Evening star., 1935-09-15
BUREAUCRACY GROWTH
RAISES SERIOUS PROBLEM
l9. 1872 More Federal Workers i'm 30 New
Agencies Worry to Administration
and War of Correction Is On.

duction in two executive orders, put
ting more than dozen bureaus and
boards under the Bureau of the
Budget. Further, he said in a radio
address to the Young Democrats in
Milwaukee on August "a:
Government now demands the best
trained brains Of every business and
profession. Government today re-
quires higher standards Of those who
would serve. 1t must bring into its
service greater and greater compe-
tence. The conditions of public work
must be improved and protected.
Mere party membership and loyalty
no longer can be the exclusive test.
We must be loyal, not merely to per-
sons or parties, but to the higher
conception Of ability and devotion
that modern government requires"
This statement brought immediate
reply from the Republican National
Committee. The President was re-
minded:
mo administration has gone to
the lengths the Roosevelt admins
tration has gone to debauch the public
service by filling every possible office,
from the highest in the gift Of the
President, such as cabinet officers,
to the lowest in the service of the
Government, such as laborers, with
individuals who have no other recon-
mendation than the Endorsement Of
Democratic politicians"
Greater Need Of Merit.
After the Presidents acknowledge
ment Of need of new policy in
Government service, Mr.. Mitchell,
president of the Civil Service Com
mission, addressing the National Fed
Grafton convention, said:
There Is in this country today
greater need than ever before for
application Of the merit principle in
Federal employment. The program Of
social security on which we have en-
barked demands the best possible per-
Sonnel to insure It's success"
At the convention, which raised
$4,000 and set goal for $50,000
more for q merit system emergency
OC1CIlSc q 1ClCCI1 was a0O1 SooSo
to the President urging strengthening
and extension Of the Federal civil serv-
ice system. The letter said:
TT 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 has been undermined
and spoilsmen have attained sway
without parallel in modern times.
While we have every confidence In
your firm belief in the merit system.
and are aware Of your lifelong spon-
sorship Of it, the legislative and ad-
ministrative record of the past three
years with respect to the merit system
lead to the inescapable conclusion
that the civil service has lacked that
decisive support in many high quar-
ters which Is essential to its preser-
vation."
Despite agreement of Government
employees on the merit system, exist
ence Of the two workers organiZa-
tionS has beclouded the issue and per-
mitted the administrative officers
constituting the bureaucratic oil
garchy of Washington-to proceed
without restraint and shift the blame
on the White House and Congress,
the latter for enactment of legisla-
ton not riveted with civil service re-
quirements.
Members Of Congress have found
themselves running virtual employ
ment agencies in their efforts to win
now out applications flooding their
Offices. Representative William Siro-
vich, Democrat, of New York con-
tends that he introduced his bill to
turn over the job to the Civil Service
Commission so that members Of the
House Of Representatives might keep
their minds on the business Of legis-
lating.
tCopyright 1850