Evening star., 1936-08-31
MERIT SYSTEM
FOR D. c. OFFICIALS
Of W.P.A.P[ANNED
500 Administrative En-
pIoyes to Be Included,
Allen Reveals.
CHANGE FOLLOWS TOUR
OF VARIOUS STATES
Commissioner Expects Aid From
Civil Service in Form of
Tests for Workers.

All 500 administrative and super.
visory employees of the District w. P.
A. will be blanketed into a merit sys-
tenn, under decision announced to-
day by Commissioner George E. Allen
on his return from a 7,000-mile tour
Of "a States, during which he studied
work-relief operations.
Adoption of the plan will mean that
applications for jobs in the District
w. p A. administrative staff, or for
promotions of those now in the or
ganization, will have to pass muster
appoint at once.
Allen, who is w. P. A. administrator
for the District, said the plan could
be effected on his own order. The
merit system would not have statutory
authority, but the Commissioner ex-
poets cooperation from the civil
service in furnishing the form of ex-
aminations.
Allen seized on the idea while max
ing his three-Week tour of the country
in an automobile trailer. He made the
trip with Ross Haworth, his admins
trative assistant, and Erwin E. Reyn-
olds, District w. p. A. research direc-
tor. He came back brimming over
with enthusiasm for w. P. A.
Challenges Politics" Charges.
He challenged statements that thn
Federal relief system is "reeking with
politics" and that W. P A. is a boon
doggling" affair.
"Unquestionably, the overwhelming
majority of the work projects are no.
only useful. but necessary and of last
ing value" he said. Not only is there
a remarkable lack of politics in the
work program, but the administrators
have really leaned ,ver backward in
their endeavor to maintain this pol
icy"
So sure was Allen of this point that
he challenged organizations which are
conducting national straw votes to
take q poll on the value of w. p. A.
Taxpayers of communities of the
"a States have been clamoring for
w. P. A. projects because they see
the value of roads, school houses and
improvements of many kinds which
have been made possible under the
work relief system" he said. This
is the story we gained during the
trip, on which we talked to every
body from ditch-diggers to w. P. A,
administrators"
The idea of adopting merit sys-
tenn for the w. P. A. administrative
staff here he pickel up in Illinois.
where he was informed, the plan has
been working successfully. w. P. A.
officials there told him the plan had
operated to free work relief officials
of political pressure for administrative
jobs.
Personnel Of Board.
The board would consist Of pro-
fessor of sociology. an experienced
personnel officer and a practical busi-
ness man, Allen said. The board
would work without pay. Not more
than one would be a District official,
he added.
Another idea Allen said would be
adopted here would be to keep the
number of relief clients assigned to
w. P. A. projects about l per cent
under the quota allowed by the Fed
eral w. P. A. This would be used to
give jobs to persons who can find
work in private industry temporarily
but have to come back on the public
rolls.
He said he believed this system
would encourage w. P. A. relief work
ers to seek private employment, even
if such jobs were temporary.
In support of his claim that more
than 80 per cent of the w. P. A. prof.
ects are a zeal asset" to the country,
Allen said he found that illiteracy in
Georgia had been reduced by 20 per
cent since 1880. He was told by
Georgia w. P. A. officials that much
of the credit for this advancement
was due to the building Of school
houses in the State.
| BullQlng cOIStruCIion ID olIe VI CIiO
valuable results of w. P. A. in many
States. Allen said. This was made
possible because in such States the To-
cal communities advance as much as
25 per cent of the total cost. The
cost of materials and skilled labor has
limited the building construction pro-
gram in the District because of lack
of funds which the District could con-
tribute under its appropriation limits,
which are fixed by Congress.
Having travelled in a trailer for
three weeks, Allen likes the w. P. A.
but not life in a trailer Reminded
(See ALLEN, Page A-2)