Evening star., 1933-06-04
STATE QUOTA ACT
PROBE LAUNCHED
House Civil Service Commit
tee Will Meet Early in Week
to Draft Program.

The House Civil Service Committee
Chairman Jeffers announced yesterday,
will meet early this week to map out
plans for an exhaustive investigation of
the Civil Service Commission
The inquiry will be made in obedi-
ence to a resolution adopted by the
House Friday which instructed the
Civil Service Committee to determine
the extent of violations of the civil
service State quota act governing the
filling of positions in the Government
service.
The actual investigation, it was in
dicated, probably will not begin until
Congress adjourns. The work is ex-
pected to be delegated to a subcommit-
tee which will hold hearings throughout
the Summer and Fall to gather evi-
dence for report to the House when it
convenes in regular session In January
Hastings to Be Called.
Representative Hastings, Democrat, of
Oklahoma, author of the resolution di-
recting the inquiry, probably will be
one of the first witnesses called. He
said the people of the entire country
are interested in the investigation and
will not be satisfied until each State
has its fair quota" of Federal employees
in the District.
"The Civil Service Committee Of the
House" he declared, lis one of the out
standing committees, and I am sure
that Chairman Jsffers will call before
it the members of the Civil Service
Commission and its subordinate off,
cials and not be satisfied until the facts
are disclosed. The committee also is
authorized to call before it the heads of
the various departments and bureaus to
ascertain whether lists of ehgibles who
are residents of States which have not
received their full quotas of Federal
employees have been regularly furnished
by the commission from which ap-
pointments could be made.
Has Confidence in Committee.
"The membership of the House has
great confidence in the Civil Service
Committee and confidently expects that
all facts will be developed and that a
report will be made to the House at an
early date which will disclose why the
civil service act of January 16, 1883,
has not been compiled with, and If ad-
ditional legislation is necessary for the
enforcement of that act, that recon-
mendations for such legislation be en-
bodied in the report of the commit
tee"
Representative Boileau, Republican,
Of Wisconsin, yesterday defended Dis
trict residents who are employed II
excess of quota provisions against an
attack by Representative Blanton,
Democrat, of Texas.
Representative Boileau said it is only
natural and just that the large pro-
portion Of Government employees tax
ing up the excess of positions WhAte
State quotas have not been filled should
be from the District of Columbia, Mary
land and Virginia. Minority Leader
Smell brought out that the conditions
today in this regard are no different
from what they have been for the last
80 or 40 years.
Hastings Offers Figures.
Several days ago Representative
Hastings put into the Record figures
showing the ALLEGATION of Government
jobs by States on basis of popula-
tion, emphasizing that while under such
quota the District of Columbia is en-
titled to only 1872 jobs, there are real
ly l0,72S positions filled by District
residents. Virginia, with a quota of
659, has 2,273 jobs, and Maryland,
with quota of 444. has 2,112 jobs.
At that time, Representative Boileau
was unable to secure recognition. The
question was brought up again yes
terday and Representative Boileau re-
sponded vigorously that it is entirely
wrong to say that men and women who
came years ago from one State or
another, and who have served the Gov
ernment faithfully, establishing their
homes here and educating their fami-
lies, should be now told they cannot
hold their jobs, and in order to get
work with the Government, must 20
back to their home States.
Fears Wholesale Discharges.
Representative Boileau pointed out
that employment in the United States
Government is the only one large source
Of employment in the District of Co.
lumbia, and that, If civil service jobs
are to be given out strictly on the
quota basis of population it will mean
wholesale discharges in forcing more
than 10000 families to move out OF
the National Capital.
Representative Boileau declared it Is
his intention to oppose any insistence
upon quota for State distribution of
Federal jobs unless a provision is con-
tanned which will allow the present
system of appointing District, Mary
land and Virginia residents to the
surplus positions which the respective
States have not filled.