The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-20
Woman's Bureau Studies Women's
Jobs In Civil Service Bureaus

Washington Women were barred
from 60 per cent of the government
positions for which examinations
were held IN the first SIX months Of
1919, according t. an official report
made public today by the Woman's
Bureau of the United States De
part of Labor This statement COW
ers examinations for 2no different
types of positions. exclusive OF
manufacturing and mechanical
POSITIONS in the ordnance factories,
Guartermaster depots and navy
yards, and exclusive of unSkilled la
Dor.
According to the report women
were not allowed to compete for 10
per cent of the clerical positions
The complete report which Will
be made within q few weeks, 1t is
stated by Miss Mary Anderson, di-
rector OF the Wopan's Bureau, COW
ers Investigations which have been
in progress for month past, and
are being extended in response to a
request from the National Federa-
ton Of federal employees in a reso-
luton adopted al the recent con
vent!on of the federation at San
Francisco, calling upon the We
mans bureau to make a thorough
study of all the conditions of en-
ployment of women in the federal
civil service, especially with refer
enCe to the disparity between w0-
mems opportunities for apportion-
ments
The second and larger section of
the report viii consist of N
analysis of the salary scale Of
women in the government service.
the requirements Of the positions
theY I'll. and the specific inequati-
in the pay they receive.
Miss Anderson announces that the
reporJ viii be placed at the service
of the reclaSsIflcation commission
Tor the ciFil service, for the especial
Use of It's advisory committees on
policies and wages
Although from the civil service
law N 1870 has sprung the Gus
tom Of opening examinations or
closing them TO either sex at the
there is neither rule nor
law for such action, the report
states The 1870 statute reads;
See 1865 Women may In the dis
erection Of the head of any depart
mcnt, he appointed 10 any OF the
clerkShipS theron authorized hH
l4w. nnon the same requisites and
conditions and with he same com
renSa9on as are prescribed for
men. r. ) act Of July 2, lS70l
The civil service rule requires that
certIficat4uns shall be made with
out regard "a sex unless sex IS
specified IN the request
Commission I~e~ Register.
II Is the practice Of the civil
service commission however. as IN
dicated by a clause in all exam1na-
tion announcements 70 use the
res isters from special examinations
TO FIJI vacancies in this and other
positions requiring similar qualiti-
cations in the departmental service
as they may from time TO time oc-
cur" Therefore. the report points
cut.
Barring women or men from
any examination bars them not only
from the special occupation for
" Inch the examination is given but
from an kindred occupations All
other bureaus which may require
services Of the same or like qualities
as those specified IN the eXamina-
ton are confined TO 4 register made
up exclusively of one sex when he
opposite sex might be as acceptable
Or preferable er they rnust ask for
a speeial examination in which no
sex line Is drawn. or they must seek
the woman or man desired amon&
those already in the government
services The bureau asking for he
examination In the FIRST instance,
may. without question require the
services Of men only or women
only. but by closing the eXawlra
tiur1 to either sex all other bureaus
are Restricted N the choice 1T