Evening star., 1937-06-28
PLAN
IS AMPL|F1ED BY
|BR0WNLOW GROUP
Special Report Argues for
Civil Service Board
Replacement.
PRESENT COMMISSION
SUBJECT OF CRITICISM
Excessive Delay in Performance
of Important Functions Is
Point of Attack.

The personnel administration sec.
ton of the governmental reorganiza.
ton plan submitted in January was
amplified today in a special report by
the BroWnloW committee. whose rec
concentrations in substance have been
| incorporated in the administration bill
introduced in the Senate this past
| week by Senator Robinson Of Arkansas,
majority leader.
The report was prepared by Floyd
w. Reeves of the University of Chi
cago, chairman Of the Presidents
Committee on Vocational Education
and former director of personnel for
the Tennessee Valley Authority, and
Paul T. David at present director
OF studies for the Committee on Vo.
catlonal Education. 1t constitutes al.
most In its entirety an argument in
favor OF the BroWnloW committee
proposal to replace the Civil Service
Commission of three members with a
single personnel administrator hanked
by part-time civil service board Of
citizens. The commission comes in
| for series of criticisms.
I'm general" the report says. "the
commission is often criticized and ap-
parently with some merit for exces.
sive delay in the performance of even
its most important functions. for lack
Of sufficient initiative in meeting new
problems and for failure to compre-
hend and to give adequate assistance
In meeting many of the important
needs of the operating services in
connection with personel administra.
ton" 1t also concludes that "it Is not
at all certain that the funds now avail.
able to the commission are being spent
as effectively as they might be" and
describes parts" Of civil service rules
as archaic" and in need of general
revision.
Quarterly Meetings Urged.
The proposed civil service board
which was not provided for in the
Robinson bill-vould attract the most
eminent and public-spiriteI citizens"
the committee believes, explaining it
should meet at least quarterly ito
assist the President in the protection,
improvement and extension Of the
merit system. and in general to rep
resent the public interest in the
merit system"
The committee would vest this
board with unusual powers. at the
same time radically changing appoint-
i've procedure for higher bracket DO.
sitions.
1t would name examiners 70 hold
the tests under which the admins
traitor is selected (the Robinson bill
makes this presidential appoint
men0; approve % the membership
Of other special examining committees
to hold open competitive and promo
ton examinations TO fill vacancies
in the highest civil service posi-
, tions In the various departments
and agencies, and (2) panels from
which boards or committees could be
= chosen when the need arose to deal
, with mediation and personnel rela-
tions. In this connection the report
says that as an initial step in i'm
proving personnel relations through
!, out the service "a statement of policy
should be prepared and issued clari-
, flying the right of employees to Or
ganize and to designate representa-
tves. Such a statement of policy
, should give clear recognition to the
principle of majority rule in the de-
termination Of representatives" Ad-
miniStrative officials should be re-
quired to confer with employees when
|, requested, the report says, proposing
further that a "part-tlme Federal
service personnel relations commit
tee" be set up to adjust factional dis
putes between employees over the ques-
ton Of representation.
Reorganizing Council Urged.
AS further step toward betterins
personnel administration the report
suggested that the Council of Person
mel Administration. composed Of ad-
ministrative officers in departments
l and independent agencies. "be reor-
ganized to serve as professionally
competent advisory committee" to
the personnel administration.
n The report repeats former recon-.
4 mendation for extending the meri,
8 system, and making Government serv.
ice career service.
n Special consideration" it says
o Should be given to the administra.
, ton Of high administrative positions
: All high administrative positions ir
the various establishments should be
divided into two groups. one def
n nitely policy forming in the po.
litical sense and the other purely ad.
q ministrative and non-political The
q on-political group in each depart.
, ment or similar agency should be
headed by well-qualifled non-politi.
n cal executive officer equivalent in rank
to an undersecretary.
'. The President, the report says
: needs restriction upon his appointing
discretion over large numbers Of po.
r sitions. The existing number Of po.
s litical appointments appears to be fal
t greater than that required for pc.
e litical leadership. The number should
h be reduced as rapidly as feasible by
;, extension of the formalized competi.
tive examination procedure. This
implies a considerable extension o.
the classified civil service. The reform
is needed not only to give the Chic
Executive a buffer against politica
. pressure in the performance Of a.
large part Of his administrative tasl
as possible, but also to prevent thu
It enormous wastage of his time anc
y strength that now occurs in making
e appointments open to political con-
4 | e{dero$iore