Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-16
PROPOSE MERGING
SERVICE BOARDS
Civil Service Reform League
Urges Changing OF
Classification.


| merged In one bureau. controlled by
the United States Civil Service COM
mission"
The recommendation included in the
report of the resolutions COMMITTEES,
Samuel II. ordway of New York,
chairman. was unanimously adopted.
It goes further oven than the report
OF the council OF the league, adopted
previously at the same meeting.
which had approved the Lehlbach bill,
now pending in the Senate, for aboli-
ton of the classification board ana
transfer or it's functions to the civil
Service Commission.
Robert Catherwood, attorney. of
Chicago was elected, president and
q long list OF nearly 100 officers and
members OF the council was named
for the succeeding year
Vs.. Propose salaes Ratsr.
Recommendation that the Bureau
Of Efficiency and Classification Board
should be transferred TO the Civil
Service Coufnaission also included the
proposal that. Congress should In
crease the salary of the members Of
the commission to at Toast $4,000.
Other resolutions called on the cit
izenship OF America to help root out
the remnants of the spoils system"
In Nation, States and municipalities;
urged further legislative enactment
to carry out the executive orders
under the Rogers law for reorganiza-
ton of the foreign service, and con-
demRcd the practice of having post
masters chosen by approval Of mem
bsrs OF Congress and politicians.
recommending instead they should
be appointed only from names at the
hoad OF the eligible list.
Another resolution Endorsed the Hull
bill, which would permit the President
TO extend the classified civil Service TO
include other branches OF the Govern
ment service, such as the field workers
in the prohibition unit, the Shipping
Board and other establishments. Extern
sion OF the merit system into the IS
States where there are no civil service
laws was also urged.
washlnstonfans Elected.
Among the officers elected for the
year were Franklin MacVeagh OF this
city, as a vice president. and the fol-
| lowing members from Washington to
serve on the council: Robert w. Belcher,
John Joy Edison, Elliot II. Goodwin,
Harlean James, Ruth Putnam and Ell
lery c. Stowell.
The morning session concluded
with reports from the various assoc
Citations and Civil Service Commits
sions throughout the country. Mrs.
Charles Belmont Smith, president OF
the New York State Civil Service
Commission, led this discussion, de-
claring that the merit system In the
State OF New York had really made
great strides" and that there was
no serious attempt to ctrcumvent IT."
Battle Against System.
The report of the council reviewed
the work of the league in it's battle
against the spoils system" in Govern.
ment, but predicted that 80 long as
patronage, Federal. State and local.
remains to be fought for as a major
aim of political organization. parties
c@a never be made to function pri-
marily as sincere and courageous or
gans of public opinion and opponents
of political principles"
Revealing IAN inquiry among the
politicians" the council reported that
letters were written to all members
OF the Republican and Democratic
national committees submitting reso-
lutions substantially Identical in
character by the adoption of which
either party would challenge the 9TH
er to join in a public pledge to uphold
and abide by the merit system of ap-
pointment In public ONCE. both In let
ter and spirit"
Favor Merit system.
AS n result, it was reported that
only two persons expressed an opin-
ion in opposition TO the principle Of
the merit system. "Three-fourths of
the replies received from committee
men OF both parties" said the council.
state that they would support such
resolution as was proposed by the
league at the next meeting Of their
respective committees. Much is said
of the uselessness Of the pledges and
platforms adopted by political organ
i5ations. However, not many years
ago similar inquiry addressed to the
members of the national committees
of both organisations would I'M
doubtedly have resulted in as many
statements in denunciation OF the
merit system as were received this
year in Endorsement of it."
Representative Hamilton Fish, jr.,
was attacked by the council in it's
report as typical Of various mem
bers OF Congress who will seem to
consider the spells system as a nee
essary adjunct to the future Of a po-
litical organization" According to
the councils report, Representative
Fish found tho Democratic incum-
bents of the post offices in his dis.
trict generally well qualified but, as
they were Democratic, he asked that
they be removed. and the Post ONCE
Department generally very kindly ac-
coded to his requests"
Political in Nature.
ut is well understood" said the
report. that the appointments oY
pastnfasters and rural carriers, as
made under the present practice of
the Post once Department., are
n IN hA rrk.
league condemns the practice of re-
ferring the eligible lists to members
OF Congress. and reiterates its for
mer recommendation that the Presi-
dent provide by executive order or
otherwise that the Post ONCE De-
partment, in making selections,
choose the first person on the eligibl,
list in every case. In this way only
can the present practice be effectively
checked.
The Post once Department was
charged with withholding from in
spectton records In regard to the ap-
pointment of postmasters. 1.-THE de-
pertinent has refused to permit the
fleague to- have the information 1t
asked for, stating that no good pur-
pose would be served by furnishing
the information In question:" accord.
ing TO the council. Similar infor-
nation has been furnished the league
| in the past upon the direction OF
Postmaster General Hays. during the
first year OF President Harding's ad-
ministration. Why should the de-
partment now refuss to give the
league this informatfon?%
The council commended President
Coolidge's sincere expressions Of
approval Of the merit system" in
oluded IA his messages to Congress.
Praise Rogers Bill.