United labor bulletin., 1914-11-14
UNION EMPLOYEES
LEAD CIVIL SERVICE
Examinations Held at CITY Hall
Prove Their Efficiency
Members Suggested By Unions to Com
missioner Thum Receive the Highest
Averages in Tests Made

Commissioner OF Property Otto z.
Thum is justly proud of his staff Of
deputies, inspectors and clerks, most OF
whom are members OF organized labor.
These men have not only made good in
their respective departments, but in the
recent civil service examinations had
higher average than any other class OF
city employees
When Thum was elected he request
ed the various unions to recommend
capable men for appointment to the va
rious positions in which craftsmen with
special ability and knowledge are best
adapted He then made his appoint
ments from this list of eligibles fur
nished. Instead OF man getting job
through political favor, as was formerly
the rule. he thus gained it by particular
fitness for the duties to be performed.
This has set a precedent that commits
sioners in other cities viii sooner or
later adopt. for it brings to the city de-
partments the highest character OF
trained employees
Under the civil service ls~ al en-
ployes were required to pass a thorough
examination, with the exception of de-
partmental heads. 1t is not only graf
living to Commissioner Thum. but to
organized labor and citizens generally
that these men were able to meet the
test and establish the wisdom of the
policy adopted.
Winters Leads the Crowd
OF the several hundred city employees
examined George E. Winters of the
electrical department. and member OF
Electrical Workers Union No. 6S. re-
ceived the highest mark. 90 per cent
Other trade unionists who scored around
90 per cent or over were Robert Fl.
Hamel, electrical department; G. d.
Rogers of the Elevator Constructors
Union, H. Shaffroth of the Boilermak-
ers' Union, ann Ed Mays, Steam Eug.
neers' Union. in the boiler and elevator
inspection department; George f. C.
Johnson of the Bricklayers' Union and
]. NJ MeLane in the building depart
ment; W. H Wilson and Carl A Jaen-
sen, both of the Plumbers Union. in the
plumbing department.
Ralph G. Moser. chief boiler and ele-
yator inspector, member of Steam En-,
gineers' Union No. /; James c. Bulger,'
chief plumbing inspector. Plumbers
Union No. 5, and c. +. Oliver, chief
electrician, Electrical Workers Union
No. 6S, were not required by law to
take the civil service examination Dep
uty City Clerk Clarence j. Moorhouse
of the Cigarmakers' Union and Chief
Clerk J. II. Mitchell of the building de-
partment, member of the Lathers'
Union. We're also exempted by the COM
mission. c. l. Emick, member Painters
Union No. 20. a clerk in the city re-
corders' office, was also among those
who passed the examination with high
marks.
Thum Compliments Unions.
After learning of the satisfactory
manner in which these employees had
passed the civil service. Commissioner
Thnr,, aIl sd ba fr1r -
those union from whose membership
appointments had been made:
Dear Sirs and Brothers--About
year and a half ago, when / assumed
the office of commissioner of property.
1 found it necessary to appoint citi-
zens of Denver to fill places involving
the building trades. Since L was elect
ed largely on the basis of being trade
unionist. and since the matter of ap-
pointment was entirely impersonal with
me, i decided to name such individual
members of the particular organization
that fit the inspectorship, ON the rec
nuimendation of his union.
Il want to say that this plan has
proven eminently satisfactory to this
department and to the public in gem
eral.
In order to show your organization
that the members you recommended for
appointment nave more Iudu tldue kOOu
! want to submit to you the result OF
the examination held by the civil serv-
ice commission for the positions held
by these men.
Positions Made Permanent.
Twelve trade unionists took the ex-
acting examination and their average
standing was close to 30 per cent, which
is not only extremely satisfactory but
is very much higher than the average
grades made. in any other department
by any other class of people, and shows
that the. men in these various depart
ments are thoroughly competent in their
trade and calling.
The purpose OF this examination will
be to make the position permanent for
the incumbent, so that he will not be
at the mercy of designing politicians in
the future.
1T is very gratifying to me to
acknowledge the deep interest that your
organization has taken in the matter
Yours very truly,