Evening star., 1928-06-18
CHANGE IS URGED
IN RATING SYSTEM
Wood Asks Senators to Refer
Employees Matters to Civil
Service Body.

The turning over TO the Civil Service
Commission of, all questions relating to
Government employees now handled by
D number of separate agencies. lnclud-
inc the Bureau of Efficiency, the Per-
Sonnel Classification Board and the
EMPLOYEES Compensation Committee, was
urged upon the Senate civil service COM
mittee today by Harland Wood, chair
man of a special committee appointed.
by the local department of the Ameri-
can Legion 10 study problems relating
to employment Of war veterans by the
Government.
Mr.. Wood told the committee. which
Is inouiring into appointments and dis
nlissals in the Government service, that
he does not believe ex-service men are
being given all the preference rights
which Congress intended them to have
under the several laws relating to the
subject
Holds System Faulty.
He characterized as faulty the svs-
tom OF rating Government emploves as
worked out by the Bureau of Eficiency
and criticised that bureau for devoting
Itself 70 Investigations Of the municipal
ahalrS OF the District and of business
methods in the Federal department
contending that Congress intended the
bureau should devote itself to systema-
nsing the rating of Government workers.
Mr.. Wood told the committee it would
nno that the law creating the Budget
Bureau gave that bureau the power and
responsibility OF making these -1arious
Investigations to which the Bureau of
Efficiency has devoted itself. Mr.. Wood
SAID the fault with the rating system
worked out by the Bureau of Efficiency
Is that II gives improper rates to alb
strRct elements. He declared that un-
Ger the system a man may be efficient
IN the quantity and quality of work, but
may get a low mark under certain other
headings. such as co-operativeness. in
itiative. leadership or similar factors.
Urges Basis On Facts.
The Law said the rating should be
oaseo as nearly as possible on fact"
Mr.. Wood testified.
He said his information was that the
Bureau Of Efficiency was investigating
the size Of money. whether one adding
machine is better than another. and
also inquiring into the District of
Columbia government, when in the
opinion OF the witness, Congress wanted
u 70 handle an efficiency rating system,
Mr.. Wood said the general question
OF preference for veterans may be di-
vioeo into two problems, namely,
preference in appointments and prefer
ence IN retention, His testimony re-
gsrding the Bureau of Effciency was
given while he was discussing the
problem Of preference in the retention
OF veterans when reductions in force
are necessary. Mr. Wood said he knew
OF one case Of a section in a Govern
menf department in which there were
~ persons, only two of them men and
one OF the men preferenced Yeteran
VINO had been overseas. He testified
tnat the veteran was let out.
Charges Executive Interference.
Under the heading of preference in
appointments, Mr. Wood contended that
tne veterans were entitled, under act
q Congress. TO absolute preference and
to.c the committee that that interure-
t2tion had been interfered with by ex-
ecutive order issued in March, 1928. He
testified that under that order the Civil
Service Commission adds five points to
the earned rating Of an able bodied
veteran and 10 points TO the earned
rating of disabled veteran. There is
. further provision. he said, that il
an appointing officer appoints a non
service man instead. he shall make a
record OF the reasons for so doing
be quoted from previous opinions Of
the attorney generals ofice to sun
port his contention that veterans were
entitled 20 absolute preference over
others on the eligible list
Herbert Morgan. representative of
the CIv1l Service Commission, said there
was a misunderstanding to the effect
that the veteran has to make a pass
Ing grade before he gets a preference
According to Mr. Morgan, the chief
point Of contention has arisen because
Tor certain positions the commission
has required that all applicants must
make certain per centage in certain
specified subjects.
He said that question OF this kind
arose n the Civil Service examination
for prohibition bureau employees, but
that the question involved in that in
stance has been Strengthened out since.
Gr. Morgan and Mr.. Wood disagreed
somewhat IN their conclusion as to
whether existing Law gave veterans alb
solute preference.
Disagree on Preference Issue.
Mr. Morgan did not agree to the
view that the Civil Service Commission
cannot certify any one else while
preferenced veteran Is on the list. de-
ctzrfng II would not be TO the interest
Of good administration. Mr. Wood had
previously declared that q Government
bureau could make objections to each
Of the three names certified TO 1t by
the Civil Service Commission when
place is 10 be filled, and could ask for
the next three names on the list.
M,- Morgan replied that while objec-
tons could be raised by the appointing
bureau, the Civil Service Commission
has the right 10 decide. whether they
are valid objections and that the ap-
pointing bureau canno. automatically
have other names submitted IN IL ag,ateTe
the Civil Service Commission agrees
that the objections were valid. Mr
Morgan placed IN the record statistics to