The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-24
NEED KINF0LK
TO HELP KEEP
OWN JOBS
Representatives Cite
"DoubIe-Crossing"
Cases to Author


the practice of nepotiSm through
out the Government service met
a running attack from members
Of the House Committee on Elk
penditures in Executive Depart
ments today.
It seemed to be their view that
a Congressman's relatives should
not be barred from the Federal
payroll because of blood ties.
Raps Bureau Chiefs
The anti-nepotiSm bill was
urged by Represents. live John R.
Mitchell Cd, Of Tennessee, its
author, who declared that during
the past few years he has been
impressed with the extent of the
very bad practice of nepotism
which has grown up among heads
of the various Government agen-
cieS." He said:
"TheSe bureau chiefs have
been holding appOintive offices
and installing their next Of kin
without regard to the merit
system. It is an indirect way Of
padding the family payroll"
Refusing to go into specific in
stances because he was aiming 81
the principle involved, and not per
sonalitieS, Representative Mitchell
said that nepotiSm should be abol-
iShed in the Federal Government,
so as to set the standard for the
nation"
He added:
"My colleagues on the Hill are
not guilty Of these practices to
the extent to which they used
to be-"
He said, however, that he under
stood nepotism is practiced more
in the Senate than in the House.
Colleagues Resentful
When he had concluded his
statement, members of the COM
mittee, one after another, took the
TenneSseean to task, some sug-
costing that he was aiming
Squarely at members of Congress
and others declaring that 1T often
is necessary to have a relative on
the payroll in order to be certain
that you are not being double
crosSeds"saa
This latter point was forcefully
brought out by Representative
William Connery CD of Massa-
chusetts, who declared that he
had his brother on his payroll,
and added
"There have been Congress
men who have been defeated by
their secretaries playing into
the hands Of their opponents. /
want my brother at my right
hand so know that my bust
ness is being properly carried
on. 1 need him; he does not
need me.
81 doubt if Jack Garner would
have become Vice President or
the late Speaker Henry Rainey
would have become Speaker of
the house if they had not
their wives by their sides as
their private secretaries"
MARRIAGE CLAUSE" BACKED
The marriage clause discussion
was brought up by Representative
Charles I. Faddis CD of Penn
Sylvanil, who said he was inter
ested in the Mitchell proposal be
cause 7 object to married women
being employed in the Govern
ment service" He argued:
81 know that there are some
instances where the salary of a
man working in the Govern
ment is insufficient to run his
household, but there are many
more who are making sufficient
money and their wives are
working just to get pin money
or put in their leisure time.
This just takes jobs away from
the heads of households who
are really in need Of the
money"
He expressed sympathy for the
Ramspeck bill which would pro-
vide that where a husband and
wife both working in the Govern
ment service make more than
$4,000 annually one shall be dis
missed.
Civil Service Called Racket
Asked by Representative Simon
M. Ham1in CD of Maine if he
believed in the Civil Service, Mr..
Faddis said he did not. The Maine
Congressman then asked:
"Dont you believe that we're
flOuting the Civil Service laws?"
Mr.. Faddis responded that he
did not think so, and added that
he is opposed to the Civil Service
because it makes possible many
jobs in one family. Mr.. Hamlin
asserted:
eyes, and we all know that
we all make a racket OUT of
this Civil Service system the
way it is handled now"
Mr.. Hamlin also agreed with
Representative Connery that by
a Congressman employing a rela-
tive as secretary he could feel
confident that his work was being
done properly. He was Joined in
this by Representative James
Quinn CD of Pennsylvania, each
pointing to a personal experience.