Evening star., 1933-06-13
|DEWSE STAGGERING
|PLAN ON j. S. Jobs
Officials Seek to Avoid Dis
missaIs of Hundreds of
Employees Here.
Continued From First pase.)


The staggered plan is backed by
Secretary of Commerce Roper, one of
President Roosevelt's chief reorganiza-
ton advisers. In a recent speech on
the subject he said:
MANY of the employees who will be
affected by the coming curtailment are
highly trained in clerical, administra-
tive, technical and scientific work.
They include both men and women OF
education, culture, fine traditions. pa
triotic ideals and of proven loyalty.
"AS the ills of this depression are
cured. and along with our business, the
Government resumes some of the func-
tions that now will have to be suspend
ed, many of these employees could be
re-employed. In view Of this possibility.
and also in order to protect their eligi-
bility to the retirement privileges, which
was In many cases an tnducement Tor
them to enter Government service, q
staggering employment plan has been
suggested for those of the civil service
force that are efficient and can be used
under normal administrative conditions
for necessary functions. In this way
men and women would draw, say for IL
months, part of their present pay in the
hope that conditions during that time
might improve to an extent that would
enable them to obtain more liberal
treatment by the Government or to be
absorbed by industry"
See Few Dismissals Here.
Administration officials declared they
were of the opinion the staggering plan
and the placing of employees slated for
dismissal in the newly created bureaus
would bring about but few dismissals
in Washington"
Meantime, the desirability Of effect
ing interdepartmental transfer of per-
sonnel wherever possible has been
called to the attention of the heads Of
the Government agencies by the Coun-
Gil Of Personnel Administration, headed
by Harry B. Mitchell, president Of the
Civil Service Commission.
A circular and an accompanying ex-
planatory statement pointed out that
where vacancies occur which must be
filled, employees in those establishments
where reductions are in prospect may
be shifted If qualified If no eligibles
are obtainable from this source, an ef-
fort will be made to fill the vacancy
from the unemployment register, COM
posed of those workers dropped or fur
1OuSACu lOI ulUIc tild1 ~ QdyS.
This, 1t was added, Serves the Gov
ernment by keeping qualified persons In
its service
Applies to Classified Service.
This system of employment applies
only to the classified service, and Is q
continuation Of the effort made to fill
all openings with those having service
connection rather than to hold exam
nations to get new employees.
It was estimated by officials that
under the reorganization program now
before Congress. the reduction in the
personnel in those bureaus slated for
consolidation would average about 10
per cent. It was emphasized that an
attempt win be made to place those not
selected by the bureau chiefs to re-
main on with the consolidated agency
with the newly created emergency COM
mission through the Civil Service Com
mission.
Officials explained this would be car
ried out by provision in the reorgan-
ization order setting out:
All personnel employed in connec-
ton with the work of an abolished
agency or function disposed Of shall be
separated from the service Of the United
States, except the heads of any suc-
cessor agency are subject to my ttfe
President'sl approval, may within q
period of four months after transfer or
consolidation reappoint any of such
personnel required for the work Of the
successor agency without re-examina-
ton or loss OF civil service status"
New Oath Of Office Required.
Officials admitted that by changing
rf f1A IA
partment's Bureau of Internal Revenue
to the Division Of Revenue in the re-
organization program win cause the
commissioner Of that agency to require
each employe to take new oath Of
office when the program becomes effec-
tive August 10.
However, assurance was given by
ranking sources that the reorganization
order was drafted to bring about the
consolidation of the Bureaus Of Internal
Revenue and of Industrial Alcohol, also
of the Treasury Department. Employees
in these agencies now number about
800, and in bringing about the con-
solidation officials said about 10 per
cent would lose out, but an effort would
be made to place them elsewhere.
Although opponents Of some parts
of the Presidents reorganization order
will try to obtain action in the closing
hours of the present session seeking to
halt some features OF the program,
there appears to be little or no hope
for the success of such efforts.
Resolutions Pending.
Resolutions are pending by Senators
McNary of Oregon and Borah Of Idaho
to prevent the Is per cent cut In agri-
cultural extension work, experiment
stations, agricultural and mechanical
college endowments and vocational edu.
cation. Senator Reed of Pennsylvania
also has resolution to prevent the
creation Of q central procurement
agency in the Treasury Department
and to prevent the transfer OF various
agencies, including the ONCE Of Public
Buildings and Public Parks Of the Ma
tional Capital, to the Department OF
the Interior.
While steps may be taken to call up
one or more of these resolutions In the
Senate, they would have to pass the
House and be signed by the President
before having any force, and II the
President vetoed them they would have
to come back to Congress for two-thirds
vote. Indications are, therefore, that
opponents of these sections will not be
able to do more than register their
protests in the record at this session.
McCarran Has Amendment.
Meanwhile Senator McCarran, Demo-
crat, Of Nevada, Is preparing to offer an
amendment to the last deficiency bill
for the purpose of making more ade-
quate provision for scientific and ex-
perimental agencies in the Departments
of Interior, Agriculture and Commerce.
As a preliminary step Senator McCar-
ran had a resolution adopted yesterday
calling on these three departments for
an immediate report on any reductions
in personnel, cuts in compensation or
curtailment of activities within the past
year in connection with scientific or re-
search work in the bureaus Of these
~
The Senator said he understood such
agencies as the Bureau of Standards
were facing serious curtailment Of their
work, and that he would offer an
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