Evening star., 1936-12-07

principal directors of personnel in all
the Government departments, the men
who know something about qualified
personnel and what has been called
the merit system" as distinguished
from the hit-or-miss method of max
Ing appointments by political pull
wherein merit is frequently disre-
garded and party service is rewarded.
All the members of the United
States Civil Service Commission were
present and some distinguished per-
sons outside the Government service,
too, as, for instance, Louis Brownlow
Of the Public Administration Clearing
House of Chicago and Luther Gulick
OF the National Institute of Public
Administration. All present were in
terested in the merit system and the
meeting was held under the auspices
OF the School of Public Affairs of
American University, which has about
200 Government officials enrolled in
special courses devoted to the tech
nique Of public administration.
Hear johnson Address.
But the particular reason for the
gathering was to hear an address by
the new president of the National Civil
Service Reform League, Robert L.
johnson of New York
Now, ordinarily, an address about
the merit system is considered by the
press in Washington as just one of
number of these speeches on reform
that finds itself colliding with the
proverbial stone wall
But Mr.. johnson, who has been
drafted for leadership in the National
Civil Service Reform League by public
spirited citizens interested in that
cause, is not the type who butts his
head against stone walls. As vice
president and advertising director of
the periodicals issued by Time Fortune,
Inc, he has had a successful expert
ence and now he has turned his
energies to the making of civil
service reform movement that should
really get somewhere
Mr.. johnson has been anxious to
make contribution to public service,
and two years ago obtained leave of
absence from his regular work to ac-
cept the invitation Of Gov Earle of
pennsylvania to serve as relief ad-
ministrator of that State for a year.
He was particularly won over to the
need Of civil service reform by his
experiences in Pennsylvania.
When I arrived in Pennsylvania.
ne told the meeting of personnel di-
rectors here, II found I was in charge
OF some $4,000 employees and that we
were distributing s20,O00,OOO month.
The size Of the organization and the
amount of money involved made it
imperative for me to have able, we'll
trained executives in the central
ONCE and in every one of the $40
branch offices throughout the State.
Personnel Expert Found.
AFTER quite search in private
industry, I managed to find an out
standing personnel expert. This mans
frst job was to classify every type of
work done in our organization. from
the administrator down to the file
clerk. Then each person in our Or
ganlzation had to be rated according
to his ability to perform his particular
Job. An examination system was set
up, not only to weed out the inefficient
but also to let in from the outside
the best talent available.
During that year, in relief and
since, have talked with a large n,,m- |
Der OF public administrators who have
oeen handicapped by politically ap- |
pointed personnel Almost without |
exception, the verdict of these men
has been that more than half their
time is taken up by politically fostered
personnel problems. They have also
peen practically unanimous in stating
that the general efficiency of their |
organizations was definitely impaired
by the ineficiency of unqualified en-
ployes.
When I left Pennsylvania I had
one dominating conviction, namely
that the spoils system is the greatest |
single weakness of our Government |
today.
Most OF the men and women who |
are at this meeting are trying to de- |
velop sound methods Of administrat-
ing government. That work. of |
course, think we all acknowledge as
OF first Importance. On the other
hand. I feel there is q place for tie
National Civil Service Reform League
As interpreter between the Govern
ment and the public. It is your lob |
to build Government personnel along
the right lines. 1t is our Job to see
that the public understands and SUD-
ports and demands extension of your
work.
Long-Term Principle.
"One part of our program, that of a
Federal constitutional amendment
has. believe, caused some concern
IN governmental circles. That is. of
course, understandable, because If the
league were going to put its whole
force behind an amendment at this
time, it might conceivably Interfere
with any constructive plans for leg
islation In the next session of Con-
gress. The league, however, has pro-
posed this amendment only as a long
term principle. know that it NAV
take years to put 1t over. At this mo-
ment it IS not our prime objective,
and we will back sound bills in Con-
gress, regardless Of whether or not
the constitutional amendment is in
troduced.
1.-THE reason behind our belief in
m eventual amendment to the Consti-
tuition Is to make sure that future
Congresses may not set aside any
constructive legislation that is likely
to be passed in the near future.
without such bulwark, the merit
system in all probability will be
raided time and again. The history
Of civil service legislation and consti-
tutionl amendments In the several
States has shown us the weakness OF