Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-18
HEARING AS TOD.C.
CIVIL SERVICE PUT
OFF INDEFINITELY
House Committee Declines to
Set Date to Take Up
Tinkham Bill.
ADMINISTRATION HERE
is GIVEN HIGH PRAISE
1t Is Declared That City Econom-
ically Run and No Need for
Change Seen.

lcally Run and No Need for
Change Seen.
Tie proposal to establish civil
service system for District govern
ment employees got a setback today
IN the House District committee, when
consideration of the Tinkham bill and
proposed hearing on it were i'm
definitely postponed
washington city was lauded as the
most economically administered city
IN the country by number of MEM
DerS OF the committee, who at the
same time vigorously attacked and
denounced the civil service system.
Representative Tinkham had urged
the committee to set date for an ex-
tenSlVe hearing on this bill The
proposition to put the employes of the
DlStrict government under civil serv-
! ice has been advocated since 1885
/ wheh Grover Cleveland Endorsed the
! proposition.
Praises Local Government
Representative Benson of Maryland
started the fireworks by saying: My
united experience with the civil serv-
/ ice here has convinced me that il is
fake. Even with the government
! contribution, this beautiful National
/ Capital is conducted on a rate of So
| $1,000. while Baltimore costs a mu-
nicipal rate of s2.91. Ii appears to me
! that Washington has as good A form
of government and is as well admins
tered as any place in the country. We
ought not to handicap the local adj
miniStration with the technica lit les
and red tape of the civil service. ] do
not see any sense in tying up the
situation. There is no need for il. Be
sides. 1 do not believe in allowing
government departments TO enlarge
] their own powers.
Representative Gould OF New York
said: 81 move that this matter be in
definitely postponed
Representative Drain of Florida said
that he did not think that would be fair
to their colleague. Representative Tink-
ham. who has asked for a hearing.
Representative Williams of Illinois
said: Il have no time to waste on
civil service reformers. Their re-
forms have proven to be fake and q
fraud wherever they have been tried"
In order to show Representative
members decided to invite him to
present his views before the commit
tee.
Representative Murphy of Ohio said
his position was that the committee
ought to emphasize the wonderful
government that we have here in the
District which stands alone and
apart, because the amount spent on
the government here is less than any
where else in the country, shown
hearing on the half-and-half system"
Mr.. Tfnkham's Contention.
Representative Tinkham urged that
/ the committee not postpone action.
He pointed out that there is not
| a city of the size of Washington
throughout the country, or approx
mately the same size which does not
! have its employees under the civil
service. Washington should be at
the head of the procession. he said. in
stead of at the tail end He re-
viewed the hearings two years ago
when this bill was advocated by the
Commissioners and by the President
and testimony given that three former
| the Civil Service Commission appear
ed and advocated the bill. as did also
various department heads and repre-
sentatives of labor unions.
! When Representative Tinkhaln sald
| that the United States Civil Service
/ League was particularly anxious to
have this legislation passed he was
! closely questioned by Representatives
Williams and Murphy about the activ-
/ tiles and standing of the league
J Representative Benson asked Mr..
Tinkham regarding the civil service
regulation which requires that only
certain number of employees shall be
taken from each state. He wanted
| to know if that would not force
discharge of local clerks ana orihs
| take their places. Mr.. Tinkham dld
NOT think it would have this effect
Representative Gould asked. What
! is the economic gain? Representa-
tive Tinkham replied. the theory u
that Won get more competent men under
tn natronage system: that they
would do the work in less time, FEWER
would have to be employed. win
consequent saving to the taxpayer
s.., ~ Argument Against IL.
Representative Williams again en-
nhasized that Washington is one OF the
most economically and best governed
cities in the United States-in every
way." He said there is no civil service
here for District employees, but civii
service elsewhere for municipal enf-
ployes seems to argue against clNii
service system rather than in favor Of
it
Representative Gould interjected that
| under the proposed civil service
might require more employees. Suppose
that they all slow down after they get
their jobs cinched."
Representative Tlnkham repnedi
Il consider Washington very extraN-
agantly rum" and he attributed ii to
system. Immediately several MEM
hers challenged his statement. includ-
ing Representatives Benson, Williams.
Murphy and Gould
Representative Woods SAID that oA
a 50 rate of taxation here, lnciudlnS
both the federal government and DIS
trict taxpayers contribution, there rs
an economically and well conducted
city. In contrast. he pointed out. that
the rate in Baltimore is S2.91. and IN
Boston $3.50, by Mr.. Tinkham's own
testimony.
REPRESENTATIVE Tinkham explained
that while a member of the House
District committee he had made
close study of municipal finances and
Thought that Washington and Boston
were on parity ana potn eAtraNa-
gantly conducted.
Representative Benson. who comes
from Baltimore, pointed out that
Washington's total cost both to the
federal government and District tax
payers is only at the rate OF - per
81 900 and that Washington pays as
il goes while Boston is running up
a heavy debt.
Would Affect 5000 Persons.
REPRESENTATIVE Tinkham said thai
his bill was drawn by the Civil SER
ice Commission. He estimated that ..
would affect about 5000 persons.
There. were only two votes in favor
of continuing consideration of the
Tinkham bill-Representative Mapes
and Representative Drain. Members
of the committee said they thought
they had given it very kind treat
ment" when Representative Drain
commented that he would have voted
against the proposition, too. only he
did not feel like being unkind TO Rem
resentative Tinkham when the propo-
sition was put to Indefinitely post