Evening star., 1935-02-07
CIVIL SERVICE BILL
AIDED AT HEARING
Senate Subcommittee Told
Arguments to Include
Executive Branch.

The Civil Service Commission and
spokesmen for long list Of organiza-
tions united in supporting before q
Senate subcommittee today the Logan
bill to bring all civilian employees in
the executive branch of the Govern
ment under civil service laws. All
incumbents who were appointed with
out regard to civil service could ac-
quire a classified status under this
bill upon recommendation Of the heads
of their agencies and by submitting to
a non- competitive civil service exam
ination.
A statement submitted by the Civil
Service Commission showed that on
June 80 last there were 661 .094 en-
ployes in the executive branch, Of
whom approximately 45l,507 held
competitive classified positions under
civil service OF the remaining 199,-
507, about 10000 were at that time in
the new emergency agencies here and
throughout the country. The num-
ber of these emergency employees in
Washington is believed to be between
$4,000 and 10000.
Nearly all of the emergency laws
creating New Deal agencies allowed
the personnel to be appointed without
regard to civil service.
DC. Heads Held in Favor.
Harry B. Mitchell, president of the
Civil Service Commission. testified the
Commissioners are in favor Of the bill.
He also said he has heard the sug-
gestion made that it might be advis-
able to draft the measure so that the
President could bring these groups of
employees into the civil service by
executive order, rather than by placing
them all under a broad provision in
the bill.
Senator Logan. Democrat, Of Ken
lucky, asked if that plan would mean
eliminating civil service examination
requirement from the bill. Mr.. Mitchell
replied:
4NO, t1lC CAdA4AAAAaI4OA4 40 ga AA6AAS'
but there may be some of the new
agencies whose status in the Govern
ment is not fully determined" II
there were such agencies. Mr.. Mitchell
added, it might not be deemed advis-
able to have those employees brought
into the civil service He stated in
conclusion, however. that he was for
|. the Logan bill and was merely bringing
before the committee these other sug-
geStions he had heard.
Others Favor Step.
Luther C. Steward, president Of the
National Federation of Federal EN-
ployes, strongly favored the bill He
was accompanied by representatives
of post Office clerks, rural letter car
riers and others.
Mrs. Harris T. Baldwin indorsed the
bill on behalf of the National League
Of Women Voters.
DR.. Luther Gulick approved the bill,
speaking for the Commission of In
quiry on Public Service Personnel,
which has spent year studying the
methods Of appointing public en-
ployes in Federal, State and local gov
ernments. He declared only 10 States
have civil service laws.
H. Eliot Kaplan of the National
Civil Service Reform League and Rep
resentative John Dingell, Democrat, Of
Michigan backed the bill. Dingell
urged an amendment to make sure
that special delivery messengers would
be included. He asked an an-inclusive
bill that would relieve members of
Congress of work that takes away time
from drafting legislation.
Other amendments were suggested
to have the bill applied to first, second
and third class postmasters and also
to clerks in third class post Offices.