Evening star., 1934-05-28
Federal employees on the civilian pay
rolls has increased from 566,986 to

Federal employees on the civilian pay
rolls has increased from 566,986 to
623 $50. This increase has been neces-
STATED by the growing complexity of
the Government, which seems head
ed, willingly or unwillingly. toward
bureaucracy" Admitting that the
latter word has a menacing sound to
American ears, the league suggested
that If there must be a bureaucracy
the machinery should be well geared,
as smoothly functioning as possible
and based solely on capacity and efh-
cheney, rather than that 1t be ex-
travagant, blundering machinery mo-
tivated by the waste, favoritism and
inef1iciency of the spoils system"
The tremendous responsibilities"
the report continued, which the new
deal has placed upon Government are
too heavy for the handling of such
amateurs, whose greatest qualification
is that they were for Roosevelt be-
fore Chicago A high-ranking Off
cial'S recent dictum that Democrats
can ride horses as we'll as Repub-
licans' is beside the point in this
technical age. AS government func-
tions broaden, our health, happiness
and prosperity become increasingly
dependent on the intelligence and ex-
pertness of Government administra-
tors from the highest to the lowest
rank"
ii. 0. L. c. Is Cited as Example.
The partisanship of members of
Congress was the subject of an assault
by the league, which explained that
it is not by chance" that clauses
permitting appointments without re-
course to the Civil Service laws have
been included in most bills passed to
carry out policies of the Roosevelt
administration. The Home Owners
Loan Corporation was singled out as
best illustrating this phase, since it
has been known as the politicians
happy hunting ground"
Under the administration OF Will
liam F. Stevenson. former Repre-
sentative from South Carolina, the
report said, the corporations pay roll
became a dole to political hench-
men who could not be taken care
of in more discriminating bureaus
Criticism of this management. how
ever, resulted in the resignation OF
Mr.. Stevenson and the appointment
of John H. Fahey of Massachusetts.
"Soon after Fahey'S appointment
seven State managers resigned" the
report went on, and other changes
in the field force of 5000 were found
necessary. but conditions remained far
from satisfactory In Illinois up to
the middle of March only l,048 loans
had been closed by 422 employees out
of 63.877 applications; IN New York
out of 68172 applications 3,l28 loans
we're closed by 76O employees. In
California employees were required to
donate 5 per cent of their salaries
to the Democratic campaign 1uno'
the Senator from Louisiana charges
that State corporations have been
formed to purchase building and loan
association stock for from 80 to oo
cents on the dollar. obtain loans from
the Home owners Loan Corporation
officials at the full value of the mort
cages and pocket the difference"
Despite the pleas of Senator George
w. Norris of Nebraska. and the efforts
of President Roosevelt, the Senate
and the House of Representatives
refused to include In the regulations
governing the corporation clause
which would outlaw partisan appoint
ments. The amendment, advanced py
Senator Norris, who urged that the
Senators be Statesmen instead OF Joo
hunters" was also supported BY Mr..
Fahey. The report added that were
it not for the high character OF
cabinet members there would prob
ably be more scandals in other organ
izations over the abandonment OF the
merit system.
Two Bills are Attacked.
The report also attacked two bills
now before Congress, which WOULD
seriously damage civil service gains.
One, the report explained. is a bill
which would not only throw open
positions placed under civil service
rules by executive orders OF former
President Hoover. but would also re-
quire that in the future Congress
designate all positions to be covered
by the classification. Since only 5000
positions have been included by acts
of Congress in 81 years, the league
held that this would make practical
ly impossible the extension OF the
classified civil service"
The other would have all positions
in the Federal civil service with SAL
aries of $4,000 or more filled only by
the President. This measure, passed
by the Senate last Summer and now