Evening star., 1933-06-04

as the sole test Of national employment,
by a miserable compromise this law
carries over into the merit system a
relic Of the spoils system, apportioning
appointments not solely on the basis of
merit and efficiency, but, like spoils OF
war, among the States in accordance
with their population strength: CD 1t
confers no benefit on the congressional
representatives Of the States, who super
wise the division of patronage spoil.
Patronage is not an element of strength,
but Of weakness. 1t has been aptly said
that the appointing power in selecting
or indorsing one official out of dozen
candidates makes eleven enemies and
one migrate; 90 1t is not on the whole
q blessing to appointees from remote
States, whom it demands, when better
American workers from nearby States
are available. These States, remote
from the Capital, whose quotas are I'M
filled, are in the sections of great
opportunities, high wages, inspiring
prospects. 1t is no benefit or kindness
to the young man of such State to
remove him from the activities and
opportunities at home to vegetate at a
desk in Washington. Thus the appor-
tionment law benefits neither Uncle
Sam nor the congressional patronage
dispenser nor the recipient Of Office
spoiIs from the remote State with its
untitled quota. This method of ap-
portioning offices is doubly cursed. 1t
bIesseth neither him who gives nor him
who takes; 90 1t is cruelty unjust to
the Capital community, to whose youth
it denies local means Of self-support in
employments which in other cities go
naturally to the extent needed to the
youth of the local community.
Repeal in Districts Interest.
Repeal, in the interest Of the Dis
trict, the apportionment of offices law,
so that the youth of Washington, If
the most meritorious Of all applicants,
may have ready access to the Govern
ment departments and workshops,
which for Washington take the place
of iron mills in Pittsburgh and the
cotton, woolen and shoe factories of
many New England cities. Congress
by its policy Of discouraging COM
merce and manufactures at the Cap
ital excludes all other great factories
and workshops than its own, and then
by the apportionment Of offices law
"a relic Of the old spoils system) shuts
out the growing youth of the city from
the classified service and from access
to the only local means of self-support
of this kind which it permits to exist.
In the Nations City national work.
shops are local. Washington is the
only community in the world where
employment Of the local youth in the
local workshops, instead Of being en-
couraged, is prohibited; where the
young man must 90 abroad in order to
become eligible for employment at home.
Repeal in Nations Interest.
The national interest demands the
repeal Of the apportionment of offices
law. During the World War, as We
have seen. this law was exposed in
all its unbusinesslike, hurtful ineffi-
cheney. In order that the National
Government might function quickly
and effectively ito meet the require
ments Of the business of war-making
the hampering apportionment of offices
law was in effect suspended. Under
true merit system the Government
should be able to use, in order to do
the Nations work, whether in war or
peace, the best fitted of American
applicants, irrespective of the State or
Territory or section from which they
hail. As an integral part Of the sys-
tenn Of business efficiency to which the
new administration is sincerely COM
mitted the apportionment Of Offices law
should be repealed as unsound In prin-
ciple and hurtful in practice.