Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-29
WROTE PAPER 49,"
GRAVES DECLARES
Authorship of RecIassifica.
ton Statement Is Discov-
cred at Last.

H. n. Graves, bureau OF efficiency
representative on the personnel clas-
sifcation board, admitted today that
he was the author Of the mysterious
statement, commonly known as mo.
49," concerning the classification of
the field service Of the government, at
the hearing being held in the Capitol
on Representative Lehlbach's bill to
abolish the classification board and
vest its functions in the Civil Service
Commission.
Where did the statement Of No
vember IL come from?" asked Chair
man Lehlbach of the House commit
tee on the civil service, presiding at
the sessions. referring to mo. 49,"
following the presentation by Mr..
Graves of an opinion from the De-
rartment of Justice, dated February
the board have been in accordance
with the classification act.
We'll, I'll tell you" declared Mr..
Graves. leaning dramatically forward
over the hearing table. Senator
Smoot Of Utah sent for me late in
october and said that Gen. Lord. d.
rector OF the budget, had asked him
to give his views. He asked me If /
would prepare a statement. which I
did"
Authorship Il Barred.
Then you wrote the statement Of
November 1872" asked Mr.. Lehlbach.
THAT statement is 1t, not verbatim.
but substantially It," admitted Mr..
Graves, thus bringing to the light
1or the hrst time to date the author
ship OF the much discussed statement
In which the personnel classification
board announced a change of policy
as to the method of classifying the
field service. The board had first
started to draw up class specifica-
tions for the various classes, but in
this statement announced that CLASH
Hcation of the field service would be
made on the basis Of the bureau of
efficiency schedules of grades, much
in the same fashion as was being
done in classifying employees In the
District.
Mr.. Graves, speaking directly m
Representative LeAlbach. after he had
completed his prepared statement de-
nSing charges of violating the classi-
fication law. said that he was the
author Of the schedules in the classi-
fication law itself. having taken the
schedules in the Wood Smoot bill. re-
jected by Congress, and Incorporated
them into the bill finally adopted,
generally called the Lehlbach bill.
He said that the content" of the
schedules is the old Wood-Smoot bill,
but that the "mechanical' part, or
arrangement, was written by the
House.
Calls Charge Frivolous.
Admitting that the classification
board could have utilized the old-class
specifications Of the Redistribution
commission, Mr.. Graves charged that
the work of the body Of economic en-
gineers which made those specifica-
tions for the committee had been a
failure in Canada. and that was the
reason he as a member of the CLASH
fication board did not adopt them.
Mr.. Graves said that the classical
ton act is ambiguous in certain sec
tons, and said the charge of ignoring
the act made against the board rests
in a technicality" and is, in his opin-
The board felt it had full liberty
of action, he said, as to when II
should establish class specifications,
and never had or has any intentions
of ignoring class SPECIFICATION fixing.
given by A. F. Seymour. acting attor-
ney General, as of February last,
which ended by declaring, 1T find
nothing In the program or the CLASH
fication board which contravenes in
any particular the classification act"
do you know how the opinion Of
the Attorney General was asked?"
inquired Mr.. Lehlbach.
Graves Questioned Closely
THE President was beseiged by
many individuals who claimed that
the board had violated the law, and
/ understood he told them that there
would be an investigation. I pre-
sumo this opinion was asked as part
of that investigation" answered Mr..
Graves.
"Do you know to what office the
letter asking. an opinion was re-
ferred?" asked the chairman.
NO" retorted the witness.
"Did you consult with any one in
the Department Of Justice?"
"Yes, and no." replied Mr.. Graves.
had repeated consultations with
Caldwell of the Department of Jus
tice staff, who was assigned to our
staff"
Lehlbach.
swered Mr.. Graves.
CONTINUED on Page 2. Column 81
. ...-.-t --tf