Evening star., 1926-12-12
COMMISSION ASKS
| COMPETITIVE PLAN
Civil Service Body Would Ex-
tend System to All City
Employees.

Legislation extending the competi-
.esS :..'steni of appointments as en-
ployed in the Police and Fire Depart.
ments to all the municipal depart
ments of the District government, "as
is done in other large cities of the
country is urged today in the annual
report of the Civil Service Commission.
The commission also asks Congress to
place the prohibition forces in the
classified civil service without taking
I'm the present membership, and rec
ommends that the posts Of deputy col
lector of internal revenue and deputy
marshal be restored to the classified
service.
A net reduction of 1913 persons in
the executive civil service was shown
during the fiscal year, and the COM
appointed 1896 to Government posts.
Larger and more uniform salaries
and opportunities for advancement
provided under the classification act
have increased competition In eXami-
nations" the commission said.
Although the retirement act "has re-
lieved the service of superannuation.
permitted deserved promotion and
made possible the acquisition of more
vigor per unit of salary expenditure. "
the commission said certain provi-
sions, newly introduced or carried over
from the old act, "seem to need RENE
dial action"
Hold Act Discriminates.
1.-THE act discriminates against en-
ployes of the higher grades and with
the longest service. It bases the an
nuity on 10-year salary average. not
to exceed $500, and years of service,
not to exceed 80. An emp1oye at
retirement, and an employe at $4,000
pays twice that much and gets no
more annuity than the other. Deduc-
tions should be made only from the
first 81, 500 of salary. An employe
who retires after 40 years of service
pays 25 per cent more into the retire
ment fund than one who retires after
80 years, the salaries being equal, for
which additional 25 per cent he gets
nothing in annuity. He also fails to
get any credit for his last 10 years of
service. Deductions should cease after
80 years of service.
"An employe who is allowed to
serve beyond retirement age by rea-
son Of a mistake in the date of his
birth or by carelessness of his official
superiors, without certificate previous
ly requested and obtained, is held by
the controller general to be merely
de facto employee. Any salary due
him at the time of discovery of such
condition cannot be paid. He must
be dropped at once. He cannot be en-
ployed again. Time served by him
beyond retirement age cannot be
no Claim for Widow.
eff he dies his widow cannot re.
cover that part of his salary deducted
for the retirement fund since he
reached retirement age, which would
otherwise belong to her. In these re-
epects the law, as construed, is in
elastic and unjust. It Furnishes inno-
cent employees for official errors. care
lessness or inadvertence in it's admin.
istration.''
The commission says that the year
brought a considerable increase in its
work of holding examinations to fur
n'sh eligibles for appointment to post
offices of the first, second and third
classes, under executive order of May
10, 1921. Continuing, the commission
said:
These positions cannot receive the
full protection of the merit system so
long as appointments to them are SUBJ
ject to confirmation by the Senate
During the year S7.707 persons
called at the information bureau OF
the commissions Office in Washington
seeking information regarding exami-
nations and other matters pertaining
to the commissions work. Through
out the commisslon's countrywide or
ganization at least 10000 inquiries
were made relative to opportunities for
employment in the Federal civil
service.