Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-09-06
EMPLOYEES SEND
PRESIDENT PLEA
FOR CIVIL SERVICE
System Being Undermined
by Personnel Policy,
Says Letter.
SP0lLSMEN'S SWAY
HELD UNPARALLELED
Closing Session at Yellowstone
Park Reflects Steward Presi-
dent of Federation.
BY J. A. FOX,

STAN correspondent OF Inc star.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Wyo.. September Elm blunt letter
the National Federation of Federal
Employees today called upon President
Roosevelt to work a change in the
Federal personnel policy under which
during the past three years, the civil
service system has been undermined
and spoilsmen have attained sway
without parallel in modern times.
The message went forward, over the
signatures of the executive council
as the last act of the thirteenth con-
vention, which ended late yesterday in
Old Faithful Inn.
1t was the climax to four-day SeS-
sion which saw attention centered on
abuses of the merit system which have
crept in during the tenure Of the
Democratic administration and whi5h
led the federation to vote to raise
100000 for publicity and education to
check this trend.
Issue Held Important.
The text of the letter follows:
THE Executive Council of the Ma.
tional Federation of Federal Employees
respectfully directs your attention te
the action taken by the thirteenth
convention of our organization, held
at Yellowstone National Park, Wyo-
ming, September 2 to S, in adopting
resolutions urging strongly the
strengthening and extension of the
Federal civil service system.
1T is our belief that this issue is
exceeded in importance by none now
facing the American people, and we
again call upon you to do all within
your power to bring about change
in the Federal personnel policy under
which, during the past three years. the
civil service system has been under
mined and spoilsmen have attained
sway without parallel in modern times
Democratic government cannot
thrive when political considerations
are the dominant factors in appoint
ments to the Federal service. Waste
INSTRUMENTATION. ineff1ciency and
corruption inevitably follow when a
spoils policy is substituted for sound
civil service system under which men
and women attain their positions
through competitive examination and
retain them through proved capacity
Lack Of Support.
while we have every confidence in
your own firm belief in the merit
system. and are aware of your life
long sponsorship of it, the legislative
and administrative record of the last
three years with respect to the merit
system leads to the unacceptable con-
clusion that the civil service has
lacked for that decisive support in
many high quarters which is essential
to its preservation.
With all the sincerity at its COM
mand, the Executive Council of the
ployes urges you to exert every pos
sible influence to the end that the
merit system may be saved in the
interest of the Government and of the
American people as a whole"
The final session of the convention
saw the reelection of Luther c.
Steward, president, and Miss Gertrude
Mentally, secretary treasurer, who
long have guided the destinies Of the
federation. At the same time, it was
voted to hold the biennial convention
Of 1887 IN Springfield, Ill.
The decision to conduct vigorous
counter offensive against the under
mining of the merit system was the
high spot Of the convention, but the
federation also mapped out compre-
hensive program of legislation which
will be sought in the interest Of Gov
eminent workers. A better wage scale
and an improved promotion policy
were among the items advocated.