Evening star., 1934-12-27
Legislation Declared Neces.
sary to Change Status
of Federal Workers.
FIRST MOVE EXPECTED
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Congress Likely to Give More At
tention to Personnel Than in
Previous Sessions.

With President Roosevelt looking
favorably on the proposal of the Civil
Service Commission to bring under
classified civil service the employees OF
the so-called emergency agencies
which appear destined to become
more or less permanent adjuncts OF
government. speculation was stirred
today as to the extent this could
or would be done.
For the most part, it was agreed
legislation will be required, as the
statutes setting up the principal
groups-Agricultural Adjustment Ad-
ministration, for example-provided
that the employees could be chosen
without regard to civil service or
classification. and If any change is to
be made in this respect, Congress will
have to do 1t.
President Holds Power.
To the contrary, where organizations
were set up entirely by Executive
order, the President has the power to
nix the employment requirements, and
1t would seem logical that the move
TO bring new groups under civil serv-
ice would start In this quarter.
This last-named grouping includes
the Alcohol Control Administration
Civil Works Administration. National
Resources Board, National Emergency
Council, Special Adviser on Foreign
Trade, Central Statistical Board and
few others.
The view was expressed at the Civil
Service Commission today that before
anything Is done an opinion must be
obtained from the Attorney General
as to the action that will be required
for each OF the agencies concerned.
Where any move is made to put
new groups under civil service, it
it likely the employees will be required
to take a non-competitive test, as
the Civil Service Commission favors
this procedure, which is that GUS
tomarily followed in such instances.
Test Could Be Rigid
These can be made just as rigid
as competitive tests, the only differ
ence being that the factor of COM
petition does not enter
However, not all Of those holding
such jobs would be required, under
ordinary circumstances, to undergo
examination as many have civil serv-
ice status.
Correspondingly. there are many
non-civil service employees in the old
line agencies who had been brought in
on emergency fund pay rolls. Eventu-
ally those who hold on probably will
be required to take some sort of test.
as administrative officers have frowned
on the practice of having two classes
of employees in the same Office. and
the latter themselves in many in
stances would prefer civil service
status.
Two Democratic members of the
House Civil Service Committee, Rep
resentative Randolph of West Virginia
and Representative Virginia Jenckes
of Indiana, today voiced support of
civil service for the new groups
Indications are that the whole sub
ject of civil service will receive more
attention at the next session of Con-
gress than ever before. For one thing,
the mix-up in the Alcohol Tax Unit,
where some 900 employees are working
without pay, as the result of failing in
or refusing to take an examination
ordered in the Treasury deficiency
bill, is due to throw the matter wide
open Also organized workers have
announced their intention of fighting
further invasion of the merit system
by patronage appointments.