Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-01-27
CHIEFS OF BIG Us.
BUREAUSAPUzzLE
FOR RECLASS|F|ERS
Debate Whether to Include
Them, Although Question
naireS Submitted.
"ResOIved. That chiefs of large
bureaus I'm large government de-
partments he included under re-
rIassihratiOn."

Fate of the positions of commits
sioncr of patents. commissioner of
pensions. first assistant ostma ST u r
general and other similar positions
in the government service here de
ponds upon the result Of the debat Q
OF the above proposition by the joint
congressional commission on reclls-
sification of salaries in the District
today.
Although the Reconsideration com
mission holds the QucSIIOnnairrS
filled out by the various chiefs of hig
bureaus. no decision has ever beer
made as to whether Inc positions
shall be included in thu r@classitica-
ton of government employees or
whether the positions concerned
fication. as have been tha members
of the cabinet and the District Com
miSSioneTS.
Arguments Considered.
Two main arguments were consid-
cred by the Redistribution commits
sioners in their attempt 20 solve one
of the most knOtty and what is con-
sidered as one of the most vital
questions which they have faced to
date in their work
Cabinet officers should have n free
hand in picking the heads of the
various bureaus with whom they
shall have to work during their term
oSition Of excluding the bureau
chiefs from Reconsideration argued
These positions should be CLASH
fled under the civil service, along with
the other 107,0O0 employees. in order
that "A great line of promot on for am
bilious workers might not be broken.
argued those in favor of classification
of the bureau heads.
These two main lines of argument
both regarded as very strong, brought
the Redistribution commission face
to face with problem that seemed to
strike at the very root of reclass flea
tion itself and extend into the future
of the government worker here to an
amazing degree.
There is quite respectable sized
list of positions in the government
service which are of this Gebatable
nature, ii is pointed out. Besides the
positions named all the assistant sec
retarles of departments come under
the list The commission already has
excluded from Redistribution the
heads of executive departments OF
other Independent government estab-
Gshments- Thus. the librarian oil
Congress does not come under re-
classification. nor the public printer
But the commissioner of pensions
reports to the Secretary of the Inter
ior-should his position be include ed
under Redistribution?
If these heads of large bureaus un-
der large departments, and the as
siStant secretaries. all commonly ap-
pointed by the cabinet heads are in
Guided under Redistribution. it is ar
gued, the line of promotion in the
government service will be extended
10 take in some OF the best positions.
and this great ambition will be held
open to the humble employee who
comes into the service
The reclassification commission has
n E1..H
motions ION class 10 class. TO be =
cided upon by examinations to be
given by the Civil Service Commits
sion. y system of periodic eff
cheney increases within classes will
be Incorporated into the plan.
Thus the whole aim will be to make
the line of promotion clear to the en-
ploye, and if he has the ambition and
the ability he may reach the coveted
goal. Inclusion of the debated posi-
lions under Reconsideration would
give the employe goal. indeed, il is
held.
on the other hand. it has been gen.
orally regarded that the executive
head of a federal department must
have free hand in the selection OF
the higher officials with whom he is
to work Under this ''unwritten law
it has been the custom for the head
OF a department to reach down into
the ranks and pick out men he thinks
can do the work and work well with
him.
Thus employees are secured from the
regular evil service and given a
high position. but their RI ting under
civil service remains the same. If q
change of administration comes along
IL has been the custom for these Off
Gals to get out Of the government
service rather than so back to the
position they held in the service be
fore they were singled out by the
Secretary for one of his lieutenants.
Under the proposition to include
such positions in reclassiication the
holders of such positions would moi
be at the mercy of change of admin
istrations. but would hold their posi-
tons despite the Change of time anC
tide"
That this would tie the hands ot
executive heads is admitted The
whole problem is large one. and de-
mands the most minute consideration
before final decision is made upon it.