Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-12
AMEND SHERN LAW,
CITY LEXOW URGES
Placeholders Need Safe
guards for Jobs, Councils
Committee Says
STATUTE A "DELUSION"
Effect of Legislation That of Po-
litical Weapon Instead
of Protection
STATUTE A "DELUSION"

plan whereby city ofilceholders may be
protected from the provisions of the Shern
law is the net result OF a councimanic In
vestigation into the workings of the Civil
Service under the Blankenburg admIns-
tration. The Lexow Committee was ap-
pointed a year ago and after many meet
ings will submit a report TO Councils next
Thursday suggesting that paceholders
need new safeguards round their Jobs.
OF secondary Importance TO the plan to
let down bars raised by the Shern act Is
that section Of the report which attempts to
show gross inefficiency in the Civil Service
management Of the last administration, and
which directly blames the commission for a
shortage of water which is experienced
each summer in the central wards through
change in engineers at Lardners Point
This statement is based upon the removal
Of Harry NJ. Hllegass as chief engineer.
and not as is the case with Chief Carleton
b. Davis, OF the Water Bureau, upon the
hadeQuacy of the equipment
That portion of the report dealing with
the Shern law IL as follows The Shern
law was enacted for the purpose of taking
oflceholders out OF politics, II is respect
fully submitted that its practical working
has been to drive otiiceholders into politics
rather than keep them out. Officehoders
who in any way violated the Shern law
almost Immediately had that fact commu-
nicated to some organization separate and
distinct from the city government, and this
Organization was either the Committee OF
Seventy or some similar organization, and
this fact was then cqStinually held over
their heads. If they refused TO follow the
political commands of their superior OFF,
GERS or of these organizations they would
be readily reminded OF the fact that they
were subject to dismissal for prior violations
of the Shern law. These officeholders. to
save themselves from dismissal for prior
offense against the law, again violated the
law by political activity.
"Your committee mas ascertane1 that
very many complaint afiidavits were made
to the various directors Of the city govern
ment alleging political activity on the part
of employees Presumably many of these
complaints were made by public office
seekers or active politicians. and were
prompted by n desire to remove the in
cumbents In order to obtain the positions
for themselves or friends. The ofceholder
having no knowledge Of the complaint
could not defend himself against the ac-
cusations no matter how exaggerated or
unfounded they might be in truth. Where
fore. II is submitted that the Shern law as
Il was administered was frequently used
as a means TO procure the discharge of an
experienced and efficient city employe and
place IN MS position an experienced ONCE
seeker OF different political faith.
THE Shern law vaguely defines political
activity and by some directors was very
broadly construed even TO include memb r.
ship In social organizations. Some direC-
tors discharged uhlceholders for political
activity for acts which others declined TO
construe as political activity. II seems to
your committee that the Legislature should
be requested to amend the Shern law and
provide n statute of limitations, so that
the past offenses OF years standing could
not be taken advantage of by the appoint
ing power, and used by that power to COM
pei the officehoder to further violate the
ehern law by obeying and complying with
the appointing powers political commands"
The report. which is vouminous in that it
includes many letters from persons re-
moved from the city service during the last
administration. was drawn by Joseph Mar
Gus. the committee clerk and former chief
clerk of the Civil Service Commission when
this branch OF the municipal government
was in its infancy After outlining COM
plants made by many placeholders II says.
In conclusion, such an administration Of
civil service law under the guise of reform
was mockery and a deluson, and instead
of being protection to the ofIiceholders and
q benefit and saving 10 the city II was
q detriment TO the efficiency Of the office
holders and great loss to the City Treas
ury."
The report is approved by the following
Councilmen. who were appointed December
81, 1915. to investigate: william u. Bacon.
Morris Il. Conn. John J. Conroy. John +.
Flaherty, William T.. Finley, Edward b.
Gleason. Charles f. Kelly. James Il. Lennon.
Bernard J. McGuiean. Robert Smith, Clinton
A. Sewers and Richard Wegelin.