New Britain herald., 1922-12-07
REPEAL OF
 PREFERENCE RULES
Civil Service Reform Would Not
 Give Vets First Choice

|
 sitions under the federal govern
 ment is made in the report of tho
 Council of the National Civil Service
 Reform League, submitted today n,
 the opening session of the league.
 forty-second annual convention.
 The report also demands that po-
 litical appointments of postmasters
 and "spoils appointments" of prohi-
 bition agents, declared to have re-
 suited in nationwide scandal. be
 terminated by placing enforcement,
 officials under civil service rules and
 requiring selection as postmasters of
 persons standing highest on the clig-
 ible lists established by the United
 States civil service commission.
 The relative ability and capacity of veterans appointed to federal office under the various preference laws is shown by the results of competitive examinations, the report states, to be far below that of other non-veterans on the eligible lists. The minimum passing mark for veterans under the laws the League wishes repealed is five points less than for non-veter- ans.
 "A veteran who is worth his salt will want to stand on his own feet and not be dependent on special favors for his future existence" the | report says Tt is only the dere- licts and mediocre veterans who will seek the advantage of the preference given. The preference law was never justified. It's repeal is inn perative."
 Numerous scandals, which, the council of the league says, are direct ly traceable to the appointment of political henchmen" to enforce the prohibition laws, are cited in the re- port.
 Under the republican administra- tion," it is stated, appointments have been dictated in large measure by the republican leaders in the various states, as they were by democratic leaders during the democratic admin istration."
 Republican politicians who have been indicted by federal grand juries for violations of the Volstead Act are listed in the report.
 Placing the vast crops of federal agents employed to enforce the act in the competitive classified service, the report asserts, is the first essential to adequate enforcement of the law"
 Condemn F. o. Dept.
 The post office department is se- verely condemned by the report for seeking the recommendations of con gressmen as to which of the three | candidates passing civil service exam nations with the highest ratings shall be selected for postmasterships in their districts Under President Hardings order modifying the Wilson order on presidential postmasters, which is characterized as distinct concession to the demands of con- gress for spells" any of the three | highest may be selected. The prac- tice of the post office department in the administration of this order is said in the report to lead inevitably to political appointments.
 Tt is an essential absurdity to have competitive examination for the pur- pose of eliminating spells and still to admit the patronage system by permitting congressman and local politicians to determine upon the se- lection of one of the first three," the report declares.
 During the Roosevelt administra- tion the appointment was given to the first man on the eligible list in more than 90 per cent. of the cases. the report states, whereas investiga- tions of the league have revealed that under the Harding order the first man on the list for postmasters gets the place in less than A per cent. of the cases.
 Criticism of the civil service com mission for allowing the appoint nent of politicians as postmasters is unjustified, the report de- ,lares, since the commission is DOW arless to prevent such appointments under the Harding order
 Since the passage of the civil sery- ce law, in 1883, it is stated, there has lever been more insistent effort Ion he part of interruptions public off, 'ials to overthrow the merit system" han has been made during the mast fear.
 "hS VIII QuAITel 4s The report recalls the Dover-BlairY which resulted in the dis 1lssal of Elmer Dover, the dismiss als at the bureau of engraving and rlntlng at Washington, and the state- rents of Attorney General Daugherty nd other administration officials at- acking the civil service principle.
 The final result of the drive made interruptions spoilsmen," the re- ort continues, ''has been to showl lat the people of the country will ot tolerate any attempt to restore ie spells system in any of the posi- ons to which it has been extended. fe believe the present congress will more aware to the popular feel E with respect to the merit system nd that spells appointments under le present administration have re- lived setback which will not soon , forgotten"
 The league is about to undertake a 'untry-wide campaign to secure loption of laws providing for the crit system of appointment to pub- office in the 38 states that now ls we no civil service laws. The prin- pal effort during the coming year III be centered in Pennsylvania, Con- cticut, Nebraska, Minnesota, Ken cky, Indiana and Virginia.
 
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