially improved by his removal, such
removal will be made without hear
Jug: hut the cause of removal shall he
stated in writing and filed. When mis-
conduct is committed in the view and
presence of the President or head ot
an executive department removal may
be made by summarily and without
fnticc.
(Signcd) THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
The subject was brought directly to tn"
attention Of President Roosevelt recent
" by the misconduct of u chauffeur OF
ono Of the government automol lies. Tn
driver Of tho automobile pilotcd his ma
chine directly In the way OF the Prcs-
dents carriage and seemed "a AXE de
light i'll cutting him out OF the road
When the President learned who tn"
chauffeur was. he said nc ought to he
discharged as incapable of operating the
machine. The subject was pressed by
members of the cabinet and IN" deClSlon
was reached to make the amendment T.
the, civil service rules in order that mis-
conduct of Il government "mplnye miEti
H. made the subject for Immediate dis
misSal.
The civil service order WIS tn" most
Important subject considered at thu
meeting of the cabinet. Sec. Roo; brought
to the attention Of the President and his
fellow cabinet members the protest of tn"
American fishermen against the action
Of the authorities of New FOundl1nd as
to bait. but no decision was reached.
AZ the President expects t. leave On his
trip through the South. tomorrow morn
ing. no cabinet meetings will be held fo'
two weeks.