Evening star., 1928-12-15
Entire Classification System
Knocked ASkeW, Commit
tee Chairman Feels.
MEASURE ALSO TO OMIT
RELATIVE POSITION IDEA
Employment Policy of Government
Said to Be Due for Entire Re-
vision in Near Future.

Controller General McCarl's decision,
which has resulted in knocking out
of balance the classification schedules
and his theory in regard to relative
position" are to be discarded in the
relief measure which Chairman Lehl-
bach of the House civil service COM
mittee started to draft today, following
lengthy conference yesterday with Di-
rector Lord of the Budget Bureau and
the Personnel Classification Board.
With no intent to disturb the in
creaSes in salary allowed to some OF
those in the higher ranges in the Gov
ernment as a result OF Mr.. McCarlS
decision. Mr.. Lehlbach still feels that
the entire system of classification has
been knocked askew by Mr.. McCarlS
decision and that this must be cor
rected. He believes that as general
rule the increases in salary allowed are
not exorbitant and should stand.
In regard to giving relief to low
salaried employees who did not receive
the amount of increase that Congress
intended, Mr.. Lehlbach said that this
relief will be promptly afforded as
nearly justly as possible with all the
facts before him, and that Congress will
be asked to approve the measure
promptly after the Christmas recess.
BroOkhart Policy Not Planned.
1t is not intended, Mr.. Lehlbach made
plain, to restore in his bill the Brook
hart policy of jumping each employe
up two grades, because this would be
just as unscientific and unfair a method
as is the McCarl policy.
An entire revision from the ground
up of the classification act and the
employment policy of the Government
in the very near future is predicted by
Mr.. Lehlbach as the result of the ex-
haustive study made and report now
being drafted by the Personnel CLASH
| fication Board, which will reach Con-
gress early in January. Mr.. Lehlbach
said that following his conferences with
| the Personnel Classification Board he
| is convinced that as the result of this
study it will be possible to set up a
| more scientific and more equitable and
Government will buy the services of
those on the Federal pay roll.
Chairman Lehlbach has closed his
conference preliminary to drafting his
bill and awaits only detail data, which
he requested from the Budget Bureau
and the Personnel Classification Board,
which is to be delivered to him the first
of the week.
Under the McCarl ruling the classifi-
cation system has been shot to pieces,
Mr.. Lehlbach said, and will remain so
and conditions accumulatively work
under future ALLEGATION unless correc-
tive legislation is passed Immediately.
The result has been to disturb and
n ~ RVsIN ~xvrfn # y.
cation by regular modulated steps. Mr..
Lehlbach is now studying and has
sought scientific advice as to how this
can be corrected without unduly dis
turbing the salary conditions that now
exist. There is a disposition in Con-
gresS, he said, not to disturb the exist
ing salary rates, no matter how they
were brought about because, as gen.
eral rule, the salaries paid to the higher
up, whose increases were dispropor-
tionate to those in the lower grades,
are still not unreasonable, although
there is wide range between others
who did not profit as well under the
McCarl ruling.
Confident of Solution.
Mr.. Lehlbach expressed confidence
that way will be found to some solu-
ton that will maintain the integrity of
the entire system of classification. He
recess. but if the bill cannot be intro
duce in the House before the Christmas
recess, but If the bill can not be intro
duced until early in January, he en-
phaSizeS that the employees will still lose
nothing, because no time will be lost on
consideration of the bill. He is jealous
to get as nearly just and equitable
provision in his bill as possible
Mr.. Lehlbach stresses the importance
of doing something regarding the rela-
tive position clause arbitrarily declared
by Mr.. McCarl, which Mr.. Lehlbach says
is unworkable as a mathematical propo-
Sition. He has solicited the aid of the
best mathematical talent to find a
method of relative salary adjustment
that will still maintain the salary steps
in the various grades
Mr.. Lehlbach pointed out today his
proposed relief measures will probably
not be at all in conflict with the finan-
cial program of the President, and
should not meet with serious opposition
If he is able to secure the cooperation
and Endorsement of the Budget Bu-
reau and the Personnel Classification
Board. The data that he is expecting
on Monday or Tuesday from the Budget
Bureau will include cost estimates of
the proposed relief measure to correct
injustices and inequities complained of
under the operation of the classification
act as amended by the WEIGH act on
May % last.