The Washington times., 1936-05-01
JOB SECURITY
CAMPAIGN
PRESSED
BY J. EARLE MOSER

Administrative officials Of the
Government service are to be
asked to join with representatives
of organized emergency agency
employees in a conference for the
purpose of opening a legal way
for New Deal workers to become
: eligible for future Jobs in the Gov
eminent, it was announced today.
:. The decision to ask adminiStra-
tive aid by such conference was
passed without opposition at an
open meeting held last night by
the American Federation OF Gov
eminent Employees Committee on
Job Security, a group Of emer-
gency agency members of the Fed
eral organization who hold the
steadfaSt belief that they should,
because of their experience, have
preference for future employment
over inexperienced persons who
have merely passed a Civil Service
examination.
Approximately 100 employees,
some of whom must now be con-
sidered in the past tense because
Of recent personnel reductions,
were attracted to the open con-
fab, heralded as an effort to obtain
"job security" and eliminate
economic stress Which it is claimed
affects more than 10000 workers
in Washington alone.
Complete Endorsement of the
committees program was an
nounced by Murray Latimer, men,
Der of the Social Security Board
and chairman of the Railroad Re
tirement Board, who was one Of
the principal speakers and drew
plenty of applause. After outlining
some of the difficulties which he
said have plagued New Deal ad-
miniStrators "aS much as person
nel,"
The joint conference plan was
actually presented by John L.
Donovan. former NRA official,
spotlighted figure of the famous
"union activity" controversy with
Gen. Hugh S. johnson, and an or
ganization leader Of emergency
agency workers in general. The
program, asking mandatory power
for the WPA unemployment divi-
sion, competitive Civil Service tests
for ousted New Deal workers and a
WPA project to take care Of them
until they return to regular Gov
eminent work, will be carried to
the White House if Federal Off
Gals Spurn the suggested confer
ence, Mr.. Donovan declared.
Stating that the Government Is
the worst type of employer despite
the fact that it should be the best,
he said:
when you're notified i your
discharge you must walk oil over
town. You talk to some monkey
who is head Of a personnel office
and get nowhere. / know people
who have gone half starved for
months looking for additional
work under this beneficent SyS-
tenn. It's q poor personnel SyS.
tenn"
Mr.. Donovan said that there are
no new noncivil service jobs OPEN
ing, that the level Of efficiency in
New Deal agencies is "at least as
high" as that in old line bureaus
and that agencies that have been
placed under Civil Service require
ments will be eventually ripped
open to patronage because the
Civil Service Commission will not
be able to furnish the number of
employees that will be needed.
He concluded with the state
ment that the plight Of the emer-
gency workers will probably re-
ceive assistance from new Civil
Service agencies, the Civil Service
Reform League, the national A.
F.. G. e. office and a large number
Of Congressman who have tired Of
the constant demands of more
and more patronage seekers"
Before the meeting ended, a
spokesman for the Federation Of
Architects, Engineers, Chemists
and Technicians announced his
group will fully support the New
Deal workers efforts.
Moot Subject
DR.. L. j. O'Rourke, director of