Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-17
The Clerks and Legislation.

The president of the National Fedora
ton Of Post Office Clerks. speaking az
last night meeting Of the United States
Civil Service Retirement Association. IN
annual convention in this city. expressed
surprise that the paragraph i'll the pend
ing legislative appropriation bill, limiting
the civil service tenure to five years, had
not received the vigorous and united OPP
position of the government cerks IN
Washington, He possibly does not know.
else no WOULD not indulge in criticism.
that tn government clerks in this city
under the ban of Congress with re-
speCt to any activity looking to the inn
provement of their position or their own
protection from legislative injustice.
Every government employe clearly rec
osnizeS the danger involved in the five
year tenure cause of the appropria ton
bill and hopes for its elimination before
the bill becomes law. The Star has
pointed out on behalf of the clerks
whose lips are sealed by congressional
prohib ton. that the five-year tenure pro-
posal virtually means a return to the old
patronage system: that it would reduce
efficiency in a serious degree: that il
would destroy the spirit of loyalty 10 the
service and generally work demoraliza- :.
, ton. Ii is expected that the matter will
be adjusted in the Senate and i'm confer
ence with regard to the welfare of the
government. by rejecting the five-year
proposal and leaving the tenure of Of
lice as il is at present.
The House appropriations committee
put two propositions into the legislative
ill that shocked those who take broad
: and constructive view of the government
service, and hope to see il maintained
upon high plane and with consideration
rot merely for business economy but for the
humanities- One was the plan to execute
officially all clerks over sixty-five years
of age without any compensation what
4soever and with attempt to provide
for retirement system. The other was
the five-year tenure project. sprung with
out warning and without reason, and GER
tain, IL adopted, to lower materially the
tone of government employment and in
crease rue use of public service places as
political spoils. Under a sharp fire of
criticism in the House the sixty-five-year
paragraph was Withdrawn by the member
Of the committee In charge of the bill. but
the hve-year tenure clause was retained.
OF the two. the less dangerous was elm
mated. and the more menacing was kept
in the bill. Gr.evous though the state of
the clerks is today. IL there were any
choice between dismissal at sixty-five
without compensation and the reduction
of the civil service tenure to five years
the friends of the governmental organiza-
ton would prefer the former
But there is no occasion whatever for
any curtailment of the civil service ten
IRE. Appointments to government Office
factory. There might we'll be some meth
cd of examinations for promotion and
service tests from time TO time to insure
continuous efficiency, but there should be
no rigid compulsion of competition be-
tween employees and new aspirants for
Apo ntment at stated periods to cause
recurring turmoil and disorganization in
the offices
The present plight of the government
clerks is deplorable. They should be
4iven thout further delay a general
increase in the pay scale to grant
them the same benefit of adjustment to
living cost that has been accorded 10 all
other classes of workers. They should
be assured of decent retirement after long
service. They should be freed from the
threat of periodical dismissals under a
system OF limited tenure. That they
continue 10 do good work and TO give
loyaI. valuable service to the government
under the conditions that prevail is re-
marka bile.