The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-04-24
BY ]. EARLE MoSER

The FeQeIdI 1ONeII lIIltLlC dLS III
adequately represented befor
Congress and need to consolidat
their resources behind a stron
lobby on Capitol Hill.
This opinion was presented her
yesterday by Arthur S. Fleming
director of the American Univel
sity School of Public Affairs, be
fore the Eastern States Confer
ence of the Civil Service Assembl,
as it concluded a two-day session
devoted to discussion of advancing
the cause Of Federal and mum
cipal workers.
Fleming declared at the presen
time I'VE have no lobby in Con
gress that is adequate for pressing
action on the merit system" add
ing:
mo concerted technique has
been developed for pressing
beneficial legislation, although
organizations such as the Ma
tional Federation of the Fed
eral Employees have developed
the technique of being on the
right spot at the right time.
This quality also applies to the
National League of Women
Voters.
But there are dozens Of other
organizations, however, that
have placed themselves on rec
ord as for the merit system and
have done absolutely nothing.
Many factors in Washington
Just now disilluSion young peO-
pie in choosing the Government
as a career. The time has come
for organizations interested in
the merit system to pool their
resources for an effective lobby,
a lobby that when necessary can
bring a deluge of hundreds of
thousands of letters on the
desks of Senators and Repre-
sentatives."
Fleming, who concluded that
present conditions ARE a chal-
lenge that is confronting us" was
one Of the principal speakers on
a program in charge of Gertrude
M. McNaly, secretary-treasurer Of
the N. F. F. E.
He was followed by Mrs. Douglas
chairman of the New
York State League OF Women
voters. who outlined activities OF
her organization and its nation
wide affiliates in using radio
speeches and magazine articles for
educating the public to demand a
better Government personnel via
merit system selection. She de-
clared the League of Women
Voters had made civil service an
issue during the Republican and
Democratic prediction conven-
tions, but concluded by asking the
assembly the best method of max
ing merit principles real" to the
average citizen.
Luther C. Steward. N. F. F. E.
president. took the floor to inter
ject that there is no simple
answer" He pointed out Elem
ing's plea for a strong lobby, how
ever, as an indication of progress,
saying that "a few years ago an
audience would have viewed with
condemnation such low activity
as lobbying. 1t shows we are pro
crossing"
Yesterdays session Of the as
sembly heard an interesting ad-
dress by Edna L. Inglis, vice presl'
dent of the Civil Service Assocla-
ton of Ottawa, a national organi-
cation of Canadian government
employees.
Miss Inklis declared her group
maintains a powerful lobby at the
capital in Ottawa, and when we
have difficulties we simply write
our minister of civil service affairs
and later discuss them with him
or other officials in round table
conferences"
She stressed, however, the i'm
portance of Everybody keeping in
line" when specific legislation is
sought, pointing out that indie
PENDENT action at such crucial
times may spoil the goal sought.
She cited the battle of Canadian
to secure a satisfactory
retirement system, a battle that
lasted from 1910 to 1924, and
told how the actions of one heed
less group delayed passage Of the
legislation.
An example Of this error &C.
cured at Washington when Fed
eral groups were seeking the pres
ent liberalized sick and annual
leave, unauthorized demands of
employees of the post office mail
equipment shop, acting against
orders of the large employe organ
ization to which they were affili-
ated, holding up passage of the
Ramspeck leave bills in the first
session of the Seventy-fourth Con-
gresS.
Chairman McNally agreed with
the Canadian woman's disapproval
of "jack rabbit" legislative tactics,
as did Charles L. Campbell, vice
president Of the Association of
New York State Civil Service EN-.
ployeS, who spoke briefly.
Early in the session the assem-
bly, discussed examination pro-
cedure in general together with
efficiency ratings, and on the lat
ter subject officials of the Munich
pal Civil Service Commission of