Evening star., 1933-11-02
AGE LIMIT RULING
FIGHT STILL RACES
Miss Perkins Launches STUDY
as Senators and Others
Protest.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
policy" the Kansas Senator said dur
ing a visit at the White House today
Il think the action of the commits
sion was ill-advised and hope it will
be corrected"
The Kansas Senator, while he ex-
pressed himself for publication at the
White House, said he did not discuss
the matter with President Roosevelt.
He said his visit had to do with an en-
tirely different matter.
Copeland Gives Views.
Senator Copeland of New York, q
member Of the Senate District Commit
tee and q recognized medical authority.
is another one of the national legis-
lators opposed to the Civil Service age
limit ruling
When asked today for his opinion as
medical man regarding the limiting
OF employment to persons under 40 DR..
Copeland said the Civil Service Com
missions 40-year-old policy was absurd
and ridiculous" When asked regarding
the adaptability to new positions of per-
that he considered persons of that age
as being at the height of their mental
powers and should have no difficulty In
adapting themselves to new occupations.
President Most Overworked.
1.-The most overworked man and the
most onerous job in the Government OF
the United States, or any other nation,
is that OF President" Chairman Coch-
ran of the House Committee on ex-
peditures in Government establish
ments said today, emphasizing that the
average age for all the Presidents was
"above So" He made the point in
opposing the Civil Service Commission
ruling.
Calling attention that the Consti-
tuition fixes the minimum age for the
President at IS years, he said he did
not believe the people would consent to
an amendment of the Constitution
lowering that limit-which is only five
years under the Civil Service maximum
limit
Similarly, he points out the average
age Of the Supreme Court is about go
years. In a prepared statement. Rep
resentative Cochran says: Il am re-
ceiving many letters from various parts
OF the country protesting the action of
the Civil Service Commission in limit
ing examinations to citizens of 40 years
and under. wonder if it has occurred
to the personnel officers of Government
departments who the commission
blames for its action that the most
overworked man and the most onerous
job in the Government of the United
States or any other is that of the
President
Theodore Roosevelt Youngest.
The youngest man ever chosen for
that Office. if memory serves me right.
was Theodore Roosevelt. who was, I
think, 43 when he succeeded President
Mckinley. The average, of Presidents,
counting counting twice those n who 81 served ,,tn two
The Constitution fixes the minimum
age OF q person otherwise qualified for
ssoI sas ss at IS ye m
of the recent examinations I do not
think the people would agree to an
amendment to the Constitution low
ering this minimum.
Il am quite certain the average Of
those constituting the Supreme Court
is about 60 years That Is work that
VIII the Civil Service Commission or
any one else move to lower the minimum
age of Supreme judges. I do not know
the average age Of those who have been
appointed to the Civil Service Commits
sion when they took Office. What Is
the average age of their employees?
One Of them. I think secretary, re-
Gently retired at 10 Or over. He was
looked Upon as being most efficient.
The commission should be able to Judge
by its own employees whether or not
those above 40 are efficient II they
are the commission Is estopped from
pressing for the adoption of the order
complained Of If they are not efficient
they should be replaced.
THE commission. in my opinion. is
not bound by the desires of personnel
officers. 1t was their duty to take the
matter to the President, to whom they
are directly responsible. Let US see
how this thing works. The commits
sion writes me it is 10 to / the person.
mel officer selects the one of lowest age
when three names are submitted. An
outstanding citizen under these con-
ditions might make an average of 90
per cent. He is first on the list, but
he IS As years of age. The next person
on the list, let us say. makes an average
of SO per cent and is AZ years of age,
while the third makes an average Of
80 per cent but is IS years Of age or
less. Under the policy the commission
says prevails among the appointive ofh-
GERS. the 35-year applicant with a per-
centage Of l8 per cent below the As
year man gets the job. Is that pro-
gram going to result in the Govern
ment securing the most efficient persons
available for positions?
The statement of the Secretary of
Labor should clearly convince the COM
not in accord with the personnel Of
flcerS who answered his QUESTIONABLE.
1t seems to me the commission should
submit the views of all personnel Of
ficers they have in their possession to
the head of each department so they
can see for themselves the view that is
charged up to the agency over which
they are in control. and II does not
meet with their approval, call the per-
Sonnel officers to account. am
quoted as saying would propose y
congressional investigation. What I
did say was that I felt sure the Presi-
dent and his official family would not
approve of the action taken, but I did
feel the House or Senate committee
should call in the personnel officers, find
out just how far they have been going
in denying appointments to those in
the older class, and, if necessary, pre-
pare legislation to stop it in the future"
PLAN ISSUE OF SILVER