Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-13
MERIT SYSTEM USE
IN D. c. PROPOSED
civil Service Commission
Asks Extention to All
Local Departments.

Extension of the civil service merit
system applying to the fire and police
departments and TO all the municipal
departments of the District OF Co
lumbia is urged upon Congress in the
annual report of the Civil Service
Commission made public today.
Declaring that the merit system has
demonstrated its necessity and value
during four decades of practical opera
Hpn. the commission in it's annual
>~port said 1T is anomalous that the
Capital City of our Nation alone
among the large cities is not subject
10 the merit system in all its depart
ments. We urge upon Congress the
extension of the acts applying to the
police and fire departments to all the
municipal departments of the govern
ment of the District of Columbia"
An extension of the merit system,
the commission said, should be made
10 apply to the selection, tenure, pay
and promotion of all non-political EN-
ployes. adding that IAN adequate en-
plOyment system is more vital TO
government than it is to industry"
Would Change p. o. System.
THE next step in the removal of
postma StershipS from patronage
should be the passage of one of the
many bills introduced in Congress 10
place all poStmasterS within the claSsi-
ned service and 10 abolish the four
Year term and senatorial confirmation.
Only on that condition can these
offices be taken out of politics and be
come in fact. as they are in legal pur-
pose. mere business agencies of the
Government. These positions should
be more generally open to promotion,
that the Federal service may become a
worthy career to aspiring youth"
The commission urged the passage
OF one OF several bills placing the pro
hibition forces in the classified
service without covering in the
present membership and recommended
that the posts of deputy collector Of
internal revenue and of deputy mar
shall be restored TO the competitive
classified service. only an efficient,
honest and experienced force can
execute the internal revenue laws in
such a way as 10 prevent syasions and
Violations. which result in loss of
revenue: and only the merit system
Will assure such a force" the commits
sion said.
Some needless hardships and in
justices have been disclosed in the
administration OF the retirement act.
the report said. pointing to the need
Jor remedies. 1t added that Il survey
OF the executive civil service Is being
undertaken to meet the requirements
OF the actuarieS of the retirement
fund in relation to the retirement act
Progress Is Reported.
Progress was reported in character
investigations of applicants for field
posts and the commission explained
Its work of helping discharged Federal
employees find other posts in the Gov
eminent service. The report noted
the increasing number of women who
have been appointed TO Federal posts
The number of persons examined
during the past fiscal year was 216,-
135. of whom $3.50 were appointed.
while up to June 80, 1924, about 37O,-
600 claims for preferred posts were
allowed under the various veteran
preferential acts.
Action was taken in 10S cases Of
complaint relating to political activity
and assessment, while $50 persons
were debarred from future examina-
lions for fraudulent statements or
practices. The commission said il held
examinations for 979 different occu-
pations.