Evening star., 1932-11-30
Politics and Civil Service.

Politics and Civil Service.
No one Nill miss the ironical imph-
s.6ions in the suggestion from Repre-
ssntstiye McClintic Of Oklahoma that
m Federal employees who have been
covered" into the Civil Service by ex-
scutive order should be required to take
m examination that will confirm them
or disqualify them in the positions they
now hold. The only tenable ground
Upon which to base such proposal Is
that the merit system should be pro-
tscted and its possible abuse prevented.
nut a. Mr.. McClintic is chairman OF
ta,s Democratic Committee on Patron
a1e OF the House, it Is doubtful whether
h is prompted most by desire to shake
ths plum tree and gather its fruit, or to
~cleanse" the classified service.
When Congress creates positions not
sHbjeet to civil service requirements,
the resulting patronage may be re-
p~rded by Congress as the rightfui
spoils Of war But as soon as such po-
gtions are created there comes into
vssy another sort Of pressure. exerted
~ the Civil Service Commission. That
PRESSURE, which is usually expressed
AnalIy in an Executive order covering
the positions into the civil service, is
swerted In behalf Of the extension OF
the merit system, not 50 much with the
thought Of protecting the incumbents
q to protect the positions held by the
tneumbents. The Civil Service Com
uatssion. has followed . non-partisan
p0licy since the days OF It's creation
thus gradually to extend civil service
requirements and to broaden the merit
wstem until 1t covers the govern
mental service as whole. II "A Is
sppointed to q position without regard
10 civil service requirements, and II
the lob he holds is finally placed under
the classified service, he may be for
tunate rs an individual In having es-
eaped the necessity Of qualifying BY
competitive or other examination. But
IL remains that when he steps out his
successor, 81" must 80 qualify. In
this manner the'merit system has bsen
logically extended throughout the Gov
srnment service In . way that other.
wise might not be politically practical.
For Congress to order civil service
examinations for all incumbents whose
postions we're classified after their ap-
pointment would be to Adisrupt many
inportant governmental agencies and
10 create 'harah abuse Of the merit
ustem. In many eases tha incumbens
have held ofice for years, their expert
snce adding to their value. While there
has been criticism Of the practice OF
covering positions into the civil service
By Executive order. investigation has
usually shown the criticism to be essen
tally sroundless. II 1t Is not, and II
investigation revealed abuse OF the
nerit system, what has been done by
enc Executive order can be undone by
another. In other words, II 1t were
shown by careful examination that
President Hoover by Executive order
had placed under the classified service
. number Of employees who had no
risht to such classification and the pro-
lection 1t affords, President-elect Roose-
welt could, on assuming office, remove
the positions from the classified service
" another Executive order.
This, 1t is believed, would be carefully
avoided by Gov Roosevelt, who more
dian enee has reiterated his belief in
the merit system. To follow such .
practice would be to make q political
feot ball Of the classified service, despite
the rigorous safeguards thrown up TO
protect 1t. The proper place to begin.
II Congress doubts the good faith OF
Q President who has by Executive order
classified certain unclassified positions,
n In the creation OF future positions.
Vhen Congress declines TO place such
p0sitionS under the civil service in the
haginning, thereby fulfilling the political
ssnsnities and creating patronage, Con-
gross should be the last agency in the
world 10 question the logical extension
II the merit system, which seeks thence
forth to remove them from the category
ct the spoils OF war.