Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30

and not merely to the branch from
which he was separated. the possibly
ity of later transfer to another branch
always being an important considera-
ton.
Main Trunk In Personnel. 80,
The classified civil service, with its
competitive feature, which Is the foun-
tain head. and the apportionment OF.
appointments to the Departmental
service among the States CONSTITUTES
together the main trunk of the tree.
This embraces more than 400, 900 peo-
pie and all the incidental questions
affecting their entrance, continuance.
status. transfer and so forth. In the
classified service.
Compensation for injuries, the ad-.
ministration of the retirement act and
the functions of the Personnel Ciassi-
fcation Board are highly important
limbs or offshoots of the main stem.
They have very logically followed the
development of the classified service
Periodically each of these three ac-
tivities is subject to attack and criti-.
cism in the press or in Congress. Too
often the layman CONSTITUTES SUCH
criticism as directed at the merit sys4
TEN proper. There Is a good deal OF.
loose thinking and talking about the
civil service; sometimes even mem
pCio VI SOUETeSS 90 not d1SLlnRufSHk
between our work under the civil seryS
ice act and the examinations we hold.
for misunderstanding under an exec
utive order so.
1t would not be rational to DESTROY
the trunk of bearing fruit tree be-.
cause one limb has not developed as.
rapidly or as systematically as the
owner of the tree had hoped. Neither
Is 1t reasonable to attempt to destroy.
or even inture the entire classified
service because of passing disappoint,
ment or temporary dissatisfaction in
matters of compensation, classifica.z
ton or retirement annuities. These
three exceedingly important phases,
OF the Governments personnel prob
lem are relatively young in their adj
mlnlstration, and time will develop.
them and experience will improve
them, just as they have the competi
tive classified system. -
Investigated Five Times.
In these days of criticism and con-.
gressional investigation It is worth
while to call attention to the fact"
that the Civil Service Commission has
been through the congressional quar-
| antine. Five times the Civil Service
Commission has been subjected TO
searching scrutiny before the bar OF =
Congress. Each times the commissioITg
has emerged without a stain upon its,
escutcheon or blot upon its honor
On June z. 1884, committee of the
House OF Representatives, consisting
OF eight Democrats and five Repub-s
iicans, made a unanimous report stat,
ing that 1t had diligently investigated
the workings of the commission and
heartily commended 1t for it's intelii<s
gent and efficient administration. The
committee declared further that il was
ent1reIy satisfied with the thorough.
! conscientious, non-partisan work OF
i the commission and unanimously
recommended an adverse report upon
certain bills for the repeal of thu
civil service act. I.
In January, 1886. select committee
OF the House OF Representatives made
a unanimous report against bill for
the repeal OF the civil services act.
/ On October 10. 1883. a committee
OF the Senate stated that it had aimed
| TO secure accurate information as to
the operations of the civil service law. :
This committee made no criticisms OF =,
| the action of the commission, nor did
1t propose any legislation.
/ On February 10, 1890. a committees
of the House of Representative :
| stated in an elaborate report that.
civil service examinations were being
conducted in a fair and impartial
manner, and that any law intended
| to revive influence, political or other Z
1 wise. as an attribute to appointments.
/ should be vehemently opposed, and
that no system other than that in
vogue at that time could safeguard :
! the service against fayoritism.
On March 9. 1898, in a report OF
900 pages, a Senate committee stated
that it had made thorough inquiryz
into the civil service. had held eYN
| tensive hearings, and agreed in find
| ing that there was no need for legis-
lation to amend the civil service laws
In 1922, civil service committee
of the Senate conducted a ransacking,
| Investigation of civil service examine
| tions, making a report of AZ pages
with 1S9 pages of testimony, and-
stating that it was of the opinion that J,
the commission was free from politi- :
cal bias or prejudice. and that itsF
work had not been influenced in any!
way by pressure from the outside. i, 4
Future Extensions Possible. "a
Among the extensions and acquisi-s
lions which logically must come will
be the inclusion in the classified serv.
ice of all grades of postmasters, COLI
iectors of customs, collectors OF In
service. This will not be done in the
interest of concentration of power in
the Civil Service Commission, but aa
a means of broadening the opportunity
for employees and the Improvement OF
efficiency throughout the service. II
were a member Of Congress and
knew, as the members must knows
OF the annoyances incident to recou.4
mendations for the appointment OF
postmasters. and knew as / do from.
my present position of the utterly tfn.
fit and incompetent persons who seek
to become poStmaSters, but fail stul
make a passing grade because of the
scrutiny of the Civil Service Commis.h
sion, / should vote early and oftens
to classify all postmasters Under the,
civil service law.
There have come to my attentions
from time to time some pathetic, ais
most tragic, cases resulting from un-s
expected separations from the service,
when 1t has been found necessary to
make reductions in force. have been
wondering whether it would not baa
possible, as a natural evolution of the
merit system, to adopt in principle al
least plan Of giving some reasonable
notice. Nss
On May &c, 1925, the Personnel
Classification Board addressed tina
heads OF departments and independent
establishments concerning reductions
in compensation and dismissals from
the service on account of inefficiency,s
The classification board went SO far.
as to suggest 80 days notice In ado
vance of the date Of demotion or
separation. pf
II 80 days notice is desirable under
those conditions, then reasonable con-
sideration for the welfare of an ernss
ploye would justify 80 days notice.
before separation resulting from res