The Washington times., 1928-12-28
Finger-printing Civil Service
Eligibles Follows Prohibition
Anplication Of Present Methods to Eligible
ington Police Department.

TOT many years back there Wouio nave Deen SOuly
IN wide protest the Civil Service Commission had ct
the of gbles for civil service posi-
ltions.
There were comparatively few Of women
o criminal records tendencies getting places in the cv
service Of Federal Government The cnaTacser
attached to applications for positions accepted as truth
fu enough to warrant the placing Of applicants successi
lin examinations upon eligible lists
n recent wears the Civil Service Commission is not %
ifd with the voucher system IN many Of the larger
cities where crime is rampant the representatives Of tne
90 into somewhat extensive character nvega
tons including the searching Of police records ana inc
printing OF ehg1bles
Congress authorizes money therefor It is apparently
in view of graft corruption and crime follow
ing in the wake of prohibitions
II will never be possible for the Government to ENFORCE
prohibition in even half way unless competence
honesty and integrity are assured IN the personne q @
Bureau of Prohibition, from executive 70 admintratVe 81
Ificials from highest to lowest
Schemes of master rum been impose upon
the prohibition agency of criminal records
and desires violation of the law might be easier II
will be almost impossible prevent imposition in tne
future but the processes of the Commission
will reduce the possibilities in that direction
Painstang and thorough examinations into the quaica
tions candidates for prohibition positions with
the of ngerprnt records ought to improve condons
Of Prohibition and increase public confidence
lin the operating forces of the organization
That drastic character examinations and printing
must be applied to candidates for positions the police
force of Washington is evident Our police force IS re-
cruted mainly from this city, but doesn't seem possible %
fill all vacancies from local applicants Many new policemen
from various parts of the country some OF them from
cities and towns which have finger print bureaus
Crime ramificaons in days widespread and
involve many elements that police officials must SAFE
guard the department against bad getting admission
The department has undergone moral cleansing In recenS
months Men with poor standards of morality and honesty
have been dismissed others of that type will be accepted
unless there searching Investigations.
Under present methods the Civil Service Commission does
little more than hold examinations for applicants for the
Washington police force These applicants must have the
character vouchers real character examinations
are up to higher police officials They do not seem to have
been as successful keeping bad eggs from the force they
should have been.
Between the Civil Service Commission and supervisory
police officials new and stricter methods will have to be
employed to guard against irresponsible and dishonest men,
whose past records more or less obscure and DUBIOUS
from being appointed.
but fair to the vast majority OF washington
policemen who upstandng honorable men, but who are
oo unuy dcreded by the acts OF those who should
never have been given positions.