Evening star., 1920-02-07
DOUBT # CONGRESS
WILL GRANT ALL
RECLASS|F|ERS ASK
Believed That Funds Will Not
Be Appropriated for
Greater Commission.

Doubt was expressed today IL the
Civil Service Commission/ ever will be
given by Congress the extended powers
which it has been intimated tho report
OF the joint congressional commission on
reclassif1cation of salaries in the District
will ask for the civil service body
Although it is generally conceded that
the Civil Service Commission complete
control Of all matters appertaining to
the federal employees. including the ques-
tions OF promotion. are entirely logical.
1t is believed that Congress will not ap-
propriate the money necessary.
An official of the civil service body
today stated 1t as his opinion that he
did not look for all that the reclassi-
fication commission has indicated 1t
would ask for the former body for
the simple reason that he did not be-
lieve Congress would grant the funds
necessary to carry on the work.
Commission Too Small.
The Civil Service Commission as at
present constituted is entirely too
small in personnel, equipment and
money to even begin to carry on the
work which it has been proposed it
would do under reclassifcation.
To properly function under the pro-
posed plans the Civil Service Com
mission would have to be made into
one of the very largest of the inde-
pendent establishments of the gov
ernment here.
This would mean a lot of money,
and when the show down would
come in Congress there is great like
lihood. 1t is held. that a pretty fight
would ensue, with the greatest possi-
bility resting in Congress refusing to
come across" with the money needed.
1t is even limited that some men,
bers Of Congress feel that the Civil
Service Commission has too much
power now. Under reclassihcation
plans proposed the commission would
be largely broadened.
Will be "ContinuinE Body
The reclassifcation commission has
announced that the Civil Service Com
mission will be looked to as the "con-
tinuing body" which will carry the
work of reciassification on after the
joint commission has ceased it's labors,
following its report to Congress
Under reclassihcation the Civil Serv-
ice Commission would take up its
work with the federal employees at
the point where it now leaves Off
after the entrance examination. The
commission would continue to act as
the clerks best friend. Having given
him an examination to secure the job.
sion would give him other examina-
tions for advancement.
This system of promotions from
class to class by examinations only
could be carried out by the Civil
Service Commission through a great
expansion of it's personnel and own
pay roll.
1t has been proposed that there
be established in each government de-
perhaps in each bureau.
representative of tho Civil Service
Commission. to act as mediator be-
tween the man and the department
he works for. Perhaps a system will
be evolved whereby some employe of
the bureau will act as the representa-
tive of the Civil Service Commission.
These agents of the commission
throughout the departments would be
essential in carrying into effect q
proposed court of last resort" q tri-
bunal to which employees of the gov
ernment might have recourse in all
matters Of complaint.
Another feature of increased work
by the commission would be attention
to all sorts of working conditions in
the various departments. Complaints
made to tho reclassification commits
sion at the hearings held last year
showed that many employees. especial
ly the women, are not entirely satis-
ned with the surroundings and condi-
tions, under which they work each
day.