The Washington herald., 1909-08-24
new EDICT PUZZLES
Civil Service Commission
Awaits Explanation.
w1CKERsHAM RULING UNIQUE
Decision of Attorney General in Cen
sus office Appointments Fore
shadows TrOubIe-SubcIerica EN-
pIOyes Barred from Advancement.
washburn Depends ON President.

While President Taft lelsurely studies
the new ruling OF Attorney General Wick
ersham regarding the McCumber amend
ment. the Civil Service Commission hard
ly knows whether It's present system
Of appointments has been shattered into
smithereens or has merely received
a gentle "love tap" under the terms Of
ne decision.
Civil Service Commissioner WasGburn
does not know. He has not received the
text of the ruling. The President has not
yet forwarded il to the commission. I'm
Ill he does there can be no definite state
ment as TO its effects on the civil service.
In the meantime the commission is sitting
cozily on the lid, and Is not anticipating
any touch Of the drastic or radical from
the Attorney General
Ruling Forerunner.
But a forerunner of the civil service
decision IS seen in the ruling recently
given the Indian Office by Mr. Wicker
sham In this statement Of the law sew
eral wide and sweeping interpretations
OF the McCumber amendment are made.
1t is not merely the Census ONCE to
which the statute applies. but the entire
government service. and IL IS expected the
Attorney General viii elucidate this point
| in the ruling which the Civil Service
Commission requested several weeks ago.
| One point is now emphasized which Is
| expected TO cause serious trouble. A
great many Of the examinations within
| bureaus and divisions are conducted by
/ the Civil Service Commission. Promo
tions are largely made. of course. under
the direction OF the department bat, new
! ertheless, all shifts OF grade are neces-
sarily made under the direction Of the
| commission. So that any messenger boy
/ or other employe I'm the subclerical grade
4 who has hitherto been taking the nom
/ competitive advancement examination for
/ a clerkship is now barred from H. be-
! cause he would be compelled TO absent
| himself from the department for twelve
months in establishing the residence
/ necessary for certihcatiOn by the COM
/ mission.
/ For years messenger boys and others
/ have been working up TO clerkships in the
/ departments. naturally being given pref
/ erence on the score Of experience This
/ system Of promotion, II is said. viii have
10 be entirely abandoned. IL VIII be prac-
/ tically impossible for Washington boys
I to assume clerkships, and IL viii be i'm
/ practicable for employees In the clerical
grade 10 advance through civil service ex-
animation 10 a higher grade. This inter-
! pretat0n is made OF clauses in the Indian
/ Office ruling.
/ Contrary to the first report, temporary
! appointments are also included in the
Wickersham ruling. The language in the
/ decision is explicit. There are thousands
Of clerks in Washington. especially WOm-
en-, who have been dependent on tenn
porary appointments for years past. Ow-
ing 10 their Washington residence, they
have been unable 20 become certified for
/ permanent appointments. Consequently
they have been Jumping from job 70
! job and making an uncertain living in
this fashion. These clerks will now be
entirely barred from continuing on the
II government pay roll. It Is said.
Waiting for Full Test.
1T Is impossible 20 state just what ef-
feet the ruling viii have" said Commis-
sioner Washburn yesterday. until its full
text reaches us. Possibly the decision
which has reached the Indian Ofic- out
lines the position OF the Attorney Gen
eral In the matter
The steps which Congress took last
winter regarding the civil service were
recognized 20 be vital. and consequently
any Interpretation of the amendment will
be Of the utmost Importance In the ad.
ministration of our work"