The Detroit times., 1910-10-24
Monday. October a.
1910
The GOVERNMENT AT WORK
By FREDERIC J HASKIM
THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIO

mat ail positions In the classified ser
vice are filled under the open COM
petitlve examination. Positions which
require highly confidential service are
niied without examination under civil
service rules. National bank examin-
ers, receivers In the office OF the comp
troiler OF the currency, cable electri-
clans under the War department, and
special agents IN the general land Of
nee appointed 10 investigate fraudu-
lent entries and other matters OF
criminal nature, are instances OF such
exceptions.
There has been a marked develop
ment in the work OF the civil service
commission. This is disclosed by
diminution In the abuses which the
civil service act Is intended To remedy.
Positions formerly regarded as I'M
possible OF classification have been
classified or otherwise drawn from pat
ronage; examinations have been ap-
piled with greater measure OF sue
cess TO positions requiring a high de-
gree or professional, scientific, or tech
nical qualifications: political activity
on the part OF employees occupying
competitive positions has met with In.
creased prosecution by the commits
sion; political levies on office-holders
have been less frequent: and the ap-
pointing officers or the government
are being relieved from the impor-
tunities Tor positions.
Only about one-eighth OF the posi-
tons embraced in the competitive SER
vice are located at Washington. In
administering the rules in the SER
vice outside OF Washington, the com.
mission is aided by some LOO local
boards OF examiners. having In all more
than 1000 members The rules require
that none of these local boards shall
be composed solely OF adherents to
one political party when other per-
sons are available and competent TO
serve.
When there is vacancy In the gov
ernment service, the Official In charge
OF the bureau or department in which
the vacancy occurs requests the civil
service commission to send him q list
OF elegibles for appointment. The COM
mission certifies TO that official the
names OF the three eligibles for APP
pointment having the highest ratings
upon their examination papers. The
appointing official may select any one
~
custom OF the appointing official to
reject all certifications until he found
the name he was looking for. II q
senator desired the appointment OF o
certain constituent who had succeed
ed In passing the examination. he
simply went 10 the appointing oficer
and got a promise from him to take
care Of that constituent. Under pres
"a. rt,ln h. ln
not reject a long list Of certified
eligibles In order to reach the name
he is looking for. The rules are be-
ing more strictly enforced and their
spirit more thoroughly lived up to
and while there Is still opportunity
for officials making appointments to
favor political friends. these oppor.
tunities are gradually disappearing.
Men have a much better chance In
the government service than women
The list OF employees discloses the
fact that only eight per cent Of the
vast army OF workers In the employ
OF Uncle Sam are women. II may DO
said TO the credit OF the women, how
ever, that the records Of the civil ser.
vice commission show that they are
able TO stand examinations better than
their brothers. During the course OF
many years the women applicants
have had higher ratings on their ex-
animation papers than the men. How
ever, this does not result In a pro-
portionate favor among the govern
ment officials. The law gives to the
various cabinet officers. and other ap-
pointing officials, the privilege Of call.
ing for male eligibles IL they desire,
and this privilege is frequently exer-
cised. Especially is this true In the
case OF positions requiring confidential
service. In former years women ell
gibles found It comparatively easy To
get positions as stenographers and
typewriters. but today nearly all such
appointments are made from the List
OF male applicants.
Some positions are more easily Sc
cured than others. This Is true In the
case OF young men for stenographers
The supply OF these has never ex-
ceeded the demand, and the same con-
dition prevails in the railway mail
service. In the more important posi-
tions the supply OF eligibles is far
smaller than in the less important
ones. There may be q thousand
eligibles for clerkship and only one
for a place as craftsman The reason
! for this Is that In the ordinary posi-
tion In the government service sal
aries are considerably higher than sal
aries for like services in private bust
ness, while In the more important
positions the salaries paid by Uncle
Same are lower than those pal din
private business.