Evening star., 1921-05-26
VIEWS Of CABINET
ON RECLASS|FY|NG
GIVEN COMMITTEES
Secretary Davis Says Reform
Is Hampered by Pres
ent System.
PRINCIPLES SUGGESTED
BY SECRETARY HUGHES
Testimony Resumed by Representa-
tlves Of Federal Employes-Plea
Made for Fireboat Crew.


Made for Fireboat Crew.
The speedy initiation of reforms i,
the Department of Labor, in accord
"hce with the ideas of the new Sec
retary of Labor. Mr.. Davis. has been
made impossible because many of the.
important and responsible Offices under
the department are covered bv the
classified civil service, according to
letter written by Secretary Davis
10 Representative Woods. Mr. Woods
iaid the letter. with others from heads
or departments, before the Joint meet
ing OF the civil service committees Of
today.
Secretary Davis contention was that
a department head should have more
freedom in selecting his subordinates
TO occupy positions OF responsibility
il he is to be able to carry out effec-
lively his policy.
Mr.. Woods submits Letters.
Representative Woods, co-author
with Senator Smoot of the Smoot-
woods bill. criticised certain feat
ures of the Lehlbach and Sterling
bills. particularly the power given to
the classifying agency under the
Sterling bill. which he suggested
so far as il attempted to delegate
powers in Congress. Mr. Woods in
sisted that no authority subordinate
to the President should have the pow
er which il is proposed by the Sterl-
ing bill to place in the hands of tn.
classifying and allocating agencies.
The bureau of efficiency. Mr.. Woods
said. was partly responsible for the
Snloot Woods bill. This bureau. he
said, has made survey of the vari
@
in mind. and its recommendations
should carry weight. Mr.. Woods sub
mitted to the committee letters which
he had received from various mem
bcrS of the cabinet and other gov
ernment officials commenting upon
the Moods bill and recla ssltica-
ton legislation in general.
SusEestion by Secretary Hughes.
Among them was a letter from
Secretary Hughes of the State De-
partment. While Mr.. Hughes said
that he had not been able to give the
matter sufficient study to determine
v hich of the reclassification bills was
the best he suggested a number OF
principles which should govern re-
classification. as follows.
A series of distinctive classes based
on grade of work and compensation
which each grade appeared to merit
4 minimum number of classes in
order that the ALLEGATION Of personnel
may be made without undue d d'fficulty.
Readjustment by the President of
reclasS:fication from time to time as
needs of the service may require. sub
ject to definite principles prescribed
by law.
Salaries sHficient to attract and
hold persons of ability.
Promotions based upon experience
acquired and continued evidence of
efficient performance of duty.
Uniformity of administration by the
several executive departments by
providing for an independent super
vision by the President through some
designated agency.
Views Of Other Cabinet Members.
Secretary Hoover. in letter to Mr..
Woods, said that the Smoot-Woods
bill appeared to be workable as to
classification. He said that the allo-
cation of the employees in the Smoot-
Woods bill was left to the heads of
departments instead of an outside
agency This. he said. is most desir-
able. The salary ranges of the Dill,
he said seemed to be fair.
Secretary Weeks of the War De-
partment. writing to Mr.. Woods. ex-
pressed himself as heartily in favor
of reclassfication to bring about far
and equitable pay. The Smoot-Woods
bill, he said. appeared to accomplish
this Secretary Weeks mentioned two
important points-to limit the number
of designations of classes or grades
and to have minimum and maximum
salaries in each grade.
He said that very important point
in reclassification is the determination
of the agency which is to be charged
ha of rD-OrdinatlnT among
the several departments the appilca-
ton of salary schedules. This, he said
is a function of the executive power
and properly in the hands of the Presi-
dent. who may choose the lnstru-
mentality to carry it into effect. Mr..
Weeks said that it seemed to him ad-
visable to have this agency entirely
independent of the executive depart
mentS.
The classified service. Secretary
Davis of the Department of Labor
wrote to MIR. Woods. seemed to HIM to
embrace too large a percentage OF all
the personnel of the departments.
From present experience" said Mr..
Davis Il am inclined to the opinion
that as responsibility and discretionary
mowers of a position increase there
should be less of the classified service.
find that all of the assistants to heads
of bureaus and chiefs of the divisions
are under civil service"
smoot-Woods Bill Preferred.
Director S. w. Stratton of the
bureau of standards in a letter to Mr..
Woods said that after an examination
of the various reclassification bills
by a committee the bureau considers
the Smoot-Woods bill to meet the
need of the service best. He said
that the bill lays down merely the
principles to be followed.
and leaves the arrangement of de-
tails to the executive and that this
was advisable. DR.. Stratton said that
bills demonstrated the increased cost
for scientific. technical and sub
positions would be as
follows: In the Lehlbach bill IS
per cent. in the Sterling bill f7.5
per cent and in the Smoot-Woods bill
p per cent. Director Stratton also
sent to Mr. Woods a report on the
bills adopted by the
ate DIR. +. B. Rosa, a member of the
bureau committee. which was found
On his desk May Il, the date of DR..
RoSa'S death.
More Pay Desired.
Carl IIadau of the appraisers divi-
sion in the United States customs Serv-
ce in Boston, representing Federal
Employees Union. No. %, appeared be-
fore the committee and strongly urged
hat the employees Of the customs s,rv-
zee be given more adequate pay. He
pointed out that the customs eNamin-
.rs, pass upon millions of dollars
worth of imported goods. have great
and must have a wide