The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16


Congress has made it pos.
sible for a veteran who has ar
arrested case of tuberculosis
to be preferred for a civi,
service job over one who has
not-this despite the fact that
the first man may get go pei
cent on his competitive exam.
ination and the second 95 per
cent.
Civil service was established after
a long battle back in the eighties
The idea was to remove party
politics from the appointment of the
rank and file charged with carrying
on the governments business. There
is general agreement that it has
heightened efficiency.
Under the system of competitive
examinations, the person receiving a
civil service appointment is
supposed to be we'll qualified for his
job.
Given Civil Service Preference
In 1919 when the army was dis
banded, there were many COM
plants from ex-soldiers that their
Jobs had been filled by stay-at-
homes. There was considerable
Justice in the complaint, and con-
gress passed a law giving civil serv-
ice preference for federal jobs to
veterans.
1t left it up to the President how
this law was to be enforced. Pres
jdent Harding ordered the civil
service commission to add five
points to the marks of all veterans
on competitive examinations for
. jobs, and if the veteran were dis
abled he was to receive 10 points.
This not only had the effect of
giving the men a higher rating than
their knowledge warranted, but it
also qualified many veterans who
would have failed to pass their tests
at all. Passing mark is 70 per cent,
but a disabled veteran passed at so
and an ex-soldier suffering no dis
ability at IS.
Order Is Criticised
There was much criticism of Hard
hng's order and its results. Many
ex-soldiers joined in the protest.
General John F. Organ, who COM
manded the Twenty-seventh divi-
sion in France, said:
THE state should secure the very
best capacity obtainable for public
service. all qualified according to
the necessary standards. Public
sentiment supports the proposal that
among those so qualified some form
nf preference should be given the
men who served the country with
honor and efficiency during the war.
obviously, the fair thing would
seem to provide for degrees of pref
erence."
In 1928 congress enacted q Law
giving absolute preference to al
veterans for civil service positions
President Coolidge vetoed it, but
modified the former Harding order
by directing that disabled veterans
be put at the top of civil service
lists.
The disability could have come
from a German bullet or from sinus
trouble contracted in a canton
ment. No distinctions were drawn
The result was appalling to de-
tenders Of civil service integrity
The merit system of appointment
went overheard every time a dis
abled veteran appeared on a list o.
candidates for office.
Not Qualified, But Tops Lists
In 1880 the National Civic Serv.
Ice League reported:
That out of sixty lists of persons
eligible for civil service appoint
ments, $40 disabled veterans pre-
ceded applicants who had qualified
at higher marks.
That of these, 269 disabled vet
Grams had failed to earn the nor
nal passing grade on their exami-
nations, yet they had been placed
on the civil service lists ahead o.
$4,000 better qualified applicants.
That to receive preference a vet.
eran need not have been actually
disabled in military service. Con-
gress had passed a law which al
lowed a veteran disabled in civil
life to 60 on the pension rolls alons
with the man hurt in battle.
That veterans at any time dis
abled, although cured, may secure
the disabled veteran civil service
preference.
That qualified candidates with M
military record were being discour'
aged from even trying to enter fed
eral employ with consequent de-
moralization of the whole service.
System at Fault
Examples of the inequalities thi
practice has worked are legion
Take the job of a postoffice clerl
in Washington. There were twenty.
seven disabled veterans on the list
The best rating obtained by such
disabled veteran who tried for thi
position was 25Sth on the eligibl,
list.
six Of them did not even receive
q passing grade, yet all got thu
right to the appointment.
For instance, one of the veteran
who earned a rating Of SIS per cen
five below pasSing-was entitled
to appointment before 8 ~non-servicu
man who got 80 per cent.
Another important technical ex
animation was for the job Of JUNO
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