The Washington times., 1937-02-20

thetY
bjoTraphicai sketches Of them. Federal
folk interested in such photos. especially
members of Government organizations;
should contact the writer in the editorial
room by 5:15 p. M, or phone d. 1000
branch 21O.
Generally speaking, the Postal
Service is considered to be one CT
the best treated branches of the
Government, from the employe
angle, Automatic promotions,
fairly liberal retirement provisions
and l lust supervisory system po-
Iced by a dozen different power
full unions have kept squawks at a
minimum.
Nevertheless, onI branch, the
special delivery messengers, def.
nitely consider themselves as get
ting the raw end c the New Deal.
Yesterday the National Associa-
ton of Special Delivery MesSen'
gers sent its legislative representa-
tive to Capitol Hill. The repre-
sentative, John Middendorf, came
from Cincinnati in his blue special
delivery uniform to tell the House
Civil Service Committee the trou-
bles of himself and his mates. And
he told them plenty.
Not only do the messengers 1re'
quently work seven days a week
and average 10 hours, he saio, but
they are claSSed as contractors in.
stead Of actual Government en-
ployes because they furnish and
use their privately owned trucks.
Yet, the aggrieved representative
pointed out, the Is per cent econ.
omy act deduction was taken out
Of their compensation even though
they receive no stipulated salary.
Middendorf said special delivery
messengers in some spots fre.
quently drive 20 to 40 miles with
but three or four letters, paying
for gasoline, oil, depreciation and
other overhead, for gross return
of approximately 25 or 30 cents.
Representative MoSer tried to trip
him on the statement, but he
proved definitely that large offices
require such red ink" trips be.
cause smaller branch post offices
do not have sufficient volume of
special delivery letters to justify
employment of messenger at the
branch.
MiddendOrf was cut off in his
testimony by the noon bell, but got
over his point that the special de.
livery workers want to be included
in the Ramspeck Civil Service ex-
tension legislation very badly. Rep
reSentative Ramspeck also has an
other bill in the offing aimed to
benefit them greatly.
Ever coIorful, E. Claude Bah
cock invariably has a card up his
sleeve.
Not only did Babcock surprise
the House committee and most of
Washington yesterday by advocat-
ing simple blanketing for the
325,000 not under Civil Service,
but he stressed a point generally
overlooked by observers and teSti'
fiers to date-Representative Ram
speck's H. r. 2700 does NOT pro-
vide that political appointees fail
ing to pass its competitive tests
must be fired.
The bill merely provides that the
President can put new agencies
under Civil Service, and that clerks
can acquire a Civil Service status
by taking a competitive exam. #
they don't, there is nothing fore
ing them out of their jobs as long
as their administrator wishes to
retain them. The examination
time limit of one year, suggested
by some witnesses, however, would
actually introduce just such dis
misSal clause.
Regarding examinations, Bah
cock said:
"The best examination to my
mind is examination Of the man
or woman on the job. After that
has been done, no academic test
has any particular point in the
matter. If q person has been do
ing his job in an emergency
agency well, can't see how the
Civil Service Commission could
very well fail him."
Babcock, in an incidental re.
mark, also said experts" in the
service have become "very ques.
tionable characters" but 1t seemed
to pass over the committees col.
lective head.
The Social Security Board Union
(they've party planned next
Saturday at the Hayloft) has
produced new wrinkle in comical
membership pleas. They circular
lied Ssh workers as follows:
Stupid is the word for Oscar.
Even when Oscar Zilch was
younger they knew how dumb
he was. All the kids around
the block used to sing: Oscar
Zilch is kind and sweet, but his
brains are in his feet"
"OScar vent to college and he
couldn't get along. The girls
teased him; the fellows used to
beat him up. They called him
'Fiddlefeet' and Oscar the Coon
He didn't know his way around.
Now Oscar works for the Social
Security Board. But he still
can't take care of himself"
The circular concludes by tell.
ing workers not to be an Oscar
Zilch, or q, Coon, and to join the
union. But it is wondered just
how board officials feel about the
inference that they are hiring such
people as oscar.
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