Evening star., 1933-01-12
ASSA|LS CHANGE
| IN CIVIL SERVICE
William C. Deming, Former
Commission Head, Sees
/ Havoc in Economy Plan.

The proposal in the new Senate econo
m bill TO transfer personnel records
fem the Civil Service Commission Il
these agencies to which they pertain
'.would literally blast the foundation
from under the commission" william
@. Deming, former president of the
commission, said today in a letter tc
The Star, pointing to an analyzed state
I1aent from the commission showing just
whct this move would entail.
Mr.. Deming now engaged in publish
Ing a newspaper IN Cheyenne, Wyo-
described the proposed legislation as
III advised
The statement, which went to the
Senate Economy Committee, is an am
plification of one forwarded few days
ago TO the Senate Appropriations Com
niittee.
It points out IA operations that would
be handicapped by the suggested trans
fer Of records and reiterateS the COM
missions argument for Capitalization of
all personnel records in its own files,
with only that data left with the vari-
Gus Government establishments as may
be needed for pay roll and other re-
qlurements.
Personnel in Industry.
''Tlis is how industry handles its
Personnel and finds it much more eco
nomical to set up one centralized record
than to set up so or more such units
Throughout the plant or throughout the
country" the statement said such a
measure would save several hundred
thousand dollars each year"
1.-The commission, as a regulatory
bet,y. for its own protection -lust have
its own records and should not be re-
CURED TO depend on the records of the
agencies it regulates" it was empha-
sized at the outset.
To deprive the commission of the
sanction of the law by the repeal OF all
laws and regulations providing for the
maintenance by it of personnel records
would be a serious blow to the integrity
of the civil service system of appoint
nlents. Under the proposal, there
could be no effective check over the
personnel records of the Government,
but each department and establishment
would be authorized to keep whatever
records 1t wished in whatever manner
it wished without any regard for stand
ardization or uniformity of records or
fer their value in the determination of
eligibility for transfer promotion. re-
1nstatenent, ch-nge of status, retire
nlent, etc.
."Employes without proper classified
status, or without any classified status
az ali, could be placed on the pay roll
OF any department or Office and receive
compensation under the proposed bill as
there would be no requirement for ap-
rroyal Of records by the Civil Service
Commission nor requirement for such
approval before the Comptroller Gen.
eral audits and approves the pay rolls"
Shortcomings Pointed Out.
! In brief the shortcomings seen in
the plan follow:
Departments and establishments
would keep records with no respon-
sfbility whatever for proper maine
nance Of apportionment in appointments
between the several States and Terri
tories. Such divisions of functions
would lead to chaotic results and. in
fact, to notification of the apportion-
naens law"
It would be practically impossible to
administer the law and rules respect
ing temporary appointments.
Action on promotions would be de-
nyed until the departments could fur
nish records to the commission. In
cidentally the preparation of such rec
ord Is additional and unnecessary work
for the department"
Machinery for transfers, reinstate-
n1ents and retirements would be
slowed up.