The Washington times., 1922-04-17
MEET InGS|
I D ST ART
APRIL Il.
Report on Bureau Nearly
Ready Irregularities in Pur-
chasing Are Rumored.

Despairing of getting any sat
ssfactory action out Of the Re-
publican Administration as to the
status of the 81 900 Governmental
civil service workers in Washing
ton, q national conference has
been called by the National Civil
Service Reform League to fight
the 'junking" of the merit sys-
tenn.
Conference Meets April "a.
The conference has been called TO
meet on April "a, at which time II Is
expected that the report of the Blu
reau of Engraving and Printing will
have been made public.
As She probe OF the bureau drew 10
o close today, reports were current
thas serious Irregularities and q
waste OF public funds had been found
In the purchase OF supplies.
One item. IL is declared, was $780,.
900 for zinc vats, of special design.
for use in the engraving process.
which, after being bought and paid
for. had to be Junked. the total loss
being on the Government.
Accounting experts and efficiency
engineers. IL is known. have carefully
gone over the records of the supply
division of the bureau. dating back
for several years, TO find evidence of
overpayment for paper and other
stocks. or for evidence of possible col
fusion between bureau employees and
outside concerns.
Report to Be Ready Soon
1t was said today that the report
of the inquiry may be ready for Sec
retary of Treasury Mellon within a
few days. Soon after II is placed I'm
his hands II will be carried at once
TO the President.
Just what win be revealed In the
report, IT is not now known, but ru-
mors have IL that the Treasury com
mittee has discovered a mass of evil
dence TO support the charges Of gross
inefficiency, which, IL is declared, will
be preferred against the dismissed
employees as justification for the ad-
ministration's action. as yet unex-
planned. In sumnarily dismissinK the
civil service employees.
The purpose of the National C1vfl
Service Reform League conference
II to seek Justice for the Govern
ment employees under the civil ser
vice" II was announced. Thee call, /
issued by Acting President william
Dudley Foulke, former Civil Service
Commissioner under President Roose-
welt, announced that the conference
would be held TO consider various
questions which have recently come
TO public attention In the Admins
tration of civil service laws"
Politics. injected by the Repub-
iican Administration" Il is declared,
-
grave apprehension is felt for the
Jobs of the thousands of clerks in
Washington and Governmental OF.
fices outside of Washington.
Sec Spoils System Return
League and union officials declare
that II ss the rreturnp of the spoils
system. with all the iniquitics OF po-
htical preferment."
In issuing the call, no immediate
reference is made to the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing affair. and
the league officials make it plain
that they are not seeking the re-
inst ~srnent of any of the dismissed
principles OF the civil service as
granted the Governmental employees
who do their work wen and faith
fully"
The leagues announcement says
that the purpose of the conference
10 to consider various questions in
volved in the administration of the
civil service laws which have re-
Gently come to public attention"
The call was addressed TO .'ail
organizations and individuals in
terested in the merit system and
who believe that both appointment
and retention In civil service posi-.
tione. the duties OF which do not
include the actual determining of
broad questions of policy, should
depend wholly upon the merit and
fitness OF the officers or employees,
and not at all upon their political
opinions or service"
Efforts of the Federal Employees
Union to obtain some sort Of assur-
snce from the President .as to the
security OF Civil Service employees
"from plum picking Congresspnan,' %
II is declared. resulted in nothing
tangible.
The only answer to an official pro