Evening star., 1923-03-21
CIVIL SERVICE RULE
! AID TO VETERANS
Presidents Order Guarantees
; Advantages Not Assured
{ Heretofore.

President Harding's recent execu-
tive order enlarging the preference
rules regarding the rating and ap-
pointing of veterans of the world
war to governmental positions under
the civil service, Is an advantage TO
the veteran rather than detriment,
as has been charged by officers OF the
American Legion, according to ad-
ministration officials.
In answer to criticism on the part
of American Legion ofticiers. an ad-
1ninistration official today. in under
taking to explain the Executives
most recent order, said that the latter
not only gives the veteran an ad-
vantage in the matter OF markings
hut that the order greatly simplltieS
the act of Congress providing civil
service preference to veterans anu
that the order also goes TAR IN pro
tecting the veteran from any arpt-
trary action on the part OF olhcerS
Of the government In making ap-
pointments.
Many Veterans Named.
The administration has gone far out
of its way to show preference 10 the
veterans of the war and to assist
them in obtaining federal POSITIONS
It was pointed out, and this may be
substantiated somewhat by the TACT
that last year out of 62,6s3 original
appointments in the classified service
1880 veterans were appointed.
In explaining further, it was stated
today that the act of Congress ex-
tending the preferences to veterans
of the war was merely declaration
that the latter should be preferred
and left the preference actually to
the mind and conscience of appoint
ing officers. He explained that the
act did not give any vested or eN-
elusive right to any particular once
or position and also that appointing
officers had the privilege of regard
ing or disregarding this right with
out accountability.
Choice Not Renewable.
"The Attorney General" this officer
went on to say, has held that appoint
ing officers are to be the judges of the
qualifications of the persons whom
they appoint, and the question wheth-
er the veteran meets the requirements
of the position is, therefore. one for
the appointing officer to decide.
''If the appointing officer decides the
veteran lacks the capacity necessary
and selects one of the other eliglbles,
his decision is not renewable. All the
Civil Service Commission can do in
such a case Is to return the name or
the veteran to the eligible register for
further certification.
President Sought to Aid.
The Attorney General has also
held, with reference to the statute"
this officer continued. that a prefer
ence is given, but not with prejudice
to the public service, and that it. is
one which follows fitness for place.
He has also held that the matter of
making proper rules under the pref
erence statute is left to administra
tive officers who may adopt those
now in force or promulgate new ones
as they may deem proper.
The President. accordingly, under
took in his order to systematic and
regulate the preference in order that
full justice might be done to the
veteran and that he would be as
sured of his rights under the statute.
Without the order the veteran would
be left to such consideration as the
appointing officer chose to give.
Veteran Given Advantage.
"The order gives the veteran ad-
vantages which never before have
been given. Heretofore appointing
officers might pass over the name of
a veteran and select a non-veteran
with the same or lower rating and
no one could question his action. The
President now declares that, If he
does SO, the appointing officer must
place his reasons for passing over
the veteran in the records of the
department. So, also, in making re-
ductions of force. 1t also rested with
the appointing officer to drop vet
Grams while retaining non-veterans.
president Harding has sought to
remedy this by requiring that when
reductions of force became necessary,
a veteran shall be retained if his
record is good.
Many Other Advantages.
"Other advantages that the veteran
has, are that his age shall not be a
bar in any examination. that he shall
be released from any physical re-
Quirements, that the apportionment
Of appointments among the states
required by law shall not apply in
his case and that he shall have five
years in which to be reinstated in
stead or one year as to others. The
civil service examinations are also
reopened to him when he has lost
opportunity for examination by being
in the military service or by con-
finement in a hospital or undergoing
vocational training.
THE veteran has five points added
to his rating. or, if disabled, ten
points.
There are. very substantial and
ar-reaching advantages and nlu-
strated the liberality which has been
uniformly accorded to the veterans
in the examinations of the Civil Serv-
Ice Commission and give concrete eff
feet to the legislative intention"