Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-09-26
PRESIDENT ASKED
TO CHECK ABUSES
OF CIVIL SERVICE
Steward Charges Thou
sands Given Political
Appointments.
MERIT SYSTEM FIRST,
DECLARES ROOSEVELT
Expansion to Continue Despite
Necessary Exceptions, Letter to
N. F. F. E. Head Asserts.

A declaration from President Roose-
welt that the merit system has been
and will continue to be extended dur
ing my administration" has prompted
a request from Luther c. Steward,
president of the National Federation
of Federal Employees, that the Chief
Executive translate this view into
direct action by warning administra-
tive officers that civil service princi-
plies must be followed in appointment
of personnel.
This became known today when
Steward made public an exchange Of
correspondence with the White House
which grew out of recent action of the
federation at the biennial convention
in Yellowstone Park. At that time, a
100000 merit system defense fund
was started, and a letter sent to Mr..
Roosevelt urging him to use his inf1u-
ence to halt the destruction of civil
service by spoilsmen.
Exceptions Required.
In response, the President, defend
ing non-civil service appointments in
the emergency agencies, said:
THE 73d Congress, as a part CT its
effort to meet the emergency with
which the Nation was confronted, ex-
empted from civil service requirements
positions in the newly-created emer-
gercy agencies. The 74th Congress
made some additional exceptions.
In March, 1888, many of the
eligible registers of the Civil Service
commission we're several years old.
1t had been the policy of the COM
mission to extend old registers rather
than announce new examinations
Hundreds of thousands of well-quan-
fed persons who had lost their posi-
tons during the depression had been
given no opportunity to qualify
through open competitive examina-
tons for Government employment
The appropriation of the Civil Service
! Commission had been greatly re-
duced, and because of this fact and
the widespread unemployment which
resulted in excessive competition in
civil service examinations, the COM
mission was not in position to sup
ply Immediately the personnel re-
CURED by the emergency agencies.
1t was obvious, Of course, that these
agencies. if they we're to be effective,
would have to begin operations at
once.
One of the early acts of my ad-
ministration was to secure for the
1 Civil Service Commission a deficiency
appropriation for the purpose of re-
plenishing its registers to provide
qualified personnel for the regular
Government agencies. The Civil
Service Commissions regular appro-
priation has also been increased, and
recently I recommended to the Sew
enty-fourth Congress a deficiency APP
preparation of s548,OO0 to enable the
commission to provide through open
competitive examinations the addi-
tional personnel required by the Post
Office Department as a result of the
40-hour week work bill for postal
employees.
Extension to Continue.
1.-The merit system has been and
will continue to be extended during
my administration. Civil service re-
quirementS have been applied either
by act of Congress or by executive
order to the majority of the posi-
tons IN the following Government
agencies:
THE Securities and Exchange Com
mission, the Federal Communications
Commission, the Railroad Retirement
Board and the Farm Credit Admin
istration.
THE Guffey coal regulation act,
the motor carrier act, the social Sc
curity act, the labor relations act
provisions for the employment, with
some exceptions, of personnel in ac-
cordance with the civil service law
and rules. The soil conservation act
provides for the classification, effec-
tive December ~. CT re great ma
jority Of positions In the soil conServ-
alton service of the Department of
Agriculture.
THE Civil Service Commission is
making progress in replenishing its
registers and hope hat within the
near future the civil service law
and rules may be applied to agencies
that are now excepted from civil
service requirements-at least to the
extent that it is determined hat such
agencies are to become established
branches of the Government"
Political Appointments.
In his reply Steward said "the
wholesale disiegarding of the merit
system complained of is not confined
to congressional enactment" then
added:
I'VE respectfully call to your atten-
ton that in Washington and in the
field administrators have handed out
literally thousands Of positions on the
basis of but single yardstick, namely.
party affiliation and loyalty. We sub
init earnestly that, commendable
though party loyalty may be, it is not
In the public interest that it be made
the sole or the determining factor in
Federal employment. 9
I'm view Of the unquestioned crisis
which confronts the merit system We
urge that you direct all administrators
in the executive branch of the Fed
eral Government to abide by the rules
and regulations of the United States
Civil Service Commission In the EN-
ployment of personnel and that you
make known emphatically and directly
your oficial disapproval of a contrary
course.
I'VE believe that such action on
your part will have q most salutary
effect pending recovering Of the
Congress, at which time we are hope
full Of securing passage Of legislation
providing for the extension of the
civil service system.
Until such legislation is passed q
large measure Of responsibility for
maintenance Of the merit system rests
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