Evening star., 1926-11-30
LEAGUE DEFENDS
FEDERAL WORKERS
Better Government Group
Condemns Practices and
Backs Reform.

Present methods of handling Gov.
ernment personnel were roundly
scored and a proposal by Robert
Catherwood of Chicago, president of
the National Civil Service Reform
League for setting up THE United
states service establishment" was
pledged support in principle at the
annual dinner of the Better Govern.
ment League last night at the Wom.
ems University Club.
DIR. Ellery c. Stowell, who was re-
elected president of the Better Gov
ernment League, charged there never
mas been in our history such a confu-
SION between the executive and legiS-
Iatlve branches of the Government"
over administration of personnel, and
piedged his league to support in prin-
clple the Catherwood proposal or one
similar to 1t. If 10 years campaign
Ing were necessary to get into legisla-
1--WE form some such recognition of
the merit principle, DIR. Stowell said,
the league should launch into a cam
paign and not be down hearted at any
reverSeS
Mr.. Catherwood explained in detail
his proposal, drawn up in the form of
a bill, which would consolidate vari-
Gus personnel agencies in one-the
United States service establishment
headed by director of the service,
chosen by merit and Independent of
politics. Deliberative and advisory
functions would be performed by a
rules commission. Such plan would
provide "a permanent body of employ
ment experts, owing allegiance to the
people and not to the party in power,
chosen in open competition and sub
Ject to citizen removal. charged with
the duty of maintaining Federal
service in respect to tenure, pay, pro-
motion and selection upon merit
basis"
Luther Steward. president of the
National Federation of Federal En-
ployes, said the workers for Uncle
Sam had lust cause to complain on
account of the lack of humanity in
dealings between the Federal Govern
ment and it's employees" This, he
said. was partly due to the magnitude
of the enterprise and to the fact that
no one can lay his finger on the
boss"
Says Employees Suffer.
Federal employees, Mr.. Steward said,
although admittedly receiving certain
benefits of employment, often cited in
eXaggeration by critics who called the
workers hard names unjustly. suffered
under a series of disadvantages c. use
quent to their Federal employment
which hamper, harass, hold back
and hinder" them in a fashion which,
he said, could never occur in a pri-
Vate business concern. Citing a few
instances, he said some employees in
the field We're forced to cash their
Government pay checks at a discount.
"In other words, the Government
short changes the employee" A recent
change in accounting, he said, where
by few cents were Topped off the pay
of many Federal employees in order
that a different system might be
adopted with greater saving to the
Government. was likened by Mr.. Stew.
ard to stealing change out of poor
box at a church"
Paying tribute to the ability of Fed
eral workers, Mr.. Steward predicted
that if all high officials of the Gov
ernment down to assistant bureau
chiefs could be kidnapped and hid
away for g. couple of weeks the busi-
ness of the Government would con-
tinue with scarcely any change except
in the signatures to official papers. He
pledged cooperation with the Better
Government League. and said his or
ganization appreciated the assistance
of the league in carrying on princi-
pies which We're sound and thor.
oughly American"
CHARGES ,efter Unanswered