The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-05-17
SPOILS SYSTEM
IN GOVERNMENT
HIT BY FLYNN
Put Federal Service on Non
partisan Basis, Critic
Urges.
BY JOHN T. FLYNN
Times special Writer

Times special Writer
NEW YOPK. MAY 17.-Now that,
for the momen. at least. the drive
70 investigate Postmaster General
James A. FARLEY has seen blocked.
I would ike 70 see the President
send TO Congress a Iong-overdue
message.
Mr. Farley believes IN the spoils
sysseio. When the park commits
siOuer OF New York denounced him
for trying 70 get him 10 appoint
nothing but Densccratic labOrers in
the park he said. L believe that
then and I believe IL now"
This must be said for Mr.. Farley.
He has never been a hypOcrite. But
President Roosevelt once said.
I think everybody who has stud
led the question Is in favor Of The
civil service. At least the civil serv-
ice started by Cleveland has taken
away the old system Of party
spoilsF
Urges Presidential Message
I would like 10 urge. therefore.
that the President send the follow
ing message to Capitol Hill:
Gentlemen Of the Congress:
Some years ago, before my election
I said: I would ike to see one Of
the great major parties come for
ward with a challenge to the other
party offering 10 enter into a COM
pact 10 uphold and maintain the
civil service
Since that time the need for
this has become far more imperious
The government has entered upon
vast design of supervising busi-
ness. Of collaborating with business
rs a partner and of actually man.
aging great enterprises and han
ding billions Of dollars. As prac-
teal men We know this can not
succeed If these duties are entrust-
ed 10 men named under the spoils
system.
Need for New Profession
There is a crying need for a new
professionally profession of public
service. As matters stand, the gov
eminent. seeking trained men to
regulate or supervise powerful
private interests. must go into the
ranks of those very interests to find
the men to represent it.
Lawyers. economists. accountants
and managers enter the government
gervice for a little while. planning TO
seek higher paid and more stable
employment later in the very enter
prises they are called upon to
regulate
AS President Of the United States
I urge Congress to provide for a BIZ
partisan commission. upon which
Will be also some non partisan
authorities, TO study the subject and
report not later than Jan l. 1886.
plan for putting under the merit
system the entire Federal public
service. from postmaster general
down.
AS leader of the Democratic
party. I invite the leaders of the
Republican party to name represen-
tativeS TO confer with representa-
tiveS TO be named by me to carry
out the plan of joining hands to
support this reform.
The New York System
I'm New York state We have a BIZ
partisan system of nomination of
judges. II is not perfect. But it
points the way for united action by
both great political parties to strike
a blow at the vicious spOiis system"
When the President took Office
there were 447OOO Jobs under the
merit system. Some 10000 jobs
still remained under the SpOils
system OF these AT 900. only 5000
had been put into the Civil service
bv direct action of Congress. The
remaining $4,000 were converted
into the classified service by the
Presidents from 1880 down. But
since March. 1898. over 1000 jobs
have been aCiSd TO the Federal pay
roll and most Of these are under
the SpoilS system. The President
can now enhance his prestige by
putting the whole Federal service
r1f,oy, n professional roprs,1aOpnt