Evening star., 1919-11-15
MERIT PROMOTION
SYSTEM FAVORED
FORU. s. WORKERS
Advisory Committee Decides
on Policy for Advancing
Federal Employees.

Establishment of a system of merit
promotions from one class to another
in the government service was decided
upon today by the advisory committee
on employment policy of the joint
congressional commission on reclassi-
fication of salaries in the District.
This policy will mean. If finally
adopted by the reclassifcation COM
mission end favorably acted upon by
Congreak that henceforth promotions
in the federal service here will come
from Within the; seryice itself. This
the omnittee believes should prove
the greatest OF all incentives for gov
ernnent clerks.
Tests, under Civil Service Commits
sion auspices. will be given to the en-
ployes-in any class of work, according
to the plan, to find out the fitness of
the worker for advancement to the
next higher class. Advancement from
one class of positions to another class
will mean that the successful candi-
date will assume higher duties and re-
sponsibilities and receive higher pay
Opportunity to Advance.
The object of the tests will be to
make certain that the employe has
the proper qualifications to adequate
ly fill the new job. 1t is only fair, ac-
cording to the crystallized sentiment
of the members of the advisory COM
mittee on wage policy. that the peo-
pie now in the government service be
given every opportunity for advance
ment.
The right is withheld for the gov
ernment to give the regular civil
service examinations to outsiders il
the already established personnel
cannot produce the man or woman to
fill the job. This right is funda-
mental, it is held, based upon the
theory. generally agreed to by admin
istrators. employees and representa-
tives of the public, that "the good of
the service" is the big thing for all to
consider.
Departmental lines will be broken
down in this respect, and promotions
will be made from class to class, re-
gardless of departmental lines. The
exact nature of the tests to be given
for advancement has not been settled
upon, but it is regarded as highly
probable that they will be much in
the nature Of present civil service ex-
aminations.
Present plans consider the holding
of the tests under auspices of the
Civil Service Commission. Instead
of holding nationwide examinations
for senior clerk, for instance, exam
nations will be held here in Wash
ington Tor junior clerks now in the
service.
Qualify for Position.
The clerk-man or woman-who
could successfully pass the REQUIRED
examination and prove to the govern
ment that he had the qualifications to
assume the higher duties and respon-
sibilities Of the position he wanted
would get the job.
Under this system Of merit promo
tion the man in the service would get
the first chance to get the iob. Then
if no successful candidates were n, TO-
be had, the government, through the
Civil Service Commission, would go
outside the service to get new work
ers.
THE good of the service" REQUIRES.
it is held, that some system be de-
in one line of work will be utilized
in higher classes of the same work.
Experience in any one class of work
would give an employe opportunity to
qualify, after lapse of time, for
work in the next higher grade.
While every opportunity would be
given federal employees to utilize their
experience gained in the same line of
work, there is held to be no reason
why he should not. il he can do IT.
take an examination or test for some
other, class Of work.
More Adequate Terms Substituted.
It is liable that all present termin.
ology in use in the government sery-
ice, as respects FIRST and second grade
clerks will be junked and more
adequate terms be substituted, as, in
deed, has already been done by the
reclassiflcation commission in It's
drawing up of "class specifications"
1t is believed that numerical desig.
nations make for a mechanical dis
tinction which does not, in fact, ex-.
list, and that such terms as Junior
and SENIOR" for instance, more near
ly approximate the true situation!
Questions of the establishment of
a government training for clerks in
probationary periods; the question of
annual and sick leave, their proper use
and possible disabuse, are being con-
sidered at the meeting of the ad-
visory. commission on employment
policy this afternoon. Decision has
not yet been reached upon these Ques-