Evening star., 1924-05-08
HOUSE TAKES UP
LEHLBACH MEASURE
Bill to Abolish Personnel Board
Considered by Special
Rule.
BLANTON LOSES IN FIGHT
Effort to Block Action Defeated
by Vote of 131 to s.

The House is this afternoon con-
sidering the Lehlbach bill to abolish
the personnel classification bill and
to transfer its duties to the Civil
Service Commission. This legislation
was brought up under a special rule.
which was adopted by a vote of 327
to IL.
Representative Blanton had pre-
viouSly protested that Congress ought
not to entertain legislation to abolish
the board, which was already func-
tioning. He declared that the Civil
Service Commission did not know
anything about the work that the
personnel classification board was or
ganized to perform.
He characterized the board as fair
and said that it is not a fair PROPOSE
ton to ask the House to vote on such
Legislation with only one hour allow
ed for debate
Representative Blanton,s effort TO
prevent consideration was defeated
by a vote of 131 to S. which, show
ing the absence of a quorum, led to
the record vote Of 327 to IL
Scored by LehIbach.
Chairman Lehlbach of the civil
service committee explained that pre-
vious to the passage Of the reclass-
ification act there was no co-ordi-
nation or cooperation and no element
Of justice in the fixing of salaries.
He pointed out that Congress for
some time was cognizant of the fact
that the salary and wage rate for
positions involving like duties and
responsibilities and calling for the
same qualifications showed wide
variations and marked inequalities.
He told the House that the salary
and wage rate for positions of the
same class were different for differ
ent departments and in independent
establishments, and that for many
classes the salaries were inadequate.
1t was to remedy that situation that
the classification act was passed au-
thorizfng and directing the organi-
cation of a personnel classification
board.
In spite of provisions of the law,
Representative Lehlbach said, this
board refused to classify and carry
out the provisions Of the law.
Cites Board Testimony.
He insisted that the board did not
subdivide the grades into classes and
furnished no titles and definitions,
published no statements as required
by the act for the guidance of de-
partmental heads, and, in fact, made
no classification at all.
"As a result we have employees do
ing like work Receiving different sal
aries" Representative Lenlbach said
defeated by the refusal of the board
to perform it's work. The question
is whether the expressed mandates
of Congress are to be carried out or
disregarded. The board willfully
and deliberately set aside the pro-
Each member of the personnel clas-
sification board testified at the hear
ing held by your committee that the
board is not funcuoning properly and
urged that it should be abolished"
said Representative Lehlbach, in con-
clusioin.
Defends Personnel.
In opening the opposition to the
proposed abolition, Representative
Blanton said: IF I wanted to indulge
in partisan politics I would support
this bill. 1t is a condemnation of the
present administration. You are be-
ing asked to put the stamp of con-
demnation on the classification
board"
Representative Blanton contended
that the board is headed by a per-
sona1 representative of the President.
He said that he has confidence in
the budget bureau and its representa-
tive on the board.
He also called attention that an
other member of the board Is the
chief of the important government
bureau of efficiency which better
than any other agency, he said,
knows what work the employees are
performing throughout the service
and what their qualifications are.
The third member of the board. he
said, represents the. Civil Service
Commission. In the same breath
you condemn him, asking that his job
be abolished in the classification
board and then turn the same work
back to him as a member of the
Civil Service Commission.
Tell me, in common sense and fair
play, what three men are better
qualified to perform this work.