Evening star., 1933-11-06
MISS PERKINS GET. ,
4O-YEAR RULE DAT
COMM|SS|O
Harry B. Mitchell and Mr.
Lucille McMiIIen Visit
Secretary.
STATEMENT EXPECTED
ON ORDER TOM0RR0.,! ,!
Only Direct Report to White Hou-
Likely to Forestall Public
Utterance.

Harry B. Mitchell. president of th,
Civil Service Commission, and M
Lucille Foster McMillin, associate con,
missioner, today conferred with Seer
tary Of Labor Perkins and explained t.,
causes which led up to the issuance c
the controversial ruling lowering ac
Ilmlts Tor number of examinations
Inere was no word forthcoming afte,
tne meeting, which was held at the
LABOR Department, but it was expectec
Secretary Perkins would have somethipg
TO say tomorrow.
Tne Secretary was delegated by Pres
ident Roosevelt with the task of study
ing the new rule and making RECON-
mendattons relative to continuance or
revocation Of the ruling.
Accompanied by Meyer.
The civil service commissioners were
accompanied by Lawson A. Mover, chic
examiner, and James q. Yaden. chic
OF the examining division of the Civ
service Commission. who sat in witt
the commissioners when It was decide.
70 cut the age limit, which affects prin-
clpaIly applicants for positions a
typists and stenographers. For therr
the limit was reduced from so to (
years, and for some other classes IL We
cut to 35 years, prompting a protes.
from Representative Cochran, Demo
crat, OF Missouri, which brought til
matter into the open.
1t was understood that at todav'e
conference the commissioners explained
that the new age limit was set at the
behest Of personnel officers. The Secre-
tary was understood to have questioned
them closely. It was said afterward
that Miss Perkins was taking the mat
ter under advisement. While she NAV
have something to say tomorrow, there
also was the possibility that she would
report directly to the White House prior
to any public utterance. The Labor
Secretary already has been outspoken
IN her opposition to this plan, which she
has described as very short-sighted
policy"
Meanwhile a delegation from the
Civil Service Reinstatement League.
headed by Miss Eleanor Nelson. of the
Labor Department, called at the com.
mission today. and was advised that in
the past week one agency has rejected
dve persons from Unemployment regis
ters because Of age. or Of sex. according
to Miss Nelson.
Visit Is FoIlow-Up.
The visit was made, she said. as q
follow-up to an appeal to the White
House for an executive order requiring
the new agencies 10 take their personnel
from unemployment registers. President
Roosevelt has given verbal instructions
that this be done, and the league has
complained that the Chief Executives
wishes are being ignored
The league had been told by Marvin
H. Mcintyre Of the White House secre.
tariat that the Civil Service Commission
would go into the matter. Miss Nelson
said
The visitors were informed, she added,
that the commission Is adhering strictly
to the rule of giving preference in certi-
dcatfon to those the re-employment
registers, which is made up of victims
of Government economy. That Is as
far, however, as the commission can 60.
Weekly figures on employment, both
from the registers and from the outside,
are to be furnished the league by the
commission, Miss Nelson said.
The league will meet tomorrow night
at Thomson School.