The Washington times., 1933-07-29
VETERANS UNIT
D|SN|SSALS
RUMORED
Civil Service Staff Lengthens
Work Time While 40-Hr. Week
Code Is Being Pushed
BY DUNCAN FORSYTH

SONV 10 SNIIIS NSSsSN
BY DUNCAN FORSYTH
Several disquieting events
loomed on the horizon Of Fed
eral employees today.
First, the heightened hours at
the Civil Service Commission are
viewed with alarm by Govern
Anent workers generally, since it
Is feared that it will be viewed
as an invitation by Federal estab-
ushments generally to stretch out
hours as an emergency" measure.
Second, hours Of certain en-
loyes of the Veterans Admini-
stration have been considerably
heightened, although there are
strong indications that there
will be q sharp reduction in force
there about September l.
May Be Meaningless
Third, while the Civil Service
Commission is busily engaged at
present in mailing out examina-
tions for postmasters and will
soon begin the creation Of new
registers for other Government
Jobs, there is a growing feeling
that however carefully these regis
ters may be made up, appointees
will, for the most part, be good
Democrats.
This is not the first time that
Civil Service Commission employees
have been asked to work overtime
but coming at the very moment
when a 40-hour week for white
collar workers in industry is being
worked out, the present action Is
looked upon as untimely. to say
the least.
No Code For Them
Brig, Gen. Hugh s. johnson an
3lounced the other day that Gov
ernment employees were In
unique position, in that they could
have no code.
Should the Commissions ex-
ample be followed generally, 1t is
thought that the demands Of the
National Federation Of Federal
EMPLOYEES " for maintenance OF
standards in the Government en-
,ploy, and of the American Fed
Grafton of Government Employees
for a code to be approved by Con-
gress, will gain overwhelming sup
port from the rang and file Of
Uncle Sans helpers.
The Veterans Administration
Is putting through considerable
amount Of rush work, and has
heightened hours accordingly.
Cuts Are RumOred
The report is current there that
there will be force reductions,
probably Of several hundred per-
sons, in September, and that the
rush work is undertaken simply
to make possible operations under
q reduced personnel.
It is recalled that overtime was
Instituted at the Navy Depart
nent shortly before 203 employees
were dismissed last June.
The civil service examination
Of postmaSterS, now under way,
has been severely criticised by
adherents of the merit system,
on the ground that it is a pre-
tense rather than an actuality.
The examinations will be given
in due course, but selections Of
the postmasters will be on a
political basis as heretofore, and
no real improvement will 'bs
made.
Seen as Opening
The emergency units are not
bound by Civil Service laws, and
II they choose to select persons
from the new registers they can
impose other tests If they see
fit, including political tests.
This procedure would assure
competent employees, but Demo-
Gratis, If the appointing officer
desired.
The most encouraging report
IN the days grist is that there
may be changes in the policies
of the Home Owners Loan Cor
poration that might give Civil
Service employees a better chance
4t Jobs.