Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-27
URGES MERIT PLAN
FOR D. c. EMPLOYEES
Representative Tinkham's
Bill Applies General Civil
Service Law to Jobs.
OTHER LOCAL MEASURES

fTOVlSlOT IOF d civil SeFNiCe IelOI III al
fecting the employees of the District
government is provided in a bill intro
duced today by Representative George
Holden Tinkham of Massachusetts, who
during the last Congress was member
Of the House District committee. es-
pecially active in urging measures for
the improvement and upbuilding Of the
Nationa: Capital, and who is now
member Of the subcommittee In charge
of District appropriations.
This is the fourth important measure
of big interest to Washington which
Representative Tinkham has reintro-
duced in this session. The others are:
An appropriation of $685. for the
erection of home for feeble minded.
A bill calling for corrected juvenile
as a model for the whole country. and
treat the young culprit, not as crimi-
nal; but as a ward of the nation.
Provision that in the extension of
streets and alleys in the District no
benefit shall be assessed and collected
street is actually opened.
These bills all carry the approval of
the District Commissioners and of or
CARNATIONS which are particularly in
terested in such matters.
Carries Presidents Endorsement.
The District civil service reform
bill also carries the Endorsement of
President Wilson, of members Of the
Civil Service Commission and of Rich
ard H Dana, president of the National
Civil Service Reform League.
In the last Congress Commissioners
Brownlow and Kutz spoke in favor of
the Tinkham bill at hearing before
the House subcommittee. This bill
proposes ito regulate appointments
and promotions in the municipal gov
eminent of the District. The meas
ure, If enacted, will have this effect:
The general civil service Jaw would
be applied to the employment places
under the District government. but
applications for examinations would
not be taken from localities outside
of the District. Several OF the cru
zens' associations appeared at the
hearing in approval of the measure.
Many Use Merit System.
"rhe question Of application Of the
slnsEls sxsts9 81, ,te mus sss eas
by It's adoption in more than zoo cities.
counties and villages ana ny do1en
|s|ee RfsIsb s. s. 81
The District Of Columbia, who number
nearly 10000. constitute one OF the
Uncle Sans pay roll who are left OUT
side the civil service law.
1.-THE pressure for patronage works
a hardship ON the residents OF the Dis
trict. A merit system of appointment
is applied to every city in the country
nayinE larger rye b popnlaf,toa d tnan
missioners and Civil Service, Commits
sion believe that employees of the Cap
ital city should be appointed under
such a system. especially because OF
the non-partisan character Of the mu-
nicipality and its purely administra-
tive nature"
Child in Court Not a Criminal.
Regarding the Juvenile Court bill
Representative Tinkham says: MY
proposal rests upon a broad and
humane theory dramatically opposed
to the present law. 1t enunctates tire
generous and elementary principle that
the child who finds its way into the
nation, whose individual welfare CO
incides with the wellbeing OF the
state.
District under the present law relat-
ing to Juveniles have judgments or
convictions of crime entered against
them, and are thereby disqualined
from Jury duty, from holding office
or from entering the public service:
These children should be emanci-
pated from these disabilities"
In regard to street and alley assess
ments Representative Tinkham said that
under the present arrangements assess
ments against property owners are made
before the street Is opened and that they
are obliged to pay in anticipation of
benefits for which they have had to
wait for several years. He had been
promised the support of the Board Of
Trade and of the real estate interests
in urging the bill for quick action at
III Qoaainn