Evening star., 1923-03-14
OLD CLERK RATINGS
f. NOT TOB|ND BOARD
IN RECLASS|FY|NC
Present Conditions, Rather
Than Efficiency Bureau
Report, to Count.
CANVASS OF WHOLE
SITUATION IS PLANNED
Fairness Toward All Employed in
Federal Service to Be Aim
of Members.

The personnel classification board
VIII not be strictly bound by the bu-
reau or efficiency ratings established
under executive order Of October "a.
1871, but will proceed with its work
or reclassifying the thousands of gov
ernment employees, both in the District
and held. with view to the present
situation.
The board is entering upon its Ia
nors with this open-minded attitude,
II was learned today, not only because
the members Of the board feel that
the whole situation should be can
Vassed, In order to establish ratings
OF fairness throughout the whole gov
ernment service according to the pres
eht duties being performed, but be-
cause authority is specifically given
In the act for such latitude.
Uniform Procedure Provided.
Attention was called todav m rho
language of the act pertaining to the
Is-l classification, with emphasis
upon the phrase. las nearly as prac
tlcaoIe.' The act says:
,h IN performing the foregoing duties
the ooard shall follow as nearly as
practicable the classification m,da
pursuant to the executive order Of
october "a, 1921"
1t was further pointed out that the
law provides that uniform nrocednre
snail be provided by the board. II is
provided that after consultation with
the board. and in accordance with
UNIFORM procedure prescribed by IT.
.ne nead or each department shall al
locate ali positions in his department
In the District of Columbia to their
appropriate grades etc"
Some Ratings Obsolete.
These provisions. after searching
study by the board. have been inter
preted as meaning that the classif1ca.
tion made in 1921. may or may not be
accepted, that the board has broad
powers In accepting or rejecting the
bureau OF efficiency ratings, and that
the entire service should be reviewed
TO see III II the old ratings are still fair.
was learned are unanimous In taking
this attitude toward the problem
Whether the board would accept in
toto the 1921 ratings has been the
soSsrnan1 sup3ee, OF mueh conjecture among the
respondence has been addressed to
the board pointing out that much OF
the older ratings are perhaps now
obsolete.
There is undoubtedly considerable
spondent. among the employees with
the classification and efficiency rat
ings recently established under the
executive order of October "a. 1921,
necessarily have to be made to square
them with the grades and classiflca-
tions established by the classification
act of March 8, 1923.
Personnel Reduced.
Since the Brown classification and
ALLEGATION of personnel was made, the
personnel in many Of the bureaus,
particularly the War and NAVY. has
been considerably reduced in num-
bers and those retained have taken
on additional duties and responsible
tiles and in many cases suffered a
reduction in salary through reduced
appropriations Others have achieved
through examination and promotion
change in their civil service status
from clerical to technical. and vice
versa. The Brown classification and
ALLEGATION is out of date and obsolete
in this respect"
The board is meeting daily at the
Treasury to survey its general prob
lem, and determine what amount Of
attention may be given in the brief
time available to the various details
involved. Since the act provides that
the new classification be included in
the budget report to Congress in
December and the estimates from de-
partmental chiefs are due at the
bureau of the budget on September
10, 1t is obvious that the personnel
board has a huge task confronting
1t to reclassify the entire civilian per-,
sonnel in sufficient time previous to
September Is for the new system to
be worked into the departmental es-
Inmates.
Daily Meetings Held.
Temporary quarters for the board
have been established on the first
floor of the Treasury. where the daiIv
meetings are now being held. but a
larger suite of rooms. adjacent to the
bureau of the budget. on the third
floor of the same building, is being
vacated and will be fitted up for early
occupancy.
Five commodious rooms will be pro.
vided for the board and it's personnel.
which will be gathered from the bu-
reau of the budget, the Civil Service
Commission and the bureau Of ef-
ficiency.