Evening star., 1923-04-14
TAKE FIRST STEP
IN RECLASS|F Y|NG
QUESTIONABLE for 10000
Federal Employees in Hands
of Public Printer.

With the uuestionnaire to be sent
out to approximately 10000 gov
ernment personnel in the field. out
side of Washington. in the hands OF
the public printer. the personnel
classification board has completed its
first step in the reclassification of
government employees.
Work at the government printing
office on the questionnaires is under
way. The questionnaires are expect
ed to be delivered early next week
and to be sent out immediatly by
the various departments concerned
to their employees, scattered through
out practically every civilized and
many uncivilized countries of the
globe.
Skilled Trades Exempted.
Skilled trades and crafts in the
field, such as have been dealt with
in the past by wage boards Of the
Army and Navy, will be exempted
from the operation Of this first ques-
tionnaire, it was learned today. but
will be dealt with separately under
q form of procedure yet to be de-
termined.
Information as to the much moot ed
question of who should fill out the
questionnaires. the employe himself
or his superior, was not forthcomin e
vealed probably Monday. when the
form of the questionable may be
| made public.
The exclusion of skilled trades and
crafts in the field, which includes the
navy yards and War Department en-
ployes of the ordnance, and numerous
other classes. brings the investiga-
tion in the field into line with the
District of Columbia situation, where
such skilled trades are specifically
act, by provisions of the act itself
| These classes. il is understood, will
be considered in the light of the
scale of wages in similar crafts AND
trades in the commercial field.
Co-Operation Is Evident.
Cooperation between the National
Federation Of Federal Employees anC
the classification board was eviden,
today following a conference of more
than an hour between Chairman
Warwick of the board and Luther c
Stewart president of the National
Federation of Federal Employees
I'VE feel that we have a good law
law into effect" said President Stew.
art. The union has been pleased with
| the work of the board so far, Mr.
Stewart added, and would extend
every possible assistance.
With the QUESTIONABLE off its hand,
| the board. while awaiting replies
from all corners of the world, will Sc,
| itself to the task of realigning the
program to be followed in its tre-
mendous task. much of which is to be
| completed. before Congress meets ir
December.
Await for ConEress-
The personnel in the District of CO.
lumbia will no doubt come in fol
some preliminary consideration neXt
| week, in consideration of the program
now to be followed by the board. One
of the first problems. it is understood
| will be how to deal with the skilled
trades and crafts in the field, which
have been exempted from the firs'
questionable.
Another will be how much of the
| work may be left over until after
J CONGRESS meets. In fact, some of tho
work, it has been discovered, may
be forwarded better after the re.
conyening of Congress.
What will be done with the per-
sonnel in the District has not as yet
been decided, although the board is
understood still to stand on the po-
sition announced some time ago thai
the law not only recognized the re-
classification effected by the bureau
! of efficiency under executive order OF
/ the President, but empowers the clas-
sification If 1t f1nds inequities.