The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-22
MORE CONSOLATION FOR ANTI-FAT CLUB New Ruling Made Regard
 ing Employees BRAINS STILL COUNT Ruling Made Because Man With Per- feet Mental Examination Was
 Two Pounds Short Under
 Physical Test
BRAINS STILL COUNT
nv c.E. STEW ART

Washington. July 21.--(Special. )-Pros- pective employees of the government who have passed the mental tests prescribed by the civil service commission but who fear that they may not be quite up to Uncle sam's requirements In the mat ter of avoirdupois, may take heart One little string of government red tape has been severed.
 A ruling just made by Acting President McIlhenney of the civil service commits sion amends the former rules so that can ddates for government jobs who have passed the mental examinations need not fear that worry over their chances of ap- pointment by reducing their weight below standard will bar them from a meal ticket.
 James D. O'Malley from Boston wanted place in the postoffice department. Be- ing from Boston and naturally high brow from environment, he made excellent marks in his mental examinations. but while waiting to hear that a job awaited him and growing nervous over the delay he fell off in his appetite for beans. Dur ing his illness which followed he lost six pounds in weight
 When he was ordered up for his physical examinations 1t was discovered that he was two pounds under weight, and he was informed that he could not be ap- pointed.
 Then Representative Curley of Massa- chusetts took hand and appealed for a revision of the rules so as to make them fit cases like OMalley's. The Massachu- setts member held that the mere fact that a man was a couple of pounds too light in body didn't argue that he was not a mental heavyweight. He contend ed that the mere bulk of body did not make man a giant intellectually, else numerous laborers and college presidents would be swapping jobs. And anyhow, he argued that there ought to be some discretion on the part of the civil ser vice commission. and they ought to know and be able to act on that knowledge that man might lose weight in illness and regain it after a certain time when he has recovered.
 Under the old rules even if a man passed with mark of 100 plus, and fell sick before he was physically examined he was likely to lose a few pounds and if he came under the weight one pound all the learning in a congressional li-
 
 business. The new ruling is:
 "The commission has amended the regu- lations governing the reweighing of ap- plicants who are found under weight on the day of examination so that such ap- plcants at any time during the life of the eligible register secured as the re- suit of the examination taken by them may be reweighed and If 1t is found that they are of the required weigh their names will be entered upon the register for the balance of the priod for which the register will run"
 As the eligible register in the postoffice department runs for two years Mir. O'Mal- ley by diligent pursuit of beans and cod-fish may reasonably be expected to regain his lost poundage and other appli- cants who may find themselves in the same boat with the man from Boston may thank Representative Curley for his sue cessful effort in behalf of the undmpled, angular members of the anti-fat brigade who crave to work for the government