Evening star., 1934-10-03
FEARS PERS|ST|NG
PATRONAGE MIGHT
RULE CITY BUDGET
Appointments to D. c. Jobs
Seen as Possible Bait
Under New Rules.
CARPETBAGGER RAID
DECLARED UNLIKELY
Commissioners Believed Sincere in
Conviction Party Heads Will
Keep Hands Off.

While the Commissioners insist there
Is going to be no "carpetbagger raid"
on the District government as a result
of partial abandonment of civil service
examination rules, there is a growing
fear that some members of Congress
will seek to slash the District budget
If their friends are not given jobs, it
became apparent today at the District
Building.
District officials agreed that de-
termined member of Congress could
WELD the whip in the matter If his
demands for an appointment in the
municipal government were not grant
ed by the city heads.
Melvin c. Hazen, president Of the
Board of Commissioners. declared he
has no intention of ousting veteran
District officials just to make way for
appointment of deserving Democrats"
sponsored by members of Congress.
Plan to Make Jobs Secure.
"There is not going to be any car
petbagger raid on District jobs" he
declared II have talked with Post
master General Farley and with other
administration leaders. I have found
them reasonable and perfectly in ac-
cord with the idea of the Commission
erS that men and women who have
spent years in city service should not
be displaced and deprived of retire
ment status merely to make place
for somebody else who wants a job"
Junior District officials are con-
WINGED the Commissioners are sincere
in such a statement. Similar assur-
ances we're given shortly after the new
Commissioners took Office Nearly 80
of the more important positions have
been filled since last November. Most
of them were newly created positions.
Political Endorsements played a major
part in the selections. In numerous
cases appointments were dictated to
the Commissioners. But in only sew
eral cases were District workers ousted
or denoted to make way for new
comers, one official explained
Fear of repriSals against the Dis
trict should some job hunters be de-
MED persists, however. because of sev-
eral incidents recorded last year when
the 1885 budget was before Congress.
1t was recalled today that politicians
demanding appointment of friends to
posts as inspectors on the Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board failed to gain
a waiver of civil service rules than.
The city heads sought to have tncse
jobs exempted from the rules, rut the
Civil Service Commission rejected the
plea.
Salaries Severely Trimmed.
Later. the record shows. appropria.
tionS for salaries for six of the eigh
jobs of liquor inspectors were slashec
from the budget, and again. heavy
slashes made in the items for tht
Public Utilities Commission resulted
in the discharge Of IA employees.
The Commissioners now have be-
fore them a demand by Representa-.
tive Blanton of Texas for the ap.
pointment of Maurice v. Books a!
assistant corporation counsel in charge
of liquor matters. Books is a resident
of Abilene, Tex. Blanton's home town
District officials fear that if this ap-
pointment is rejected the salary fol
the position will be cut from the 1885,
budget.
One high District official said to-
day: IF our budget is slashed be.
cause We cannot meet demands fo
jobs. the responsibility will not res
with the District"
A number of veteran District ofl.
cials will be retired soon and other.
reach retirement age in the next two
years. The Commissioners hope tt
meet the most insistent demands fol-
jobs by filling such vacancies dne
those which occur through resigna.
tions or deaths.