Evening star., 1934-11-20
PATRONAGE RIDER
M|SUNDERSTOOD|N
HOUSE, BOARD TOLD
Mrs. McMiIlin Says Men,
bers Write They Did Not
Understand Bill.
MRS. NORTON PROTESTS
RE.ExAMINATION OF ALL
Says She Believes Only "Blan.
keted In" Should Take Tests
in Alcoholic Tax Unit.

The contention that members of
Congress were under a misapprehen-
sion when they voted for the patron
age rider" to Treasury appropria-
tion which Is ouSting more than 900
employees of the Alcoholic Tax Unit
on December today was supported
at the Civil Service Commission.
This development came in a letter
to Representative Mary Norton,
Democrat, of New Jersey, from Mrs,
Lucille Foster McMillin, a Democratic
member Of the commission. Mrs.
Norton had written to Mrs. McMillin
protesting against the re-examination
Of all employees in the unit, explain
ing that she believed it was the in
tent OF Congress to force these new
tests only upon appointees who had
secured their jobs originally without
regard to civil service and were later
"blanketed in" to civil service. She
asked new tests which would allow
credit for experience, this factor hav-
ing been eliminated in the tests
which fiunked the 900.
She told Mrs. Norton that mot one
OF the persons" who came from the
old Bureau Of Prohibition and was
transferred to the Alcohol Tax Unit
had been appointed otherwise than
ny regular civil service procedure
through competitive tests.
Letters To Commission.
"Your letter." Mrs. McMillin said.
Is one OF the many that the COM
mission is receiving from members of
Congress which indicate that they
were under a misapprehension of the
facts at the time the proviso to the
emergency appropriation act was ap-
proved by Congress last June"
Mrs. McMillin also reiterates a pre-
vlous statement Of the commission
that it is unfortunate" that so MANY
employees who already had qauliied
for their positions by competitive tests
should be losing out in December be-
cause another test was forced upon
them.
Mrs. Norton in writing directly to
Mrs. McMillin rather than to the COM
mission as an agency explained that
sne mad received many protests re-
garding the unfairness of the recent
examinations" She also asks that
| new examinations be held.
No Special Consideration.
"The commission" Commissioner
McMlllin said, "is wholly without
authority in law to hold another ex-
animation for the purpose of pro-
vlding another opportunity to COM
pete for the incumbents of these posi-
tions, as Congress in the proviso in
dicated its apparent purpose that they
were to receive no especial considera-
ton as to their having already passed
civil service examination"
While there have been reports that
members of Congress misconstrued
the intent Of the rider which pro-
vides that those employees that came
out OF the old prohibition set-up cam
not remain on the pay roll after De.
cember without new examinations.
the letter Of Commissioner McMillin
for the first time barred the fact that
the commission had been bombarded
with complaints bearing out this al
legation. This was one of the points
emphasized yesterday in the bill filed
by Gen. Samuel T. Ansell, counsel
for the affected employees, in a move
to obtain injunction to halt opera
ton Of the law. This case comes up
before Chief Justice Wheat in Dis
| trict Supreme Court next Monday.
when Secretary Of Treasury Morgen-
thau must show cause why compli-
ance should not be halted.