Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-29
BODY RECOMMENDS
D. C. CIVIL SERVICE
Research Institute Would
Place Personnel on Same
as Federal Status.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

I IIIOSG Al
| the proposal for reorganization of the
| municipal government of the National
Capital made by the Institute for Gov
eminent Research of the Bookings In
Stitute. This Is an association OF public
spirited men working to improve the
science of government.
While all but a compar atively rev
superior positions In the departments
of the National Government are nlleo
only after examination, the institute
report emphasizes the operation OF the
classified civil service act in the Dis
trict government, as regards person.
mel under the Commissioners, has been
confined TO the police and FIRE de-
partments. It is true that there have
been few, If any, removals by the Com
missioners for political reasons, the
report admits.
If the merit system is desirable in
the National Government and in the
governments of States and netropoli-
tan cities. the report contends, 1T
would seem to be desirable In the Dis
trict of Columbia" 1t is, therefore,
recommended by the institute that the
Federal laws and regulations be ex-
tended to the District. where practi~
cable. under the Civil Service Commits
sion.
Not Limited to Residents.
It is recommended, however, that APP
pointment to positions subordinate to
the proposed city manager, who would
take over the administrative. acts now
performed by the District Commission
ers. should not be confined to residents
of the District. Ordinarily, minor posi-
lions should be filled by residents. and
there should be built up an organiZa-
ton which will allow the higher posi-
lions to be filled by promotion. Pro-
motions exclusively from within the
service often result in dead wood
reaching the top, the report warns.
A survey of the personnel of the Dis
trict government, both. with regard to
quantity and quality, is recommended.
It may be that some units are over
manned, the institute suggests, and 1t
is likely that some are undermined.
President Taft is quoted as having said
that 1.-The proposition to add a bureau
or department sends gooseflesh all over
the body of any one who has any sort
Of responsibility in respect to the
finances of the Government" About
the same feelings are experienced by
legislators and the public generally
when recommendations are made for
increased public personnel, the insti-
tute comments.
"They always discount the recon-
mendations of department heads, as
they suspect that executive officers are
eager to build up high administrative
machine It is likely that there is some
justification for this feeling; Never
comedies, that in some units an in
crease in personnel will result in in
creased revenues and that In others
the work will be so much more EN-
GENTLY conducted that the added cost
will be justified.
Assistants Recommended.
Particular attention should be paid, y
the, institute advised, ito the personnel
NECESSARY to provide a qualified ranking
assistant in each major unit to make
inspections and to compile sedeq'Iate
records and statistics to serve as basis
for planning work and legislation"
The quality of the personnel should
be reviewed. it is argued, to ascertain
whether all employees are fitted for the
work assigned to them, and whether the
responsible heads measure up to modern
standards Of technique and progress
sivenesS.
For retirement purposes District en-
ployes are divided into three classes
specified in three separate acts, each
class being paid from a separate fund:
Cd Policemen and f1remen; ca teach1
ers, and (3) all other employees. As
the work of the policemen and firemen
involves special hazards the provisions
are more liberal for them than in the
case of the two other classes. Retire
ment Is recommended by a special
board appointed by the Commissioners.
The powers of this board are advisory
only, and the Commissioners have full
power to decide whether a member
should be retired. Retirement Is al
lowed for the following reasons:
Reasons for Retirement.
If incapacitated for the perform
ance of duty through permanent injury
or diseases received or contracted in
line of duty; 2-service of not less than
Is years and attainment of the age OF
SIS years. if incapacitated for the per-
Torrance of duty for any cause, on APP
plication; 3-at the discretion of the
Commissioners when the member
reaches the age Of so years.
Retirement is not obligatory at any
specified age, the report emphasizes,
and says that sit Is believed that re-
larry in the higher grades, in the Fire
Department at the age of IS and in the
Police Department at 20. The proper
exercise of command in the Fire De-
partment involves physical vigor and ii
is doubtful whether man over IS car
properly discharge his duties. In the
Police Department the supervisory po-
sitions are of a more administrative
character and there are more minor
positions in the station houses which
do not require physical agility; there
fore, the age limit may be 10.
Provision for widows and children Is
now made only in the case Of policemen
and firemen. Widows may receive not
exceeding $50 a month, and children
| under Is not exceeding $40 a month
These pensions are paid regardless Of
whether the member Of either depart
ment died from injury or disease re,
| ceived or contracted In line of duty. Or
| account Of the extra hazards, the insti-
tute feels, there Is no question that pen.
sions should be paid to widows and chill
dren of members dying from injury Of
| disease received or contracted in line
| of duty.
Source Of Relief Funds.
The policemen's and f1remen's reliei
| fund is separate fund made up of &C.
cretions from the following sources: l
! deductions of 21a per cent from thu
salary of each member; 2, fines imposed
by the Commissioners by way of dis.
cipline on members of the two depart
! ments; 8, rewards that may be re.
ceived by any member for extraordinar!
service, except such part as the Com
misSioners may allow the member to re-
tain; T. donations: S, net proceeds o
sale of unclaimed property In the Gus
tody of the Police Department; 6, sucl
money from the revenues as may be au
thorized by Congress.
/ There is no point in placing items
8, 4 and in the fund, the institut,
says, as these plus item are never suf.
| ficient to pay the allowances and thu