Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-17
PERSONNEL.

| In my recent message TO the Congress ]
urged consideration of the necessity OF
placing in the classified service all of the
local officers under the departments of the
Treasury. the Interior, Post Office and
| Commerce and Labor.
Classification of Local Offices.
| The Importance of the existence of a
competent and reasonably permanent civil
service was not appreciated until the last
quarter of the last century. At that time
examinations were instituted as a means
of ascertaining whether candidates for
appointment possessed the requisite quail
f1cations for government positions. Since
| then it has come to be universally admit
ted that entrance to almost every subor-
dinate position in the public service should
be dependent upon the proof in some ap-
propriate way of the ability of the APP
, pointee.
AS yet, however. little if any attempt
has been made by law to secure, either
for the higher administrative positions in
the service at Washington or for local
offices. the qualifications which the in
cumbents of these positions must have If
the business of the government is to be
conducted in the most efficient and eco
nomical manner. Furthermore, in the case
of many of the local officers the law posi-
lively provides that the term Of Office
shall be of four years duration.
The next step which must be taken is
to require Of heads. Of bureaus in the de-
partments at Washington. and of most of
the local officers under the departments,
qualifications Of capacity similar to those
now required of certain heads of bureaus
and of local officers. The extension of
the merit ystem to these omcers anu q
needed readjustment of salaries will have
important effects in securing greater
economy and efficiency.
In the first place. the possession by the
incumbents Of these positions Of the
requisite qualifications must In itself pro-
mote efficiency.
In the second place, the removal Of local
officers from the realm of political patron
age in many cases would reduce the pay
time the incumbents of many Of these po-
Sit1ons leave the actual performance OF
many of their duties to deputies and as
sistants. The government often pays two
persons for doing work that could easily
be done by one. What Is the loss to the
government cannot be stated. but that it
is very large cannot be denied. when 1t is
remembered how numerous are the local
officers in the postal, customs. internal
revenue, public lands and otner field
services of the government
In the third place, so long as IL -al OFF,
GERS are within the sphere Of political
patronage it is difficult to consider the
question of the establishment or discon-
tinuance of local offices apart from the
effect upon local political situations.
Finally, the view that these various Of
fees are to be filed as a result of politi-
cal considerations has for its consequence
the necessity that the President and MEM
hers Of Congress devote to matters OF
patronage time which they should devote
to questions Of policy and administration.
The greatest economy and efficiency.
and the benefits which may accrue from
the Presidents devoting his time to the
assured only by treating all the distinctly
administrative officers in the departments
at Washington and in the field In the
same way as inferior officers have been
treated. The time has come when ali
these officers should be placed in the
classified service. The time has also
come when those provisions of law which
give to these officers a fixed term OF
years should be repealed. So long as
fixed term is provided by law the ques-
matter how efficiently he may have per-
formed his duties, will inevitably be
raised periodically. So long as appoint
ments to these Offices must be confirmed
by the Senate, and so long as appoint
ments to sthem must be made every four
years. Just so long will 1t be impossible
to provide q force Of employees with a
reasonably permanent tenure who are
0uallIeQ Oy IedSOA VI CuuSdIOII uhu
training to do. the best work.
approximation.
Attention has been directed in recent
years to the need Of suitable plan OF
retiring the superannuated employees in
the executive civil service. In the belief
that 1t is desirable that any steps toward
the establishment of such plan shall
| be taken with caution. instructed the
| commission to make an inquiry first into
the conditions at washington. This in
uuiry has been directed to the ascertain
ment OF the extent to which Superannua-
ton now exists. and to the consideration
| OF the availability of the various plans
(which either have been proposed for
adoption in this country or have actually
been adopted in other countries. snail
submit in the near future. for the con-
isideration of the Congress plan for the
retirement of aged employees In the civii
service which will safeguard the interests
| of the government and at the same time
make reasonable provision for the needs
| of those who have given the best part
| Of their lives to the service OF the state.
Efficiency Of Personnel.
I have caused inquiry to be made into
| the character Of the appointees from the
,, point of view of efficiency and compe-
| tence which has resulted from present
methods Of appointment; into the pres
ent relation of compensation to the
character OF work done; into the existing
| methods Of promotion and the keeping
Of efficiency records in the various de-
| partments, and into the conditions of
| work In government Offices. This inquiry
| will help to determine to what extent
conditions Of work are uniform in the
| different departments and how far uni.
/ fOrmity in such conditions will tend tC
| improve the service. have felt thai
/ satisfaction with the conditions in which
/ they worked was necessary prerequisite
| to an efficient personnel. and that salts.
] faction was not to be expected where
| conditions in one department were less
/ favorable than In another.
/ This inquiry has not been completed
When 1t has been ascertained that evils
| exist which can be remedied through the
/ exercise of the powers now vested In
/ the President, shall endeavor to remedy
| those evils Where that Is not the case
shall present for the consideration Of the
/ Congress plans which, l believe, will be
followed by great improvement in the
| service.
| BUSINESS METHODS.