Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-08
CONSIDERING PLANS
T0TAKE MANY Jobs
FROM CIVIL SERVICE
Administration Leaders Want
Executive Control Over
All Higher Positions.
$1,000 OR $4,000 PLACES
MAY BE STARTING POINT
Proposal Under Consideration
Would Insure Ordinary Clerk of
Job While Efficient.

J0D Wn1le EmclenC.
Plans to take all the higher posi-
= tions in government service out of
the jurisdiction of ironclad civil serv-
ice laws and regulations and place them
in the appointive power of the President
are being seriously considered by ad-
ministrative leaders. it was learned
!. today.
Such plans have been proposed to
the President. it is understood. with
the idea of giving the executive
necessary authority to control the
administrative offices. without. at the
same time, placing himself under
criticism and charges of having vio-
lated civil service regulations.
Two Sections Proposed.
Positions paying $4,000 or $4,000
might be made the starting point for
the proposed order of things. so that
the civil service would be divided.
broadly speaking, into two main Sec
1ions. the government clerks below
the higher salary named and all Off
cials above it.
Those below the minimum would
be in the same position they occupy
today-that is, protected from forces
which might seek for a return of the
'spoils system in government serv-
ice and practically reasonably Sc
cure of life tenure of office as long
as they are efficient and abide by the
laws and regulations: in other words,
during their good behavior.
Rank and File Unaffected.
Those advocating the new plan do
not believe in disturbing the pres
ent system in so far as it affects
the great rank and file of the govern
ment service, the hundreds of clerks,
stenographers, laborers and others
who occupy the more humble posi-
tions.
strict Interpretation of civil
service laws and regulations in re-
]ation to these employees is favored
by proponents of the new plan. 1t
b is pointed out>that if new super
intendent comes into mill, the last
thing he wants to do is to disturb
the workers, the men at the wheels
and levers. the rank and file who
really do the work.
But the new superintendent, it is
contended, should have the right to
put at the foremen's positions such
men as he can implicitly trust to
carry out the new policies of the mill
he directs.
Would Have Broad Powers.
1t is exactly this which the pro-
posed division of the civil service
contemplates, it is understood. The
men in the higher positions would
come under the undisputed appointive
power of the chief executive. He
would have the right, without public
discussion. to appoint or dismiss for
the better working out of his ad-
ministration, as he was given to see
the light.
Just where the dividing line would
come, it is admitted. would be
knotty problem. 1t might be placed
at salaries beginning with $4,000, as
suggested, or it might be decided upon
to start the appointive offices higher,
say at $4,000.
No Hard and Fast Rules.
Even then there could be no hard
and fast rules laid down. perhaps, it is
said. owing to the different character
of the various departments. and the
larger bureaus, many of the latter
being in every sense comparable to
great departments. The bureau of
engraving and printing, for instance,
is in reality government department
all by itself, it is pointed out, and the
head of it occupies much higher
position than that of mere bureau
head.
positions in government service, the
men-and women-occupying them
holding the real key positions" IN
the service. 1t is this corps of chiefs.
chief clerks, superintendent, etc,
which was responsible during the war
Saainpr n if that each individual
government worker did his bit" in
regard to the various liberty bond
drives. etc. urging the employees to
subscribe and in other legitimate
ways making sure that the employees
did their proper share.
Look to "key Persons"
So today, it is understood these Of
ficials are regarded as key persons"
administration looks for increased ef-
fciency. 1t is realized that no one
can ever take away from the man in
e the ranks" the title of worker" but
it is believed that the man who di-
rects, who superintends, who has to
make decisions, is a worker" too, in
his perhaps different way. and being
at the various critical points of COM
mand, must listen to the highest COM
mand of all-that of the commander
.n-chief.
1t is becoming more and more
realized in administrative circles that
the powers of the President, under
the civil service laws, are very large.
The recent dismissals at the bureau
of engraving and printing forcibly
brought to the public attention these
powers 1t was something like the
Young man who said: why, they
can't put me in jail!' but they did.
Basic Statutes Brond.
e. Today the impression is firm that
the basic statutes creating the Civil
Service Commission are so broad that
the President perhaps had a perfect
right to do what he did in relation
to the bureau. This is the opinion Of
those who have made intensive study
of the statutes, and the various laws
and regulations of the commission as
promulgated through the years since
the commissions creation.
President Harding's ideas regard
ing the immediate reorganization of
number of the government depart
ments. which will necessarily call for
considerable of a shifting among ex-
ecutive heads, are to be carried out
as was originally intimated few
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