The Washington times., 1911-11-11
REFORMING CIVIL SERVICE
LAW AND REGULATIONS.


his legislative scheme for the better.
ment of civil service conditions into
two parts. The first measure he will
introduce will be concerned with re-
tirement and pension methods alone,
according to his explanation.
After that will come the question
of bettering civil service conditions in
general, with especial purpose to en-
force the merit system.
The Iowa Senator is chairman of the
Committee OH Reform in the Civil
Service. Instead of regarding this COM
mittee as merely the guarantee of his
title to first-clsss suite of offices
and dignified clerical force, he has
taken the business seriously, has as
sumed that the committee has some
duties to perform, and has been de-
voting much time to study of civil
service conditions.
This study has convinced him that
sweeping reforms are needed. Thus
far, assuredly, he is in agreement with
the people who have been trying to
impress this fact on Congress in the
effort to better the status of the Gov
ernment employees.
Promotions on the basis of merit,
with retirement, on humane, self-re-
specting terms, of people who ought to
be retired by reason of age, would
vastly improve conditions in the entire
service. It would open a great number
of positions Immediately, to be filed
by promotions from lower ranks; it
would keep this upward flow going on
year by year. For a number of years,
until the retirement of a great con.
gestion of aged employees had been
brought about, the movement would be
much more rapid than thereafter, and
the betterment of the positions of
people in the lower strata would be
more rapid than is now realized.
As to the pension and retirement
plan, Senator Cummins is of opinion
that it should be cooperative. The
Government should make contribution
to it, and the employees should also
give some percentage of their salaries.
This proposal will not be pleasing to
the majority of employees who are yet
many years away from the possibility
of getting pensions. At first blush il
will doubtless be received with de
cided displeasure by them.
But there is another phase which
they must consider. THE PRESENT
SCHEDULE OF SALARIES is sc
LOW THAT NO DEDUCTION CAN
POSSIBLY BE MADE FOR PEN
SIONS WITHOUT SIMULTANEOUS
LY RAISING THE SALARY LEVEL
1t is simply impossible. The Gov
ernment is already unable to retair
the services of the most competent
energetic, and able civil service people
To get properly equipped employees be
comes harder year by year, because out
side employment is more attractive
The executives throughout the service
are agreed on this.
Therefore, the minute discussion il
begun on any proposition to DEDUCT
anything from the average employe fo
PENSIONS that minute the Who'll,
question of inadequacy of present sal
aries in the more numerous ranks viii
be preeipitated. 1t cannot escape con
sideration. The effort to TAKE AWAY
SOMETHING when there are tens o
thousands of people who DO NOT GET
A DECENT LIVING WAGE AS 1T Ii
will force consideration of the entir
wage situation.
There can be only one result o
such consideration. That is, a re
vision of the wage schedule that is nov
half-century old, and a readjustmen
of it to present-day conditions of EN-
ployment, living costs, and require
ments of the service.
THE ONE THING THAT GOVERN
MENT employees WANT NOW Il
TO GET THIS WHOLE BIG CUES
TION OPENED UP. THAT, THE,
ARE GOING TO GET. THEY WILL
NOT FAIL TO REAP IMPORTAN'
ADVANTAGES. CONGRESS- CAN
NOT TAKE THE TROUBLE TO IN
FORM ITSELF WITHOUT BEIN,
CONVINCED OF THE NECESSIT'
FOR INCREASING THE SALAR
SCHEDULE IN ALL THE LOWE
RANKS.