Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-07
Jobs NOW OUTSIDE
OF CIVIL SERVICE
Executive Order Relates to
Deputy Commissioners OF
j. Internal Revenue.

Deputy commissioners of internal
revenue, five in number. have been
placed outside of the protection OF
tho civil service laws, in accordance
with an executive order signed by
President Harding. it became known
today. The action was taken on the
recommendation of Commissioner Da-
vid H. Blair of the internal revenue
bureau, the commissioner said.
These offices were all formerly under
the civil service. but shortly after the
present commissioner entered once ne
SAL that 1t was not possible 10 get
properly equipped persons to NIL these
positions by taking them from the
civil service lists. He informed the
President. he said, that he believed II
was necessary to remove these omces
from the provisions of the civil serv-
ice statutes in order to get fully
qualified men to fill the positions For
instance, he said. he believed it neces-
sary to get a probate judge for the
estate tax division.
Commissioner Blair cited this posi-
ton in particular and said that he
had selected Judge Mckenzie Moss
for this position and he was appointed
on February 4, 1922.
Two Had Civil Service Status.
OF the five deputy commissioners OF
internal revenue only two had civil
service status at the time of appoint
ment. They are A. c. Holden. ap-
pointed March 4. 1922, and +. II. Bat
son. appointed June ]. 1921. Commits
sioner Blair said that 1t was not his
intention to disturb these men.
The two deputy commissioners who
did not have civil service status al
the time of appointment and were
selected subsequent to the issuance OF
the executive order removing the posi-
'tions from the protection of the civi
service were Judge Moss and A. d
Sumner. Francis G. Matson. the third
one. was appointed June 10. 1921, be
fore the issuance of the order by the
President. He did not have civil
service status, at the time of appoint
nent, and the executive order was Is
sued some months subsequent to his
appointment.
Senator King of Utah. democrat. has
been making some inquiry into the
action in removing the FIVE deputy
the civil service. He plans to make ar
attack on the order on the floor OF
the Senate, he said.
Officials of the internal revenue bu-
reau have been preparing data to
show justification for the removal OF
these positions from the civil service
They issued yesterday bound copies OF
letters between the civil service com
mission and the Secretary OF the
Treasury. and between the commits
the question of exempting the posi-
tions.
Letter From Commission.
The commissions letter to the Sec
rotary of the Treasury said that the
positions had formerly been consid
cred as outside of the civil service
land it is only because of absence
of language excepting the positions
in the recent statute that the posi-
tions are now in the civil service
system The commission did con-
cur in the issuance of the executive
order.
Internal revenue bureau officials
all deny that the removal of these
positions from the civil service is the
beginning of a move to reorganizt
the bureau of internal revenue or te
Secretary Mellon yesterday issuee
a notice to all officers and other en-
ployes- Of the bureau as follows:
my attention has been called tt
the reports which have bAen appear
ing the press predicting genera
reorganization of the bureau of in
ternal revenue and the removal o.
certain officers and heads of divisions
These reports do not emanate
from any official source and are alb
solutely without foundation. Nc
such reorganization is now nor has
been at any time contemplated 1t is
my desire. however. that the eff
, maintained at the highest possible
standard, and with that end in view
l shall expect every employee of the
bureau to give the commissioner and
his deputies their loyal support and
complete co-operation."