Evening star., 1924-07-20
PROTESTS AGAINST
CLASSIFYING GAIN
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ClASSlf IlNG GRlN
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the classification OF federal employees
In SO far as the administration OF
the law as set forth in the classiti-
cation act is concerned. is nothing
less than a farce"
Explaining what she means by
favorftism in certain respects, Mrs
Worrell explains the system she says
was followed in Reconstruction.
The classification board. she says.
called upon the administrative
heads of every department of the
government to classify employees
over whom they had Jurisdiction.
The administrative heads got togeth-
er and proceeded to raise their indi-
vidual salaries. or. more properly
speaking, proceeded to classify them
selves in positions paying from $500
to $4,000 more than their then sal
aries-in other words. they properly
classified themselves, then, realizing e
that the proper and lawful cIassifi-
cation of employees according to the
classification act would call for a
larger appropriation than they be-
lievcd would be approved by the
budget, whose slogan is economy,
they proceeded to divide among the
rank and file the balance OF the
amount which they had reason to be-
lieve would be appropriated.
Hope Placed In Law.
"As a class" said Mrs WorelL,
government employees arc a long
suffering people who for many years
have worked faithfully and uncom-
plainingly for a very low wage.
Therefore the classification act ap-
peared to them as bright and
shining star of hope which would cut
the Gordian knot Of favoritism and
red tape which had held them in
leash for over fifty years like the
tentacles of devil fish
Imagine their disappointment and
chagrin upon awaking to the realiza-
tion that they were still within the
same tentadea and tho knot was
still uncut No wonder governmen mt
conditions are as they are today, and
that employees are in a state Of un-
rest and discomfort which must be
nghted If our government Is to func-
ton properly.
The public should understand that
the classification act has been grossly
violated in that employees have been
classified according to their salaries
and not, as the act specifically states,
according to the class Of work per-
formed; that administrative officers
recommended to the personnel claSsi-
dcation board just where each and
every employe should be aIlocated, in
cluding themselves. and that In
ninety -nine cases out Of one hundred
tho board accepted and acted accord
ingly.
FavOFitiam Charged.
TN many cases employees work has
been changed, and in many others
official positions have been created in
order to promote a favorite. This
favoritism, gross discrimination and
violation of the classification act, and
the fact that officials took advantage
Of their supervisory positions to boost
their own salaries; that appeal to the
personnel classification board Is In
vain, and that employees have no
redress, has caused widespread dis
content throughout the government
service.
TT is reported that administ rative
officials when confronted with this
complaint replied that such changes
were effected to make up discrep-
ancies between the chiefs salaries and
those of clerks which were nearly
equal before That such a statement
is fallacious Is proven when 1t car
be shown that the average percentage
Of increase OF the majority of em'
ployes is less than per cen., while
the increase Of the salaries of admin
istrative officials range from 25 pei
cent to so per cent
Says Omcials Pass Buck.
administrative officials attempt te
| throw the blame upon the personnel
classification board with the cry thai
: they had no Jurisdiction" when as
matter Of fact. well known to ever5
federal employe, the personnel classi.
ncation board depended upon the ad'
ministrative officials for all recon-
mendations as to tho clasHncat1or
and ALLEGATION of employees under
their jurisdiction.
at has been contended, and is nc
doubt true, that the classification act
| was never intended to raise salaries
However. in passing the act Congress
set forth a description of duties ane
grade to which employees performing
certain work should be allocated, anc
when so alloeated the salaries tina!
grade. Therefore, had employees beer
properly classified and aiiocated &C.
provided by law under the act would
undoubtedly have raised their pres
ent salaries to a considerable extent
Administrative officers, realizins
that fact, and that in order to carry
out the law it would require q much
larger appropriation by Congres.
than they desired to request there.
fore determined to classify employees
not according to work performed but
according to salaries received.
such classification and violation OF
law has caused and is causing
chaotic conditions which will con.
tinue until an honest classification
has been made. . >
Protesting blocs Of employees
should he or1anixed In Aaeh deoarf.