Evening star., 1933-07-13
OPPOSITION RISES |
TO POSTAL PLAN
Mcclellan Predicts Defeat of
Presidents Proposal Cut.
ting Congress- Patronage.
Continued From First Page }

one The order also gives the Post
master General broader power in re-
tecting an applicant.
The President proposes to ask Con-
gress for legislation putting these Offices
under competitive civil service. just as
are fourth-class. offices. A study made
by Joseph C. O'Mahoney, First Assist
ant Postmaster General, has demon
strated, it was explained, that this
would result in material saving. II
Is a principle for which Presidents
Postmasters General and Civil Service
Commissions for many years have
argued. 1t would do away with the
incumbent subject only to removal for
cause.
In connection with the revised re-
quiremen1. the department also an
nounced that a shortened procedure
would be followed in selecting presi-
dental postmasters. Applicants will
fill out missionaries that will do away
with the personal investigation by Gov
eminent agents. The rush of job seek
ers has made this step desirable. 1t was
explained, and it will likewise permit Of
saving.
The class Of post Offices is established
by annual receipts, with the fourth,
or lowest class, those having income
of less than $500, and the other three,
ranging upward from this figure.
Civil Service Has Aided.
Under an executive order issued by
President Wilson on March 81, 1917,
the Civil Service Commission has as
sisted in selecting the presidential ap-
pointeeS under certain conditions, al
though the postmasters do not have
civil service status.
The commission Is called in where
the incumbent is not reappointed, or
where an appointment Is not made
from classified civil service ranks. In
such cases it holds an open competitive
examination, and certifies the three
highest eligibles, either of whom may
be recommended by the Postmaster
General for nomination by the Presi-
dent.
For the first and second class Offices
the ratings are based upon education,
business experience and general qualif1-
cations as determined both by the ap-
plicant's sworn statements, and by
personal investigation of Civil Service
Commission agents, supplemented by
the departments own investigation. In
the third-class Offices there is in addi-
ton a written scholastic test, because
in these the postmaster has certain
clerical and accounting duties.
$35,000 Saving Seen.
In shortening the procedure by doing
away with the commission investiga-
ton, step that has been taken at
times in the past, saving approximate
ing S35, 900 annually will be possible.
The rest of the machinery Is up-
changed.
The new executive order gives the
Postmaster General the added latitude
in rejecting an applicant by removing
the present limitation prescribing char
acter or change of residence as the
only ground for disqualifying an entire
list Of certifications.
It also bars from the examination
any incumbent who is not reappointed
or any one with civil service status
This limits eligibles from the latter
class to nominees only.
The flve-point veterans preference
and the waiver of age limit for veterans
is retained in the order.
Harry B. Mitchell, president of thu
Civil Service Commission, has promised
that efforts will be made to speed the
selection of the postmasters, about $500
Of whom are appointed each year.
When President Wilson issued hi!
executive order providing for civi
service tests for the presidential post.
masters, it was required that the ap
plicant rated highest in the three
certified by the commission should ii
appointed. This was changed by Presi
dent Harding to allow one of the thret
to be named. This Is the same choice
allowed in selecting other civil service
workers.
If all postmasters eventually 60 undel
classified civil service, 1t will mean con
tinuation of a move first made by Presi
dent Theodore Roosevelt, who classifie.
those fourth h-class Offices in the North
eastern section Of the country. Tht
others were brought in by Presiden
Taft. They now total more than $4,000
Because these fourth-class postmaster
were appointees of the Postmaster Gen
eral, it was possible to give then
for the other three classes, where
nomination by the President and con
hrmation by the Senate is required, nev
legislation is necessary.
The letter of the President to Mr.
Farley covering the proposed change
follows:
"The studies which you have mad
show that there would be large saving
to the Government If the existing Law
were changed and all present post
mastershipS were placed on strictl!
civil service basis as Is the case undel
the existing law relating to fourth-clas
post ofilces
"Wiil YOU, therefore. be rood enough