The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-11-22
EMPLOYES PLAN NEW LAWS FOR
 CIVIL SERVICE
National Federation Pro poses Equality in Pay
 and Management.

Washington, Nov. 22.---Reconstruc- tion of the federal civil service as a vital feature of the after-walr read justment of industry will be urged upon Congress at the next session of the National Federation of Federal Employees. Drafts of new legislation, radically different from the present civil service law, are now under con- sideration by a special committee of the federation appointed in pursuance of the action of the recent national convention. These laws, when finally formulated, will be asked for as @ part of the governments reconstruction program.
 The new measures as proposed, &C., corifng to the national president of the federation, Luther c. Steward, will change the character and func- tions of the present civil service com mission to include a system of em- ployment management and wage flx- ing, in addition to the present func- tion of mere recruiting. Civil service training courses will be provided, un- 1 der the plan outlined, in all schools subsidized or controlled by the fed eral government, .anG such courses will be designed especially for sol diers and sailors prior to demobiliza- ton of the armed forces and prior to any legislation looking to their prefer ment in appointments to civil service positions.
 Complete equality of opportunity, compensation and promotion will be guaranteed under the new legislation proposed, on the basis of fitness sole | ly, without discrimination as to sex. l Examination, scientific selection of eligtbles, promotion, demotion and dismissal or retirement are planned for through a central organization
 rather than through the separate de- partments, as at present---1n other words, the application of the princt- pals of scientific employment manage
 ment to the operations of the federal
 civil service.
 Furthermore, all positions, up to and including the assistant secreta- TieS of departments, are to be incFud- ed, under this plan, in the permanent classified service, thus insuring the
 selection of competent trained exec
 utives, instead of political appointees
 in the higher administrative positions
 and offering an incentive to the best
 material in the lower positions to u1- dertake government service as a life
 career.
 The federation proposes that al
 statutory salaries be abolished, %nt
 that appropriations be made in luunJ
 sums. Working conditions, including
 salaries, shoul1 be fixed, 1t is con
 tended, by representative board, thc
 membership of which should consis . of representatives of the employees, O
 the administrative officials and of tht . public at large.
 These are some of the principle. 7 we think should be applied in tn, : much needed reconstruction of tn, f federal civil service" says Presiden | Steward, "a need that Is the greate 3 In view of the rapidly exDandin; 3 functions of the government as a re | suit of the war. The original civi
 service act merely provides negative P ly against the spoilS system Of Eis missal, and requires some educationa f test for the minor positions. On Q great need is for trained public ser
 wants and the application of Cbusines methods in administration Anothe is for justice to the employees and tn S maintenance of their morale. Flo '' these two ends we need administra tive machinery which combines tn factors of expert judgment, executiv powers and full responsibility, and, q
 the same time, establishes. coilectiv $ bargaining between the employe an a the employer"