The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-05-31
Bv J. EARLE MoSER

postal groups OF tlOTlud yeSteLudy
at st. Augustine, Civil Service
commissioner Harry B. Mitchell
put in a good word against two
complaints that are frequently
made against the Government
service.
Mitchell refuted the opinion
that older people are Disseminated
against within the service and
spent quite some time explaining
the intricacies of the apportlon'
ment system, which at the present
time has a good many Congress
men worried that it isn't giving
their constituents proper break
Concerning those in the higher
age groups, he said:
I'VE of the commission hear
a good deal about discrimlna-
ton against older people in the
Government service. Despite
that complaint, l venture the
suggestion that there are proper
tionately more older people in
the Government service than in
private industry, and further
that the average age of Govern
ment employees is higher than In
private industry"
Mitchell pointed out that I'M
der the retirement law it is re.
CURED that the retirement fund
receive a valuation every five
years. and in this operation the
Board of Ac, cries must know
the ages of all who come under
the retirement law. He added:
"The latest valuation was OF
June 80, 1885. On that date
the retirement law covered
433,633. OF these, it was found
that 1O6.273-almost One-quar-
ter of the whole-were over
so years of age. 1t was further
found that tn average age OF
all employees under the retire.
ment law was Abb years. 1t
was also shown that there
were then in the service 56l
persons over 10 years of age,
and one of these was "a years
old. Perhaps it should be ex-
planned that no person can be
maid an annuity until after Is
wears of service, and, therefore,
those who begin late in life
are allowed to continue until
they have been in the Govern
ment employ for that length OF
time regardless Of the retire
ment age for that particular
group"
The Commission chairman also
declared that despite the general
impression that Government EN-
ployes retire at the age OF 70,
less than one-third continue in
service up to that milestone.
And he said recent figures in
dictate the average age Of men
entering the service is 81, and Tor
women 90.
On the matter of apportion.
ment, Mitchell explained:
every often erroneous impress
sions are created by the Com
missions figures under the ap-
portionment system. This ap-
plies to less than one-twelfth
Of the positions under the
Civil Service law, and less than
one-half If those in Washing
ton, and while those in the
departments in Washington
which are under the law show
a large dispropOrtion of ap-
pointments from the District
of Columbia, and the neighbor.
ing States of Maryland ld
Virginia, the disparity would
seem comparatively less If all
the positions in the Govern
ment service outside of Wash
ingtOn were taken into &C.
count.
Even in Washington there
are many positions to which the
appOrtiOnment law does not ap-
piy, such as the Government
Printing Office, practically all
mechanical positions and various
other positions throughout the
departments. The appOrtiOn-
ment law does not apply to vet
Grams and about Is per cent OF
the appointments made are OF
veterans, The result is that not
half of the positions under the
Civil Service law even in wash
ingtOn are under the appOrtion-
ment provision and none of
those not under the Civil Serv.
fee law are affected by it."
Mitchell reatfirmed previous
declarations that the apportion.
ment system is undergoing "lev.
cling out process" stresSing that
in March of 1888 the District OF
Columbia had 1878 persons un-
der apportionment and that this
had dwindled to 1851 on April 80
last, reduction of almost 1000.
This reporter wishes to express
his appreciation, in the midst of
grief at having reached the senility
of 81. for cheering birthday tokens
and greetings received from Grayce
Heilig, Lucille Shinker. Jeanne
Laffey, Josep hine Thompson.
Pat" Haley and Thelma Larri.
wee, Sextet of attractive Govern.
ment girls who helped make the
AAA famed for its youthful and
vivacious femininity during its
hey day.
Representative George H. Ma
hon, of Texas, told members of
the Association of Classified
Federal Employees several reassur
ing things in their recent meeting
at which he was guest speaker.
A member of the House Civil
Service Committee. Mahon told