Evening star., 1928-12-09
,,erpretation, Mr.. Lehlbach was in.

Interpretation, Mr.. Lehlbach was In
formed.
The attempt by Mr.. La Guardia In
the House Friday to strike out the pro-
viso In the Treasury Post Once Appro-
priation bill limiting salaries TO the
average for the grade was more irnpor-
tant than generally estimated. Mr..
Lehlbach promptly emphasized its i'm
portArice. This provtso was employed
FIVE years ago when the classification
act first went into operation as q brake
Immediately Jumped to the highest rate.
It has outlived It's purpose and has
slowed up on advancement In, the serv-
Ice, and Is now acting as a drag, break
ing down initiative Of employees.
Tried to Requisite Promotions.
A year ago Mr.. Madden attempted
through distinctive legislation TO put
through a more efficient method OF reg
ulAting promotion by providing for perl
odical increases, not oftener than once
year for those in the higher grades
ana once In six months for those in the
lower grades.
Mr. Lehlbach has become convinced
that the device of controlling through
keeping the average pay at or below the
middle rate for the grade Is mechanical
and arbitrary. He has been shown BY
way Of Illustration, that in force
composed of 10 employees, each of DIFF
ferent rates Of pay. but whose average
pay Is at the middle rate for the grade,
If the four lowest paid are dropped pc
cause the other six have so increased
the work that the 10 previously per-
formed the average salary rate for the
six exceeds the middle rate for the
grade, but they cannot be rewarded
for their increased eff1ciency. Their
only hope lies In having the most highly
paid Of their number resign or in hav-
Ing new persons added to the force At
the lower rates for the grade.
Mfr Lehlbach believes that in so far as
possible, standard levels of perform
ance should be established for the sew
eral salary rates within the class, and
that when the employe attains the
standard performance required for
salary rate, he should receive 1t re-
gardless Of what other employees In his
group are earning.
II all the employees in given group
succeed in attaining the highest stand
ard level Of performance, the cost per
unit of performance would be lower,
uC PChltS UuU, altiUuSH hL cHiploycS
are at the maximum rate for the class.
The fundamental conclusions on
which Representatives La Ouardia and
Lehlbach are working are that sys-
tematic provision should be made for
rewarding efficiency in the performance
of substantially unchanged duties: that
this should be done as a rule through
the establishment Of minimum. maxi
mum and intermediate rates within the
grades They are of the opinion that
probably the best general rule Is to
have these steps contingent both on
length Of service and efficiency. but
that to this rule there should be ex-
ceptions SO that the system Is directly
applicable to the class to which it Is
applied.
Plans to Call Meeting.
Mr.. Lehlbach expects to call meet
ing of the civil service committee early
this week ct which the personnel prob
lem will be discussed with particular
reference to the proposed stop-gap
measure, which probably will be retro
active. Mr.. Lehlbach does not think,
however, that 1t will be necessary TO
have lengthy hearings He believes
his executive conferences with those
who know most about the operation OF
the Welch act will disclose suff1cient
information on which to base his relief
bin.
In full accord with the movement to
amend the WEIGH law. Chairman Dale
of the Senate civil service committee
declared yesterday he would give
prompt consideration to any move the
House may take to correct what nneni-
bers Of Congress regard AZ ifijustices In
the present Interpretation Of the meas
ure.
Senator Dale said he is waiting TO
see what course the House may follow
ia. improve the salary law, but ernpha-
sized he Is iii agreement with those
who feel the method adopted for put
ting the increases into effect did NOT
accomplish what Congress had in mind
ia passing the act. He pointed out that
he made known his belief that the law
should be amended before the present
session opened.
senator Br6okhart Of Iowa, another