The Washington times., 1911-03-13
Recommended BY Commits
sion In Annual Report
Out Today.
VIRTUALLY A PLEA
FOR WAGE INCREASE
Official Confirmation of Policy
Advocated BY Times for
Three Months.

Reclassification of salaries in the civil
service, which have been in vogue since
1853 and 1854, is earnestly urged by the
United States Civil Service Commission
in its twenty-seventh annual report,
made public today.
Other reforms are recommended. but
the commission lays stress on the fact
that greater efficiency of the service
can only be attained by the adoption
of a scheme of uniform classification, as
persistently urged by The Times in the
past three months.
Virtually, the recommendation of the
commission is a plea for higher salaries
for certain groups of Uncle Sans work.
ers.
Has 0utgrown ystem.
1t is pointed out by the commission that
the salary classification now in force
was adopted when there were only 700
clerks affected by the system, whereas
there are now 3S4,OSS persons in the eX-
ecutive civil service, 222,2 of whom are
in the competitive classified service.
Referring to proposition for a re-
classification of salaries, the commission
says in its report:
THE salary classification now in force
AL lllS uCpdI llLGLlS was duOpleu III 1000
and 1854, when there were about 700
clerks affected by it, and when conse-
quently the heads of departments,
through close personal supervision, could
see that the class to which a clerk was
assigned corresponded with his duties
and relative merits. This classification
referred solely to salary without regard
to duties. Since the relation between
salary and duties is not fully recognized
under prevailing conditions, a clerk of
mediocre ability assigned to work of
low grade may reach the higher rates
of salary by virtue Of seniority or in
fuence while an ADLER clerk performs
work of a higher grade at lower pay.
Employees are too frequently engaged on
the same line of work at different SAL
aries. Much has been done by the de-
partmentS toward reCtifying these in
remedied fully until a scheme of uniform
classification has been adopted.
Prerequisite of Retirement
The commission has been actively in
terested in the various steps that have
been taken toward the accomplishment
Of a reclassification, for it believes that
this is the first essential step in any
effective forward movement in imprOv-
ing the personnel of the departments
and thus bringing about greater efficiency
and economy. 1t is also believed to be
prerequisite to any scheme for retire
ment.
A portion Of the report dealing with
political activity of employees shows ah
Increase in the number of cases inves-
tigated by the commission, most or
them of a minor character, which II
ascribes TO increased facilities for de-
tecting violations, fuller cooperation OF
the departments and greater publ1I
sympathy. The commission recommends
- -E,-gx,A As1r, NAlf
ical activity to officers now unclassi-
fled.
Relative to the question of promotion,
the commission makes this severe criti-
cism, after urging that promotions
should be made on the basis of ef-
ficiency, ascertained by uniform and
impartial mode of procedure applicable
to all departments:
Hampers Promotion on Merit.
Existing conditions initiate against
any satisfactory application of merit
principles in the development Of an eff
flcient personnel in the public service.
Essential to any satisfactory and effeo-
tive reform in the civil service are a re-
classification of positions and a read
juStment of salaries on the basis of
character of work performed. With re-
organization completed, the difficulties
Of making promotions on a basis of
merit would be greatly reduced, and
merit and ability might then become in
all cases the governing factors in ad-
vancement in the service, whereas un-
der existing conditions inefficiency and
mediocrity often block the way. 1t is
believed that the plan of reorganization
outlined by the report of the so-called
Keep Commission made to the Presi-
dent on January 4, 1907, is well devised
and should, with perhaps some minor
emendation, be enacted into law.
"A uniform system of estimating and
recording the relative efficiency Of en-
ployes could then be adopted and more
effectively applied for all bureaus and
Offices in all departments This can
best be accomplished by the aid of an
independent commission or body. such
as the Civil Service Commission"