Evening star., 1937-02-20
SENIORITY RATING
URCEDBY BABCOCK
Would Rank Competitive
Test Group Higher Than
Non-Competitive.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY,

Plea for preferential seniority rating
for Government employees who came
into the classified civil service through
competitive examinations, over emer-
gency employees who may be blanketed
into an extension of the civil service
by executive order, or by non-com-
petitive examination, was made yes
terday by z. Claude Babcock, presi-
dent Of the United Civil Service En-
ployes, at the hearing before the
House Civil Service Committee Chair
man Ramspeck announced in adjourn
ing the hearing until Tuesday that he
hoped to conclude the hearings on this
bill next Wednesday.
Babcock spoke. he said, exclusively
for civil service employees Of the Fed
eral and District governments, whose
personal interests are affected by the
legisla ton under consideration.
Whether the present employees in
these non-civil service jobs were origi-
nally appointed because Of political.
friendly. fraternal, religious, blood re-
lationShip or other reasons" he said,
"as individuals they stand in a better
situation than the average civil service
employe to obtain increased consid-
Grafton in any reduction in force.
After obtaining status, these non-
civil service employees can and will
transfer to other parts Of the service"
Suggests Amendment.
He said that the civil service en-
ployes feel the extension should con-
tain some guarantee that the "fnflu-
ence" which resulted in the employ
ment Of the non-civil service group
will not adversely affect the employees
who entered through competitive ex-
animation, when any reduction in
force becomes necessary. He sug-
gested such an amendment to the
RamSpeck bill under consideration,
which proposes to extend the civil
service. He emphasized that such a
method is employed generally by rail-
roads and other large industries.
Babcock pointed out that on De-
cember a, 1885, more than 10000
non-civil service employees acquired
competitive civil service status, under
provisions of the soil conservation
act, without examination.
Babcock, who was the principal
witness before the committee, called
attention that the records show that
for entrance into the classified civil
service there have been las appli-
cants for each appointment and only
one out of every six eligibles has
been appointed.
If competitive examination proce-
dure is installed and directed, the
fatalities among present employees will
be enormous" he emphasized, "and
the service will have to stop, change
itself and start again"
Passage Recommended.
He said that the present employees
in the civil service recommend pas
sage Of the Ramspeck bill, without
time limitation, and with the amend
ment to protect the present employees
in reduction Of force. He urged that
Congress pass q non-competitive bill,
including the proviso on reductions
by seniority; that Congress simply re-
peal the civil service exemption clauses
Of the various organic acts. with the
reduction Of force change. This
method. he argued. would permit the
President to use the competitive, non
competitive or blanketing procedure.
whichever considered advisable in the
case of any particular agency.
Other witnesses yesterday were Will
liam B. Bergman, administrative as
sistant and chief clerk of the Navy
Department; Leo George, for the Ma
tional Federation of Post Office Clerks,
who favored open competitive exami-
nations, and John F. Middendorfer.
legislative representative Of the Ma
tional Association of Special Delivery
Messengers, who claimed they are
"the forgotten men" in the Govern
ment service. He urged they be in
cluded in the extension Of the civil
service