Evening star., 1933-07-06
Fitness, Not Politics, Declared
Library Appointment Basis
s'Patronage Raid' Threat
Prompts Presentation
of Data.
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

without regard to their political
IL affiliations. Only minority
have had political backing, and
the fact that they were SO sponsored had
little to do with their engagement.
They have come from every section OF
the country. Chosen in line with the
law whereby they must be selected
solely with respect to efficiency they
represent the best available personnel
material to be had. and there already
are on file $4,000 applications for their
positions if they leave the service OF
the institution.
These facts constitute a commentary
en- the threatened patronage raid
upon the library about which there has
been considerable discussion in wash
ington during the past several weeks.
In an effort to discover the truth in
the circumstances I asked d.. Herbert
Putnam. librarian of Congress since
1899, to grant me a personal interview.
In reply to my request he said he must
decline to be drawn into any general
comment upon the proposed mtroduc-
ton of the patronage" principle at the
Library, but readily agreed to answer
any question I might wish to ask on
matters Of fact.
My first question was, Upon what
information did the Democratic Patron
age Committee base the statement that
of 800 positions in the Library TOO are
now held by RepublicanS?'
Nothing on Political Affiiiation.
DR.. Putnam's response was. Il do not
know What the committee asked CT
us and we furnished was list of all our
present employees appointed since March
4, 1918; their legal residence when ap-
pointed, and the position and salary OF
each when appointed and now. we
added in the case OF each ndlVldual
two other items of information, namely:
His education, training and experience,
and list of all letters on file regarding
him. even if mere notes of introduction
attesting his identity and residence. All
of these data were available in COM
pilation we already had prepared for
Senator Barkley of Kentucky, chairman
Of the Joint Committee on the Library.
LAS to the political afihation' of the
employees, We could furnish nothing
specific, for We had nothing. No ap-
plicant for our service ever has been
asked his political afflliation. No records
of ours show it. The form submitted
by the applicant even discourages men
tion of it, since it is headed by quota
ton Of the law. which requires that all
appointments shall be made with ref
erence solely to fitness for the particu-
lar job in question"
DR.. Putnam said that until recently
he did not know the political connec-
tions of any member of the Library
staff A colleague volunteered the
statement that he has been a lifelong
Democrat. The librarian has no per-
sonal knowledge of the political views
of any other person connected with the
Library work.
Few Political Recommendations.
I asked: do the letters of recon-
mendation mention the politics of the
applicant"
"Only rarely. Nor is the fact con-
elusive that many of them are from
Senators or Representatives identifiable
as Democrat or Republican" was DR..
Putnam's reply. Under the impress
sion that such recommendations are
necessary formality, even trained ap-
picantS are in the habit of seeking
them. In the case of the very sub
ordinate positions not requiring techni-
cal training, but where character espe-
cially counts, we even welcome them, as
they may furnish the readiest reSpon-
Sible information as to the antecedentS
of the applicant and his repute at home.
But even where the letter constitutes
a genuine recommendation, the interest
expressed is generally that of confidence
in the merits Of the applicant, personal
sympathy for a worthy case and per-
haps claim that the writer's State or
district should be more adequately
represented here. During any given
period, the majority of them naturally
will be from members of the party at
the moment preponderant in Congress.
Just now, for instance, they are mainly
from Democrats"
I asked for the figures for the period
from 1913 to date. In reply, DR.. Put
nam gave me the following statement:
'Of the TIA present employees in the
Library, including the copyright Office,
but excluding the building force, 140
were appointed during the period March
4, 1913, to June 80, 1924. OF this num-
Der 50 filed letters from Senators or
Representatives. In the case of 20 the
recommendations were from Democrats,
in the case of II they were from Re
publicans and in the case of they
were from both. A total Of 48l were
appointed during the period July /,
1924, to April 80, 1888. OF this num-
Der 243 filed letters from Senators or
Representatives. In the case of l24
the recommendations were from Re-
publicans, in the case of 80 they were
from Democrats and in the case of 80
they were from both.
Prior to July l, 1922, the building
force. consisting Of watchmen, elevator
operators, laborers. etc, was not under
the jurisdiction of the librarian. Al
together, Of the 81 present employees
In this department, appointed since July
J. 1924, only Is filed letters from Sena-