Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-03
Committee of Adjustment.

THAT as soon as practicable after the
passage of this act committee of not ex-
ceeding nine persons shall be appointed by
the President, whose duty it shall be to
consider the character of work performed
by the clerks in the several bureaus and
offices in the executive departments and
other government establishments in the
city of Washington and the salaries now
paid therefor. Said committee shall recon-
mend to the President for each department
a reimbursement and classification of the
force of said department. In accordance
with the foregoing schedules, so as to bring
about general uniformity of compensation
In all offices for the same kind and amount
OF work: and for the fiscal year 1909, and
annually thereafter, each department shall
prepare and submit its estimates for cler-
ical and other services in the departments
in accordance with the classification herein
provided for and shall apportion the clerks
of the different classes according to the
work they are actually performing.
I'm no event shall any person whose
principal duties are within a given class be
paid more than the maximum salary for
said class, and the number of employees
specifically appropriated for in any branch
OF the service in any of the executive de-
partments or other government establish
ments In Washington shall not be increased
but may be diminished.
Hereafter all promotions shall be based
on efficiency. and il is specifically declared
to be the duty of chiefs of divisions to
make recommendations for demot!on
where the interests OF the public service re-
quire il, and any chief of division who fails
TO comply with this requirement shall be
summarily dismissed from the public serv-
ice.
Promotion in each class and subdivision
thereof shall be made In each executive de-
partment or other government establish
Inent in Washington by board composed
OF three officials of said department APP
pointed by the secretary thereof.
MI. Tawney's Proposition.
The Littauer amendment having been
ruled out, Chairman Tawney of the ap-
proprations committee offered II in differ
ent form. emitting the salaries attached to
each grade. This also was eliminated on
a point OF order by Mr.. Mann.
1t is a well-known fact" said Mr.. Taw-
ney. that the service In the various de-
partments here at the seat of government
Is more or less In a demoralized condition
so far as classification is concerned Under
the statute OF 1856 we have four classes re-
ceiv!Eg compensation from 81 200 TO 81 800
That is the only classification that we have
today. But that classification is not fixed
with reference to the character or work as
much as IL is with regard to the ability of
the clerk to secure the favor of the bureau
chief the chief OF division in securing
promotion to higher salar.ed positions
Now Mr.. Speaker. / believe that il is the
duty of Congress to thoroughly investigate
this question and reclassify the service At
the beginning or this Congress, when the
legislative bill was reported to the House
the members OF the House will recall the
fact that II was almost impossible Cor Us to
proceed with the consideration of the iegis-
latiVe bill because 50 many positions were
provided for In that bill for which there
was no authority In law. That has resulted
from the growth of the service. The pres
ent service has entirely outgrown that clas-
sifca:lon. The President OF the United
States almost two years ago appointed a
commission consisting of some admins
trativc officers. for the purpose of investi-
eating this question.
The Principle Involved.
They have made a report, and the prin-
cIple OF the report made by the Keep COM
mission In respect to a Redistribution OF
the service Is embodied in the amendments
offered by the gentleman from New York
and myself. That principle is to divide the
work in the departments into four main
heads or classes and then subdivide each of
these FOUR main classes into from three to
four different grades. and then provide a
minimum and a maximum salary, so that
the clerks employed under one main head
will al be doing the same kind of work.
and there will be an opportunity for more
rapid advancement or promotion unit the
clerk In the lower grade reaches the high
est grade In each class. Then when he Is
promoted into another class he receives an
additional compensation because Of the Diff
1erent Kind of work to be done In that
ciass- Now, the necessity for this Is APP