Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-20
BY JOSEPH A. FOX.

anu important tasks ever delegated 10
1t, the Civil Service Commission is
preparing TO assume supervision over
the examination of personnel for the
Federal prohibition service under the
law just passed. by the Sixty-ninth
Congress, which becomes effective
April 1.
The immediate problem facing the
commission is the testing of approx
mately $500 men for various phases
of field work. and to get these 1T is
estimated that the qualifications of
some $4,000 will be reviewed. expert
ence having taught the commission to
expect about 10 applicants for every
position offered.
AS at present constituted, the pro-
hibition unit of the Treasury. which
has charge of the administration of
the country's dry laws. and which
now becomes bureau under the reor-
ganization, has force of approx
mately $500 persons. These. roughly,
are grouped as follows: Anti-narcotic
act staff, stenographers. typists and
other Office help. 400: prohibition
agents, 1900; pharmacy inspectors,
800; alcohol and brewery inspectors,
$50; Investigators. 100; warehouse
agents, 100; administrators, go. and
deputy administrators. so. These
figures, which total little more than
$500, are only approximations, and
the difference which goes to make
up the estimate of 5000 are scattered
throughout the several classifications.
Only One Exception.
OF the entire lot, only the 400
positions in the narcotic and office
forces are under Civil Service. and it
is to assume control over the quail
fhe
commission now is making plans for
examinations that are expected to
| take it's representatives to all parts
of the country, as every position in
| the prohibition service, with one eX-
| ception. will come within the scope
of the Civil Service law.
The one exception Is the office OF
commissioner--an $4,000 berth, by the
| way-which is now the objective of
| determined drive by the dry forces,
who are seeking to put one of their
own in this post, the commissioner
| being named to head the new Pro
| hibition Bureau. Even the commits
sioner's aides will be selected by com
petitive Civil Service examinations
the law making specific provision for
| the appointment by that means OF an
assistant commissioner, two deputies
| and a chief clerk.
The general run of these positions
will pay from 81, 800 to $4,000. and in
| view of the battle that has been waged
| by the friends of prohibition to put
| the dry force under Civil Service and
| their charges of administration and
abuses under the old appointive plan
it is interesting to note that the Civil
| Service Commission has made II
known in no uncertain terms that the
moral factor will play no little part in
deciding the fate of an applicant fol
any of these berths.
| Rigid Quizz Planned
Every single one of the $500 who
ultimately will find their way into per
manent positions in the bureau viii
be forced to undergo a rigid inves
tigation. This will apply not only t.
newcomers seeking positions. but Il
incumbents as WELL all standing OF
an equal footing before the com
mission.
Very naturally, experience will have
its weight, for the commission doe!
not view it's task as presaging a gen
eral housekeeping, designed to throw
all the Tins" out, but where expert
ence might be balanced against mex
perience, with all other factors equal
the decision, it is made clear, will rest
on the character of the applicants.
In this very connection there was ar
interesting development at the Treas
| ury the past week, when Gen. Lincoln
G. Andrews, in charge of prohibition
! enforcement, announced plans to weed
incompetents out even before the force
goes under civil service.
So far as the contemplated eXami
nations are concerned, there is moth
| ing of an academic nature to be in
volved.
The prohibition agents, inspectors
| investigators and warehouse agents
the latter being guards-will undergo
both written and oral tests
Applicants for the administrative of.
] fees will not be required to submit
to written examination. but will be
rated instead on their education, ex
perience and demonstrated ability
| This is the usual procedure employed
| by the Civil Service Commission in
examining for executive positions. All
applicants, including, of course, those
| for the administrative offices, will be
| given the oral test and character in.
vestigation.
Tests for Intelligence.
J In conformity with it's long -estab-
lished policy of calling upon Govern,
ment agencies for recommendations
| in devising examinations TO measure
/ the qualifications of it's EMPLOYEES. the