Evening star., 1921-12-11
u. S. EMPLOYMENT
/. AS MODEL SOUGHT
i - NV
Civil Service Report Shows
Need of lust Pay and Pro-
/ motion by Merit.
MUST ATTRACT WORKERS
Commission Proposes to Establish
Careers Comparable With Out.
side Industry.

Adoption by the government of an
employment system which should
serve as a model for private business,
and passage of legislation to reclass-
ify. government salaries on the basis
of work performed. are recommended
in the thirty-eighth annual report of
the Civil Service Commission, made
t. the President today.
IF the public is to become q model
employer. it must obviously <stab-
Iish an effective employment SYSTEM
declares the report. ''Ths federal
government, being the largest en-
ployer, has an especial opportunity
for dealing in an advanced way with
the employment problem.
Its working force ranges from
mere unsk illed laborers to admins
tiators clothed with large powers and
responsibilities. and technical experts
of the highest professional training.
1t is of vital Importance to the sue
cessful management of the federal
should be given to paying employees
justly. promoting them upon merit
and establishing career comparable
with outside industry.
Personnel Management.
.-"ReclaSSification problems should
not be left to separate agencies or to
voluntary attention by a multitude of
commercial world the efficient utili-
zation of the operating and managing
forces is regarded as vital. and per-
sonnel management has a place or
commanding Importance.
Government work no longer at
fro 0tc hos or q ~ schools
The number of graduates of higher
institutions applying for examina-
ton has fallen off greatly. and some
Sf the schools report that they ad-
Use their graduates to keep out OF the
government service. The reasons
given are inadequate compensation,
lack of recognition of individual work,
testricted freedom of action, and the
Hck of opportunity for merited .id-
Vancement. In forty or more letters
teceived from presidents and other
officers of universities, it is stated
Slat employment by the government
d not attractive to their graduates"
The commission is strongly in favor
of the reclassificatiOn of government
salaries on the basis of duties. de.
claring: The salary classification OF
the civil service adopted in 1853,
which still exists except in the postal
branches, is long out of date and
bears little relation to present condi-
t3onS of employment, cost OF living
and prevailing rates in private busl-
Ness. The Importance of standard!zlng
nay on the basis of duties may be
Seen from the fact that the annual
government expenditures have
amounted to over $4,000, 100000. and
Ihe pay roll of the executive civil
Service to $67s.217,79S. of which more
than s1Oo,ooo,oO is paid to employees
1T Washington
+; Need of New system.
The commission expresses the view
plat a new system of classification
based on duties 'is necessary I'd en-
sources of labor supply. to improve
Examinations and tests SO as to
1hea sure more accurately the potential
ablity of applicants for the perform
Evolved. and to enable the com.
mission to follow up the results Of
rs examinations to determine their
1alue in terms of actual performance
1f appointees on the job"
The civil service of the United
than 100000 employees since the sign.
ing of the armistice, and about $4,000
Veterans of the world war have been
employed under recent preference
laws. according to the report. 1t rec
ommends the extension Of the COM
petitive examination system to most
of the positions now filled through
nomination by the President for con-
frmation by the Senate.
The report shows that during the
fiscal year 303,309 persons were given
Examinations under the civil service
law and rules, of whom 3,209 at
rained eligible ratings and 101,111
Eeceived appointment.
1t is stated that on July 81, 1891,
there were 1855 federal civil en-
ployes in the District of Columbia
and s1s.617 outside the District Of
eefUmbfs-making total in the en-
GH&iTit s&faice of 597,482. as against
AN9 axstte Disrr;c. Of Columbia and
4sS. .5ss o6sssde the District Of Co.
Iumbia. making total Of 4ss:7ss
117.76O in ,the District of Columbia
and s1N,SUo outside the District Of
Columbia, making a total OF 917,76O
on NnGerSbSr IL, 1918, the height of
the var expansion.
r. Reduction Of Expenses.
i: In discussing it's needs for the
future, the commission says that 1t
lis sqaafaly' in line with the policy
Of reducing the expenses of govern
ment," but points it has not even
been provided with funds sufficient
10 carry on the work 1t is now doing.
n has TO. borrow about 200 employees
from other, parts of the federal gov
ernmert
!; "One of the first and most impor-
tapt needs of the commission" 1t
salaries to enable it to employ under
its jurisdiction the entire force
Necessary to carry on its present
work."