Evening star., 1934-12-18
ROOSEVELT BACKS
SPO|LS ABOLITION
Inclined to Ask Congress
to Put New Deal Under
Civil Service.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

There's q movement afoot 10 Strlke
a body blow at the spoils system
and the rumor is that President
Roosevelt himself has shown an in
clination to help abolish as much
political patronage as has peen
created under his administration by
asking Congress to put all the New
Deal agencies under the Civil Service.
For many months the paradox has
been presented of an administration
tnbued with a desire to drive the
money changers" from the temples
and the exploiters from the realm
of finance and business, and yet, IN
the National Capital itself. no more
striking example in all history has
been given of a politically chosen
personnel.
Thus, out of II major pieces of
emergency legislation, every single
one exempted the appointing officers
from the necessity of using the Civil
Service list of eligibles.
Folly Is Apparent.
Today, however, the folly Of this
course has become apparent, espe-
cially as the New Deal itself surveys
its responsibilities and sees more and
more Capitalization of authority over
the economic life of the country
pushed toward the Federal Govern
ment by the spirit of the voters in
trusting everything to the discretion
Of the Chief Executive.
Mr.. Roosevelt is represented as
feeling deeply the enormiE OF the
task being saddled on Federal Off
cials. not merely of the regular estab-
lishment, but in all the emergency
boards and commissions as well.
Hence the question of how to get a
trained personnel has come up again
and again.
The first move under consideration
Is the blanketing of postmasters OF
all classes into the Civil Service, so
that appointments would be made
from the top three or four who have
passed examinations.
The next step being urged on the
President Is the amendment Of exist
ing laws so that all New Deal agencies
will come under the Civil Service by
requiring some sort of non-competl-
tive examination to determine the
fitness and qualifications of those now
holding jobs and the assignment of
those who are capable of doing par
ticular work to duties in line with
their respective abilities.
80 Per Cent Of Jobs Filled.
Certainly, the objections that might
come from members of Congress will
not be as strenuous as they might
have been a year ago. For 70 per
cent or more of the jobs have been
filled, and it is question now of set
ting up system that will eliminate
the inefficient and pave the way for
the selection Of efficient personnel to
I'll future vacancies.
It Is natural for the POLITICAL
minded to insist that Civil Service
shall be postponed until the defeated
party's appointees have been driven
out and the victorious party has
placed its own in Office. Something
Of that kind of stabilization Is about
to occur. Members of Congress will
be relieved Of a great annoyance If
this new system is put into effect, for
the applications for jobs are many
times the number of jobs available
And as for Republicans in Office, all
those who were not in Civil Service
have either been driven out or have
the backing of strong Democratic
members in Congress.
Mr.. Roosevelt has given encourage
nlent to some Of those in the Govern
rnent who feel that the time has come
to think of a trained civil service.
Many reforms have already been in
stituted by the Civil Service Commits
sion in the matter of attracting to
the examinations young men of all
around ability. but who have not
specialized in the particular subjects
for which examinations have hitherto
been given.
Seek Likely Youngsters.
1t is significant that some Of the
New Deal agencies here and there,
even though not required to appoint
from the civil service, have asked the
commission to pick out likely young
sters who could be used in various
governmental activities.
There is no doubt that Mr.. Roose-
velG has taken account Of the criticism
leveled at his administration in con-
nection with the spoils system.
1t would, therefore. be remarkable
achievement if, under the admins
tration OF Franklin Roosevelt, not
withstanding the inroads that the
spoils system has made. a real be-
ginning were made toward the estab-
Hshment of a civil service of men
trained for public administration.
Copyright. 1934.)