Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-06
GENERAL AIKEN ELECTED
 STATE VICE PRESIDENT
We'll Known Norwich Man Honored
 By Civil Service Reform Associa-

By Civil Service Reform Associa- tion.
 The Connecticut Civil Service Re- form association, as its annual meet
 Ing in New Haven, Tuesday. elected
 ident, William H. Taft; president,
 Professor Henry W. Farnham of Yale;
 vice presidents, W. A. Aiken. Nor
 wich; John P. Elton, Waterbury;
 H. Perry, Southport; Ex-Governor R. s. Woodruff, New Haven; secretary,
 C.. D. Clark. New Haven; treasurer. c. w. Bronson, New Hayen~ Resolutions adopted pledge the leagues effort to securing not only an
 enforcement of efffeiency at entrance
 to the civil service but also within the service. The league proposes to use new men and its branches into
 honest and competent hands. The declaration of President Wilson in favor of the passage of legislature removing postmasters of the first, sec ond and third class from politics and providing fo rtheir appointment. under the merit system, was approved. Con- gress was urged to pass such legisla- ton.
 The league expressed it's remon- strance against the bestowal of high office in the diplomatic service in re- turn fo rcontributions to campaign funds
 The administrative programme was outlined as follows: The classifica- ton by law of the higher administra- of customs and internal revenue and the United States marshals. The extension of the merit system over ell positions in the District of Columbia.
 The termination of special examp-
 tions through executive order save in
 cases of need
 Extension by law of the merit prin- ciple to the consular and diplomatic secretaryships so far as consistent with the constitution.
 Provided for federal, state, and my nicipaI civil service commissions Sf funds sufficient to enable them to command the service of skilled assist ants.
 The development of the exercise of
 efficiency functions. SO as to get rid of the incapable, raise the tee of the service, staudardize salaries and work
 and to give effect to complaints of citizens as to n1isconduct or inefficien cy of public employees The defeat of all legislation giving preference in appointment and promo tion in civil service of the nation, state and cities to special grous or classes such as Spanish War veterans The extension of the merit system of appointment and promotion to en- ployes of legislative assemblies na- tional, state and municipal. Recognition in full in all commis-
 sion and city manager characters of the merit principal.
 Policy of Secrecy Denounced. The league denounced the present of secrecy in connection with the ad- ministration of~the federal civil ser
 cice law and expressed the hope that President Wilson would terminate the extraordinary situation and great ac- cess to the records.
 Criticism of President Wilson for
 his alleged attitude toward civil ser- vice was made Tuesday night by
 William Dudley Foulke, former Unit
 ed States civil service service com-
 missioner, in an address at the clos
 Ing of the 18th annual of the National
 Civil Service Reform League in New Haven.
 . Before taking office President Wil-
 son promised. said MT. Foulke, strict
 adherence to the leagues principles. When measures came to him for sig nature, MT. Foulke continued, "1t seemed only with regard to the civil service law that certain paralysis
 had fallen upon the president.
 The speaker declared the golden
 hopes of the league were dashed"
 MT. Foulke, referring to ambassa,-
 dorial appointments said he was in
 Germany when the war broke out and
 charged that conditions at the Amer
 ican embassy at Berlin reminded
 him of "a chicken with it's head off,"
 Debating with Postmaster-Gen
 Burleson, MT. F'oulke insisted that ap
 pointments to fourth class postmast- erships had been contrary to the fed sral statute covering civil service, in
 that congressman had been asked to
 recommend choice of candidates in
 their districts.
 MT. Burleson. in speaking of the ap-
 pointrnents made under his adminis-
 tration, said that in his latest report
 he had recommended that all classes of postmasters should be placed under
 civil service. He pointed out that seventy per cent. of the fourth class postmasters had been retained under
 his administration. President Hadley presided at the meeting.