Evening star., 1933-11-08
4O-YEAR AGE LIMIT
DROPPED IN HIRING
FEDERAL WORKERS
Civil Service Commission
Urges Agencies Not to Dis.
criminate Against Age.

The 40-year rule for Stenographers
and typists today was abandoned by the
Civil Service Commission, which went
a step further and raised the maximum
age for employment in these classes to
mission announced Federal agencies are
to be urged not to discriminate against
applicants because of age.
The commission did not disturb other
maximum ages recently set, in a scaling
down which aroused storm Of protest
and led to intervention by the White
House. This step had been taken in
announcing several examinations to re-
plenish existing employment registers.
but it was the reduction of the maxi
mum entrance age for stenographers
and typists from so to 40 years which
caused the greatest stir. In accordance
with the reconsideration, the commits
sion has extended until November 30
the time for filing applications in the
stenogrs pher-typist examination, which
originally was intended to be closed at
midnight last night.
Official Announcement.
The announcement of the commission
covering the matter follows:
"In view of the present unemploy-
ment situation, the Civil Service Com
mission has announced it has extended
from November 7 to November 80 the
closing date for the receipt of applica-
tions for the stenographer and typist
examination, but only for those who will
have reached their 40th but not their
SD birthday on November 30.
THE Civil Service Commission will
urge that departments and independent
offices do not refuse to appoint certified
eligibles merely on the ground of age. "
Other age limits recently set. which
are not changed by the commissions
reconsideration, are:
Tabulating and calculating machine
operators and under -car-punch opera
tors, where the maximum was reduced
deadline for these applications expired
several days ago.
Started by Cochran.
The fight over the age limits was
started by Representative Cochran.
Democrat of Missouri, who, in letter
to Harry B. Mitchell, president of the
Civil Service Commission, took strong
exception to the Civil Service Comnlis
sion's act, and declared if the Govern
ment was to set this sort of example for
private industry, it might better give
some thought to establishing old age
pensions. Cochran also complained to
the White House and urged President
Roosevelt to call for revocation of the
ruling. This was week ago.
In reply, President Mitchell told the
Missouri Representative, in effect, that
so far as the machine operators were
concerned, this was routine work requir-
ing manual dexterity and physical
stamina, and that it was logical for be-
ginners to be younger.
So far as the stenographer-typis
were concerned, Mitchell contended, the
age limits were set after a conference
with personnel officers with whom, un-
der the law, the commission is supposed
to reach an agreement on ages when
announcing examinations. Mitchell said
experience had demonstrated that en-
ploying officers would not take older
persons and that to allow them to en-
ter the examinations not only would
cost more money but would allow the
applicants to believe mistakenly they
had a chance for employment when
such was not the case. He said also
the question of the retirement law had
been taken into consideration.
Given to Miss Perkins.
President Roosevelt turned the issue
over to Secretary of Labor Perkins for
study and recommendation. The Sec
retary only yesterday had said she was
sounding out department heads them
selves rather than personnel officers, to
ascertain their views. The Secretary is
an avowed opponent Of the lowered age
limit. She made her first report to
President Roosevelt yesterday and
shortly thereafter President Mitchell Of
the commission was called to the White
House. The announcement today Is
the result.
As soon as the commissions decision
was reached this morning, radiogramS
Immediately were dispatched to district
managers Of the Civil Service Comrlis-
sion all over the United States with
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