The Washington times., 1913-12-16
Redfield Scores
Old Job System
Advocates Civil
Service Pensions
highest as the results of .
competitive examinations
WOULD RESULT IN
vITALIZATI0N OF SYSTEM.

WOULO kGSULI LIN
vITALIZATION OF SYSTEM.
Either the repeal of the law re-
quiring the apportionment OF ap-
pointments or its subordination to
that providing for the selection OF
persons from among those graded
highest in open competitive exami-
nations would result in the yftaliza-
ton of the whole civil service sys-
tenn. 1t certainly fs not IN the in
terest Of good administration to
require an appointing officer .
make a selection from certificate
Of eligibles with comparatively low
ratings. say from 20 TO Is. when there
are eligfbles on the register with
ratings from to 10 points higher.
The law Of apportionment also
applies to all transfers from the nom
apportioned to the apporfioned serv-
ice. whether intradepartmental or in
teroepartmental. In number of In
stances the department has been In
convenienced because the Civil Serv-
ice Commission has not felt at liberty
to authorize transfers from the nom
apportioned to the apportioned serv-
ice on the ground that the persons
whose transfers were requested were
residents Of States or Territories
which had received an excessive
share of appointments.
Under the provisions of clause (c).
section s. Of civil service Rule X, the
commission has authority to waive
the apDortonYnent upon the certifi-
cate of the appointing officer that
the transfer requested Is in the in
setting forth in detail the reasons
"It is believed that the appointing
officer should be the sole judge az to
the qualifications Of person whom
he desires to transfer to his depart
ment, and that a certificate to the
effect that the transfer Is in the In
terest of good administration should
be accented as sufficient ground for
action
A review Of the work Of the de-
partment in establishing efficiency
ratings il given in the report. 1t Is
shown that as far back as 1896, when
civil service efficiency records were
first compiled by the Civil Service
to superannuated emp Dyes, the de-
partment established its own eff
cheney records. upon which all pro-
motions have been made
OLD RATINGS ARE
STILL BEING USED.
Ratings were established in 1893
and 1911, and these are still In use.
The report says:
by section Of the act approved
August @, 1872 Legislative. ETC.. ap-
preparation act for the fiscal year
1879. Congress has by implication
apparently taken out of the hands OF
the several executive departments
the work of maintaining efficiency
records for the classified service Cat
least in the District of Columbia)
and placed it under the Civil Service
Commission. As later act, ap-
proved March 4. 1918, provided that
the commission should investigate
and report to the President. with
its recommendations. with respect
to the administrative needs OF the
service relating to personnel IN the
several executive departments and
independent establishments in the
District of Columbia, and report to
Congress details of expenditure and
of progress of work at the begin
ming of each regular session, II did
not appear entirely feasible or de-
sirable to make a separate investi-
CATION into the efficiency of en-
ployes of this department immedi-
ately prior to that to be made by
the commission.
For present purposes the latest
efficiency records, compiled in the
summer Of 1911, are used as the
basis for promotions. care being
taken to see that any changed con-
ditions in the personnel caused by
the lapse of time are taken into ac-
count It is the aim of the depart
ment to see that in each case the
person promoted is. of the class in
which he Is employed. the one most
entitled to advancement
'It Is the policy Of the department
to fill vacancies by the promotion OF
employees from the classes below.
The lowest class. il not filled by
transfer or reinstatement. is flied BY
selection from the civi' service regis
ters. 1t Is desirable that this policy
be continued. for the reason that IL
will inspire the working force with
the sense that their interests are
and assure them that by
faithful service they will be given
fair consideration in connection with
such opportunities for advancement
as nay occur"