The Washington times., 1937-06-28
5 EE K
SINGLE HEAD
OF SYSTEM
Seven Unpaid Citizens
Would Comprise
Watchdog Group

OWCCPuIB ICNLSIOk1 O4 SOVSIU.
ment personnel methods, including |
extension of the merit system to
all but policy-making positions and |
the elimination of the Civil Service
Commission in favor of a single |
administrator, is urgd in report |
made public today by the Presi.
dents Committee on AdminiStra-
tive Management.
The report is the first Of sc.
ries to be issued by the committee |
in support of its recommendations
presented to Congress by President |
Roosevelt in January. 1t was COM
piled by two research experts.
Floyd w. Reeves, former person
mel director of the Tennessee Val
ley Authority, who is now serving
as chairman of the Presidents
Committee on Vocational Educa-
ton, and Paul T. David, director
of studies for the vocational group.
Single Administrator Urged
Most drastic of its recommends
lions is the section devoted to
abolishing the Civil Service Com
mission, a procedure which has al
ready been introduced in Congress
as a part Of the reorganization bill
written by Senator Joseph Robin
son ID, of Arkansas. In substi-
tuition, an administrator appointed
after competitive examination
would handle all personnel prob
lens, advised by a watchdog"
board of seven unpaid citizens.
The Civil Service Commission
would become central personnel
agency, its head in frequent touch
with the White House along lines
now followed by the Budget Blu.
reau. "InService" training, q
faci1e transfer system, employees
organization problems. health
and safety programs and other
desired features now neglected
would be coordinated under the
proposed administrator.
Twenty Recommendations
The study produced 20 separate
recommendations for improving
personnel administration and nine
for extending the merit system,
some of them overlapping. MAJOR
changes proposed were:
REORGANIZATION Of the Council
Of Personnel Administration,
now composed Of personnel Of
ficers in departments and agen-
cies, so that it may serve as q
professionally competent" com.
mittee to advise the Civil Serv.
ice Administrator and the PreSi-
dent on all emplOye problems.
Recognition of the importance
of personnel administration by
increasing the number Of per.
sonnet officers, and raising
standards and increasing the
responsibilities Of such officers.
Formation Of definite policy
on empIOye organizations, Civ
ing workers the right to organ
ize and choose their own repre-.
sentatives, with establishment
Of a part-time Federal Service
Personnel Relations Committee
to handle union matters.
SALARY EQUALIZATION
Extension of the ClaSsifiCa-
ton Act to employees not under
wage boards, to equalize salary
levels in the field and standard
ize hours Of duty.
Division of all administrative
! positions in the Government
into two groups, one definitely
policy forming in the political
sense" and the other purely ad-
ministrative without political in.
fluence. The nOn.pOlitical group
would be headed by an exeCu-
tive officer equal in rank to an
underSecretary, and positions in
the group would be filled Gin &C
cordance with Civil Service
rules"
Provision for emergency work
ers to receive Civil Service status
after passing suitable qualify
ing examinations" and being GER
titled by their agency heads as
having served with merit for at
least a year. This would apply
only to those in positions that
are made permanent, however.
SOUND MERIT SYSTEM
In concluding, the report urged
development of a sound merit SyS-
tenn, declaring:
Careful attention should be
given to the development of the
existing merit system into a
sound career service system. The
Federal service should offer to
an increased degree a group Of
honorable occupations that may
be taken up in youth and pur-
sued until retirement, with ade-
quate remuneration at all stages
and with advancement on merit
to posts Of high honor and dis
tinctiOn, in order that the serv-
ice may attract and develop the
best persons Of competence and |
character who are interested in
| choosing careers" |