The Washington times., 1937-02-19

Federal folk interested in such photos.
especially members Of Government organ.
the editorial room by S:15 .. m" or
phone d. 1000, Branch 21O.
w. w. Richardson, canny per-
sonnel officer of the General Ac-
counting office, has succeeded in
placing his agency in more favor.
able light than any of the Federal
officials called thus far to testify
before the House Civil Service
Committee in regard to extending
merit system rights to emergency
workers.
In following the general lead and
asking that the Ramspeck Civil
Service extension bill be amended
to allow non-competitive tests for
clerks appointed several years ago
without examination, Richardson
stressed that G. A. o. is primarily
interested in the efficiency OF it's
force, that only the efficient have
been retained on the emergency
staff, and that use of non-competi-
tives would allow his office to con-
tinue receiving the value Of expert
ence which such workers have
gained.
He suggested a general amend
ment to the measure whereby
agencies, supervised by the Civil
Service Commission, would allow
only workers of recognized eftici-
ency to take qualified teSts-al-
though failing to specify Just how
this would be done.
His stand, however, drew verbal
approval from several members OF
the committee, who observed that
they were aware of the pressure
placed upon G. A. o. by other Gov
ernmental agencies which are ire
ouently irked by the check-reln
placed upon them at the old Pen
sion Office Building.
During recent testimony offered
by DR.. w. w. Stockberger, Of the
Agriculture Department, Repre-
sentative Guy Moser, Of Pennsyi-
vania attacked the numerous ad-
visory pamphlets distributed by
the thousands by the Bureau OF
Home Economics, pointing out
that one sent to farmers-who ere
supposed to know all about it
gave 36 different uses for corn
meal. Moser indicated he thought
Il a waste of Federal cash. Acting
Chairman Jennings Randolph, OF
West Virginia, however, smootned
matters over with lavish praise OF
,Agriculture'S activities. Incident
ally, it has developed that AAA Is
to furlough quite a number OF
additional workers between April
and July. considerably more than
the IS who were Topped February
is.
Conditions in the lexington
Place establishment of Federal
Housing Administration are not
what they should be, according to
employees assigned to that unit.
1t is reported in complaints that
turf and numbers betting, poker
playing, smoking, drinking and
operation of punchboards are al
lowed indiScriminately, while the
eye is winked at feminine office
pets who feel that knitting and
sewing is a bit more interesting
than work.
Activities of the 100-odd en-
ployes in the lexington unit, CON-
monty termed -lcatraz" by FILA
personnel, include mailing, ad-
dressographing, printing letter
heads, proof-reading and operation
of a photostatic department. In
the latter, it is charged, personal
photos executed with Government
equipment and supplies likewise
are permitted for those who stand
in. One man, under duress, had
to clean the boss car so the latter
could attend a wedding.
An investigation by FILA mogulS
might not be amiss.
Starting Saturday, a series of
lectures entitled The Frontiers of
Law and Economies" will take
place in the Agriculture Auditor
ium, las p. m, under joint aus
pices of the Agriculture Graduate
School and American University.
Chairmen of the courses will be
Dr.. Mordecai Ezekiel and DR.. Leon
c. Marshall.
DR.. Walter Hale Hamilton, of
the Social Security Board, will
speak tomorrow on Property and
the Law" while other speakers in
successive sessions will include DR..
H. S. Jennings of Johns Hopkins
University, DR.. Gardiner C. Means,
Donald r. Richberg, Norman L.
Meyers, Joseph B. Eastman and
DR.. Karl N. Llewellyn.
To defray expenses, tariff Of
So for the series has been in
stalled, and registrations are being
received in Room 4090 of the
Agriculture South Building, or at
the auditorium prior to the lee
ture.
r. J. Myers, 1885 G st. N. W.,
criticizes some statements made
before Lodge No. IL OF the A. F.
G. E. recently by DR.. Lewis Mer,
lam of the Brookings Institution
who discussed the Federal retire,
ment system. DR.. Merriam said
old-age benefits do not fall to
clerks forced out of the service
but Myers writes:
"It is stated that any emplOye
who is forced out of the Govern
ment service receives no old-age
benefits. This is not in accord