Evening star., 1920-06-13
Cabinet MEMBERS
| BAR SPEEcHESO
.REcLASS|F|CAT|ON
Secretaries Houston and
Meredith Refuse Re-
quest of Conference.

Inc Joint conference on reclassifl-
cation of federal employees has met
a stumbling block in it's proposed ed
ucational campaign among federal
workers in Washington.
Secretary of the Treasury Houston
ana secretary of Agriculture Mere
dlth have refused request of the
conference to hold meetings of en-
proves within the government build
ihgs. at which ten minute men" were
to address the workers on the bene-
HciaI results of reclassiflcation and
explain to them its purpose.
Inc refusals were received in re-
Ply to Letters sent by the conference
May u To cabinet members, request
Ing their cooperation in campaign
TO teach government workers the ad
vantages; to be received by a reclas-
sificatfon system. and to gather data
among the departments for preSenta-
tion to Congress when II reconvenes
in December. In the letter it was sug-
Resfed that an excellent means to-
ward the education of the employees
would consist in meetings at which
different phases of the SYSTEM would
De explained by volunteer speakers.
faefusaIs Explained.
Although all the departments have
not been heard from, the refusals
from the Secretary of the Treasury
and the Secretary of Agriculture are
the first received. Other departments
have granted the commissions re-
quest and others probably will be
heard from within a short time.
Explaining their refusals to allow
the meetings of the employees within
the buildings, both cabinet members
suggested That although they were in
hearty accord with the principle of
reclassiflcafion, the matter now was
before Congress and it might be un-
fortunately construed as an effort to
influence that body, if the requests
were granted
Arrangements have been made
whereby the employees in the Treasury
and the department of Agriculture
will be assembled elsewhere and
speakers provided for them. Mem
bers of the joint commission are going
steadily forward with their plans.
GratifIed by G. o. T. Plank.
At the weekly meeting the con-
ference held last night in its rooms
at 1923 New York avenue. the fol-
lowing statement was authorized:
THE joint conference on .reclassif1-
/, cation is gratified by the plank in the
republican platform which expresses
approval of the work of the reclasSi-
fication commission. While not stated
in the positive and direct terms that
we would prefer, yet it contains suff1-
cient evidence to justify the view that
the proper committee OF congress
when it reconvenes, will Immediately
cation commission with a. view to the
enactment of-its principles into law
in view of the fact that some off,
GERS of the departmental service have
begun to make practical appifcatlon
of the classification to their person.
nel in so far as it can be done. under
existing conditions. and that other
officers may proceed to do likewise,
the joint conference desires to place
its services at the disposal OF any
such office to the extent that IT can
be of assistance.
"The conference has in its member.
ship some of the detailed staff OF the
reclassification commission. ana II
also is in 'efese touch with the reclas-
sincation society which Is, composed
Of former members Of that staff.
Some Oppositfon Develops
"rhe conference will be glad, on
request of representatives of any Of
fice. to arrange interviews with the
former members of the stan OF the
reclassiication commission who are
most familiar with any particular
phase of the classification of the OF
fce"
Such interviews would be OF mate
rial benefit, It. is stated. in offices
where the advfsability of reclassifying
the workers is under consideration.
1t has developed that there is some
opposition to the work of the confer
ence on the ground that it is unnec-
essary.
In replying. to this charge the con-
ference cites the case of an adminis~s
trative official, who, when approached
on the subject of reclassification, re-
eponded by saying: II
well, what is this reclassification?
] don't know anything about it."
In conclusion, the statement says
that ''it is believed that an ef-
fort to awaken interest in this con-
structive legislation is not repre-
hensible. but, on the contrary. that
it is duty incumbent on every per-
son who desires to advance the ad-
ministration of the affairs of the gov