Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-03
Merit System
Already in Force.

"Omce or the Engineer Commissioners Va
the District Of Columbia. Washington
"Ordered-That there is hereby created
a board of promotions and appointments
in the engineer department of the Dis
trict of Columbia, to consist of the two
assistants to the Engineer Commissioner
and the chief clerk of the engineer de-
partment.
II. The duty of this board shall be
to recommend to the engineer commits
sioner the person most fit to fill. by pro-
motion or appointment, each vacancy
that may arise in the engineer depart
ment.
so When a vacancy occurs in any office
or department in the engineer depart
ment, it shall be the duty of the head
of such Office or department. to make
recommendation to said board as to the
filing of said vacancy by promotion or
appointment. and it shall be the duty of
the board to forward such recommends
ton to the Engineer Commissioner, with
it's approval or disapprOval. giving the
rea sons therefor.
IS. Before making such recommends
ton the head of the Office or department
concerned shall examine and give careful
consideration to all applications filed in
the Office of the Commissioners during
the six months previous for employment
of the nature required in the vacant POI
sition, and to communicate with. or when
practicable personally to interview. the
more promising applicants in order to
determine their relative fitness for ap-
pointment to such vacancy.
~. In the case of promotions In the
service. the heads Of Offices or depart
ments shall consider not only the claims
the Offices or departments. but Of all en-
ployes under the jurisdiction of the En-
gineer Commissioner
"5. In making recommendations for fill
ing positions relative merit and fitness
alone shall be considered, but weight may
be given to length and faithfulness of en-
ployment in the District service. The
hope of promotion, when deserved, tends
to increase efficiency throughout the serv-
ice.
on promotions and appointments carefully
to consider all such recommendations
and the reasons therefor and in doing SO
it shall have authority to call before it
any head of office or department to give
further information regarding such recon-
mendationS. 1t will often be advisable
for the board personally to interview can
didates.
-. While no intSicate procedure is i'm
posed upon the board, 1t is expected that
a fair consideration Of all applicants and
the selection for each vacancy Of the
person available who In the position to
be filled can render the most valuable
ScTVlCe 10 tuc OlSIIlCt VI SOiuIuUId
IS. These instructions will be carefully
observed by all heads of offices and de-
partments under the supervision OF the
Engineer Commissioner.
%. 1t is the purpose of the Engineer
Commissioner. in 30 far as discretion is
vested in him by law. to follow the
recommendations Of the board heSein
constituted. w. V. JUDSON,
Lieutenant Colonel. Corps Of Engineers
U. s. A. Engineer Commissioner, Dis
trict of Columbia"
It is believed that the system above de-
scribed avoids In large part the diff
culties necessarily encountered in the
federal civil service, while at the same
time taking human nature into considera-
ton, as does the ordinary business man.
This system also promotes discipline. and
therefore efficiency, by attaching great