Evening star., 1937-05-08
UnwOrkable and Unjust.

Lie IOQSe ClVll service COmmlttee
could not have chosen a more certain
method of confusing and perhaps killing
the desirable extension of civil service
status to emergency and other employees
than by coupling with such extension the
application of the illogical, unavoidable
and contradictory principles of the ap-
oortionment of Offices law. The fact
that this has been done tentatively by
the committee indicates a woeful lack of
appreciation of the spirit of the merit
system. For what the committee ap-
parently desires is a merit system that
preserves, in addition, modicum of the
epoils system. The two do not mix.
The President and the administra-
tive officials who know from experience
the problem of covering" employees into
the civil service have recommended eX-
tension of civil service status to those
now lacking it by competitive ex-
animation, without reference to the ap-
portionment of offices of law.
There is of course, the objection that
non-competitive examinations may tend
to continue in service many of those
who were appointed without any ex-
animation and many who could not re-
tain their present jobs under compete
tive examination. But the natural turn
over among employees is corrective that
works automatically. Within few years
employees so covered into the civil service
would be replaced by new employees Sc
lected through competitive examination.
AS the change would be gradual, any
disruption to Government service would
be prevented.
The committee has voted, by a close
margin, to support Chairman Rams
peck in his efforts to subject all non
civil service employees to competitive ex-
animation. That process, though apt to
handicap the functioning of some agen-
cies during the transition period, might
be defended on the ground that it is
strictly in line with sound merit system
principles.
But to couple the competitive exam
ination with the application of the appor-
tionment of offices law is indefensible,
unworkable and should be abandoned.
1t would mean, in the first place, the
arbitrary dismissal of possibly 10000 en-
ployes from the District and the twelve
States, which, under the apportionment
OF offices law, have exceeded their quotas
based on population. These people would
be dismissed, not because of failure to
qualify under the stiffest of competitive
examinations or because of incompetency
but merely because of their places of
legal residence.
Why have the District and the nearby
States exceeded their quotas under the
apportionment of Offices law? Because,
in the first place, of the availability of
eligibles for Government employment
when speedy recruiting was held essen
tial. Because there are thousands of
low-paid Jobs In the Government for
which the only available candidates are
the people who live in this vicinity. Be-
cause administrative efficiency in the
Government is better served by appoint
ment of available candidates close at
hand than by bringing employees here
from long distances away-perhaps to
All temporary jobs.
In every Government emergency de-
manding the taking on of additional per-
sonnel the apportionment of Offices sys-
tenn has broken down and has been dis
carded as unWorkable That was true
during the World War and it has been
true during the creation of emergency
agencies. The excess over quota of the
District, Maryland and Virginia does not
represent the enjoyment of special favors
1t represents the response to Government
needs by available personnel That has
been recognized in the past by the Civil
Service Commission, by Government
agencies and by Congress in making
exceptions to the apportionment of Offices
law. To resurrect the law now. in
connection with the delayed move of ex-
tending the civil service to emergency
agencies, savors of patronage and is
therefore contradictory in itself to merit
system principles. 1t would represent an
act OF great injustice to employees of
proven efficiency. 1t would tend to i'm
pair the efficient functioning of the Gov
ernment establishment. The idea should