Evening star., 1923-10-14
RECLASSIFYING BILL ROW
CERTAININN NEW CONGRESS
Measure Causing Wave of Protest Even
Before 1t Becomes Operative; Warmly
Defended by Authors.

disposition among some members Of
Congress to fight shy of reclassification
| for the field services.
ID. C. yitally Affected.
or course, all this is entirely beside
the situation in the District of Column
| bia, where it is generally admitted that
because all are living in the same
environment classification is. helpful and
! working advantageously, except that
there is a rather general conviction that
Congress will do nothing for workers in
the District unless the same system is
applied all over the country. So the in
terests of the workers in the National
Capital are linked up with those of the
| workers in the field.
These protests from business to con-
gressmen and the fears Of congressman
| that they must be on their guard against
discrimination" are rather premature.
The Personnel Classification Board is
not backing these tentative schedules"
submitted to the administrative officers
and the budget bureau, as a rush Job to
meet an unexpected demand. In the
letter of transmittal the board said:
These schedules are incomplete and in
tentative form for estimate purposes
| only" The board asked the admins
trative officers to examine these tenta-
,, tive compensation schedules and present
in writing to the board not later than
October Is such suggestions and advice
as it may be willing to give as to the
adequacy and accuracy of the respective
services; of the descriptions of services
and grades; Of the statements of duties
and typical tasks for the various typi-
cal classes, and Of the rates Of compen-
sation for the several grades and for
the classes within grade.
Meet Rush Demand.
So that these tentative schedules"
are merely something to meet a rush
order; something set up to be shot at
and tom to pieces by criticism. They
are not what the board will recommend
to Congress as required by law and
what they must be prepared to defend.
They are Just a rough draft which has
already been extensively and consider
ably altered. Their real schedules for
the field service will not be drafted for
more than a month.
Thus far, however, the board has
gested "differentiar' to meet differences
in local conditions In the field. This
problem discloses that there is a 'real
controversy within the board which is
inherent. The reclassification act was a
compromise, but in selecting the board
there was no attempt to get a conpro-
mise board. Harold N. Graves, assist
ant chief and senior accountant, United
States bureau of efficiency, represents
one school OF thought: Guy Noffatt, per-
sonnel officer, Civil Service Commission, |
represents practically diametrically
opposite school Of thought. 1t is pretty
hard to get any compromises.
The attitude OF Mr.. Graves. speaking
for the bureau of efficiency. in regard to
classification of the field service is that
the heads of departments sshould be
called upon to make Recommendations
regarding rates of pay for the reason
that many services are peculiar not
sandard and uniform in character of
personnel. living conditions or work to
be done, or other conditions that should
go into the fixing of salaries
The attitude of Mr.. Moffast, speaking
for the Civil Service Commission, is
that there should be the same formal, |
standard, uniform schedules applied to |
tine field service as here in the National
Capital. with possibly some allowance In
accordance with some formula to adjust
the difference in living costs in different
parts of the country. That opinion. for
the most part, has prevailed in the con-
ferences of the board.