Evening star., 1923-11-25
Classifying Board Prouokes
Strong Protest of Engineers
Association Objects to Action in Dis
cdrding Work of Field Division and
Proceeding Along Different Lines.

the classification made pursuant 70
the executive order of October %,
1921" It is clearly evident that the
intent of the act as expressed and
implied is to make classification OF
the government forces on the basis Of
duties and responsibilities and not OH
that OF salary grades.
The classification Of the field
forces made by the field division OF
the personnel classification board and
as set forth IN a preliminary way IN
the tentative schedules of September
1898, were based upon the scien-
tifc study Of the duties and respon-
sibilities and qualifications OF the va
rious positions In the field service.
These schedules were, as far As
practicable, accompanied by tenta-
tive class specifications to assist de-
partments in making ALLEGATIONS for
estimate purposes"
work Done Under Pressure.
AS this work was done under great
pressure due to time limitations, tho
being carefully reviewed by the field
division when the board suddenly
changed front, discardipg the work
of the field division and deciding TO
proceed with the field classification
on the same basis OF ALLEGATION Of salary
grades used in the classification OF
the District of Columbia forces
"'Circular No. II. which was issued
on September Is, 1923. and sent to the
departments accompanying the tenta-
tive schedules OF the field forces. In
Guided the following statement: 1T IS
earnestly requested that each depart
ment and establishment carefully eH-
anime these tentative compensation
schedules and present. in writing. TO
the board not later than October *
next. such suggestions and advice as
it may be willing to give as TO the
adequacy and accuracy OF the respec-
tive services. OF the descriptions OF
services and grades: of the statements
of duties and typical tasks for Tho
various typical classes. and or th':
rates Of compensation for the several
grades and for the classes within
grade
AS a result OF this request, the
personnel classification board did re-
ceive a large number of suggestions
and advice from the various deFart-
ments relative to the final review
and revision of the schedules as tne
basis for report 20 Congress IN
compliance with provisions of sec
ton of the act.
Calls Statement "strange."
'It seems strange 10 me that rho
chief of the bureau OF efficiency
should recently make statement
that not single administrative Of
OF the work II IS my impression
that most of the comments received
by the personnel classified tlon board
were favorable and that the work Of
the field division has received gen
eral commendation from not only the
employees, but from the administra-
tive officers and heads OF departments
as well. On the contrary, nearly all
Of the criticism which has come TO
my attention of the work Of the per-
sonne1 classification board has been
directed at the classification OF tho
District OF Columbia forces. This
latter and unfavorable criticism has
been received universally from en-
ployes. members OF personnel boards
of departments. heads OF Offices and
bureaus.
Claims have been made that sim
liar classification work made on the
basis of duties and responsibilities
and qualifications. has not succeeded
in Canada and the various cities Of
this country in which Il has been
tried out. On the contrary leading
officials of the Canadian Civil Service
Commission. members of the Civil
and leading personnel experts in the
public service and in industries, are
unanimous in their expressions Of
commendation Of and satisfaction
with the classification systems and
methods which have been inaugu-
rated and are row in operation.
Chief Examiner Bland of the Cana
dian civil service has recently made
the statement that he does not know
how they ever got along without
classification of the government
forces. He stated that they now have
something to work with