The Washington times., 1936-12-10

organizations should contact the writer
Also, news Of office happenings may win
= weekly prize II phOned to DI. 1000,
branch 210, before 6 p. m.
Apportionment, considered by
many to be the greatest individual
handicap besetting the establish
ment Of a complete merit system
within the Government service,
will continue unhindered during
the Forthcoming session of con-
greSS.
For all the merit ballyhoo, and
patronage berating that has taken
place recently, particularly since
the election, none Of the strong
spearheadS expected to press the
cause of merit before the Seventy
fifth Congress, have indicated any
plans for an attack on apportlon'
ment.
Evils Of the current system are
well known. A Ounce in an under
quota State will be welcomed with
open arms into the classified SER
vice if there is a vacancy, while at
the same time the doors will be
shut on a genius from the District
of Columbia or a State which has
exceeded it's quota.
Test marks and the competitive
system become secondary to quotas,
and WaShington's 100000 popu-
lation, surrounding the seat OF
government, now has an official
allowance" of less than 100 jobs.
Because red tape and rules were
set aside during the war, enough
D. c. folk crept in to cause the Cap
ital to be many thousands over its
limit. But should the career
service" so many ask be installed
under current plans, D. c. resi-
dents will have no more opportun-
ity for it than a SNOWFALL in Haiti.
Because of field membership
that actually rules, the big Fed
eral organizations have never at
tackled apportionment and prob
ably never will. despite feeble
resolutions on the subject at ma
tional conventions that aid prin.
cipally to feed incineratorS.
At the Civil Service Commits
sion hands off" policy is in
force and some officials declare
the excess shown for some States
will eventually adjust itself. The
slight to free competition is &C
cepted as an unfortunate fact i'm
possible to correct. Even the
Civil Reform Leagues secretary,
H. Eliot Kaplan, said recently:
"AppOrtiOnment is an abSO-
lutte negatiOn of the competitive
system, but we know what we're
up against and consequently
can do nothing"
Apparently changing of legal
residence on legal technicality or
by downright Justification must
continue indefinitely.
Paul b. ZumbrO has been pro-
NOTED to senior poultry coordina-
tor to administer the National
Poultry Improvement Plan, &C.
cordlng to an announcement Of
the Bureau of Animal Industry.
Effective December 16, Mr.. Zum-
bro will succeed Berley Winton, re-
Gently promoted to senior poultry
husbandman in general charge Of
the national plan.
Zumbro was appointed to the
bureau in December Of 1885, as a
poultry huSbandman after several
years of similar work at Ohio
State University.
Local No. "a, Lorton, Va, one
of the tightest and most compact
N. F. F. E. groups, recently saw
its newly elected officers installed
by Gertrude Mentally, national
Secretary-treaSurer.
C. S. Pierce is president with
C. D. Reader and Mrs. Lois r.
Bunch first and second vice preSi-
dents. The financial secretary is
Kenneth Dove, Mrs. L. M. Carson
is recording secretary and Roscoe
Clarke is treasurer. Trustees are
w. F. Fleming, John T. Scheaff,
William Greenwell and William
M. Arnold, while E. E. Sawyer is
guardian.
National Organizer Matilda
Lindsay and Elmer E. INLAY, jr.,
of the N. F. F.. E. headquarters
staff, addressed the meeting. On
Saturday the locals delegates and
alternates will attend the conven-
tion of the Virginia State Fedora
ton Of Federal Employe Unions
in Richmond:
A description of the PWA
apartment project at Boulevard
Gardens, New York City, will
bring envy from many Govern
ment folk in crowded Washing
ton. It reads, according to PWA'S
press section:
"In order to provide for sun
and air to all apartments, the
buildings cover only % per cent
of the plot, leaving the remain.
ing 81 per cent for parks, play.
grounds, lawns and gardens.
Each apartment has cross venti.
latiOn. Every room is an out
side room and there are no
courts. Recreation and meet
ing rooms are provided"
TO HELP PREVENT