Evening star., 1924-12-30
CLASSIFICATION ACT
DECLARED ON TRIAL
Representative M. B. Madden
Gives Departmental Exc
cutives Friendly Warning.

The Classification act is on trial,
and my judgment is that 1t will be
repealed by Congress one of these
days. and ought to be, If it is not
scrupulously observed by administra-
tive s<hcers." said Representative
Martin B. Madden of Illinois, chair
man of the House appropriations
committee in the House, yesterday,
while discussing the classification of
salaries to Government employees in
Washington under the new law.
80 far on the whole, the great
majority Of departmental officers are
making an effort to administer 1t
couraegously and carefully" said
Mr.. Madden. Congress is watching.
that II Is watching, for Congress is
the direct representative of the
American people. and 1t will continue
TO watch as far as IL can, the admin
fstrative action taken under the law.
We want 1t to have fair trial, but
at the same time Congress wants
square dealing. What I am saying
is for the information of those who
are administering this law in the
executive departm tents. ] want them
to know what the attitude is up
here"
Explains Change Proposed.
Representative Madden was eX
planning to the House a modification
which the appropriations committee
recommended to correct what the
committee believes have been admin
istrative abuses in several executive
departments He said:
"The new law gives considerable
administrative discretion to officials
in the departments. We have pro-
tected the integrity of the law as
far as we thought it wise and at
the same time permit it a fair trial
of operation. ! want here to sound
a note OF warning to administrative
officers. They must scrupulously
follow not only the letter but what
they unquestionably know to be the
intent and the temper of Congress
in the matter of salaries.
"It has come to my attention that
there is a growing tendency, preva-
lent now in a minor degree, to mag
Nifty and exaggerate the Importance
attached to the duties of some posi-
tions in order that they may be
changed TO a higher grade and in
that way obtain greater compensa-
tion. 1t is natural to want more
money for the performance of serv-
ice, but it is the duty of every head
of department and bureau to keep a
tight control and know that what
he approves in the way of recon-
nendations for change in grade is
a conservative statement of fact
based upon real merit and necessity
and not merely a maneuver for more
pay.
Some Promotions Criticized.
"I am foath to believe that in some
few of the cases there has been neith-
er merit nor fact in connection with
the promotions that have been made,
and l have my everyday troubles with
these people trying to hold them
down to a decent consideration of the
problems.
Some promotions have been made
without justification, and this bill,
and all other bills that we are re-
porting, endeavors to remedy that
condition by bringing them back to
the average where they belong.
For example, let US take case
where there Is only one in a grade.
The law provides definitely, distinct
", and unequivocally that the aver
age of the rates of the grade shall
not be exceeded, and where there has
been only one in a grade in some
cases they have jumped them up from
$4,000 to $500, whereas. $500 or
$3.50 would be the average. This is
not right to the men who are in the
lower grades.
What happened is in the testi-
mony taken before our committee.
It shows that they appointed. say,
the assistant bureau chief and then
another assistant bureau chief and
hen several other subordinates as a
ooard to recommend the salaries of
their chiefs. Every one knows that
the assistant bureau chief is going to