Evening star., 1933-07-06

merely temporary, to clear up certain
arrears for which a small sum became
Unexpectedly available through requests
tcr leave without pay. We do not ex-
pect further such opportunities.
suggested that the recent publicity
must have increased the number OF ap-
plications, and DR.. Putnam agreed, 1T
certainly has. We are deluged with
them, though the $4,000 on file should
suffice tor our needs for many years
to come.
DO these new applicants claim to
be Democrats and to be entitled to
special consideration on that ground?"
was my next question.
mot a few have done so," DR.. Put
nam said, but on the other hand
there has been a notable number offer
pose, including welcome number from
States heretofore under represented in
our service"
I asked If preference would be given
to the applicants from such States,
and DR.. Putnam answered, Certainly,
other, things being equal. The recent
group Is an illustration. the most Of
the people newly selected, even for the
! temporary appointments. being from
States still below their quota"
Appointment System Effective.
As the system of appointment, DR..
Putnam thought, 1T is nos as rigidly
competitive as one based on a writ
ten examination, but it results in the
selection for any particular vacancy OF
a person apparently the most promising
for that vacancy; and the appointment
does not become definite until pro-
bationary period of from three to six
months establishes his competence In
the actual work.
After all, our problem is in dimen-
sion small one The staff is now
practically static, and likely to remain
so until additional personnel is required
{ for the Annex. If our rolls comprised
5000 employees instead Of 800, and the
vacancies during any one year 400 IN
stead of about 40-and those mostly In
the lower grades, as it happens-we
should require a procedure more elap-
crate, including machinery for testing
applicants at a distance such as Is
maintained by the Civil Service"
In answer to the question. Has there
been any proposal to cover the library
staff by including 1t in the Civil SerV-
ice?" the librarian said, Yes, 1t was
one of the proposals rejected 1r 1897,
and it was recently revived in blrs IN
| troduced in the Senate by Senator kdc-
I requested DR.. Putnam's own views
Of that phase of the subject. He ex-
planned, II submitted memorandum
to the chairman of the Committee on
the Civil Service to which the bills
had been referred. The substance OF
that communication was that such a
measure undoubtedly would afford re-
lief to members of Conse eSs from the
opportunities which now .ff1ict them
and to my office from tedious explana-
tions of our liabilities; that, applied to
our entire service, it certainly would
impair the distinctive efdciencies OF our
staff in the higher ranges, and, In In
cluding the technical and professional
group, therefore, would be unfortunate;
but that as the opportunities are
directed almost exclusively to the SUBJ
ordinate positions, below 81 ,440, meas
ure applicable to those alone would ac-
complish substantially the relief de-
sired without such serious consequences.
Many Young People Assisted.
IT added, however. that under my
authority to make rules and regulations
for the government of the Library I
doubtless could direct that those lower
positions should be filled from the
eligible lists of the Civil Service. And
if I had hesitated to do so, it was
because under the present freedom OF
choice we are able to secure personal
qualities in the appointees very i'm
portant in a library and not capable
of test by written examination. In
cidentally, we have had the opportunity
to assist to a higher education many
young people who came to Washington
for advanced studies. In 1929 there
were 141 of our employees pursuing such
studies. They bring with them an
Notwithstanding, generally, college