The Washington times., 1937-01-12
CIVIL SERVICE
REVAMPING
STRESSED
Continued from Page 81

to the President upon all person
mel matters and would be reSpon-
sible to the President for the de-
velopment of improved personnel
policies and practices throughout
the service. From time to time
he would propose to the President
needed amendments to the civil
service rules and regulations. He
would suggest to the President rec
concentrations for civil service
legislation and would assume init
ative and leadership in personnel
management.
It would be a special response
bility of the Civil Service Admin
iStrator to stimulate and aid the
departments and bureaus in the
establishment and development OF
able personnel staffs. Personnel
management at the departmental
and bureau level is exceedingly i'm.
portant. The administrative and
professional staffs of the central
personnel agency and of the per-
Sonnel offices of operating estab-
lishments should be regarded col
lectively as a unified career service
Of personnel administration.
The Administrator Should d
strengthen and vitalize the pres
ent Council of Personnel Admin
istration as professional advisory
group within the Government. He
should act as chairman OF the
council and should develop 1t as
special instrument for the formu-
lation of constructive personnel
policies and standards.
The Administrato should give
particular attention to a number
Of important aspects of personnel
administration which are now in
adequately performed. These in
clude training within the service.
the facilities for transfer as a
means of utilizing more completely
the personnel resources of the Gov
ernment, the development OF ex-
ecutives, the promotion system, ex'
aninationS for higher positions,
and cooperation with the per-
sonnel agencies Of State and local
governments.
Personnel Vital
Personnel management is an
essential element of executive
MANAGEMENT. To set it apart or
to organize it in a manner insult
ed to serve the needs Of the Chief
Executive and the executive estab-
lishments is to render it impotent
and ineffective. 1t may be said
that a central personnel man.
agerial agency directly under the
President, with the primary duty
of serving rather than of policing
the departments, would be subject
to political manipulation and
would afford less protection
against political spoils than a Civil
Service Commission somewhat de-
tached from the Administration.
This criticism does not take into
account the fact that the Civil
Service Commission today is di-
rectly responsible to the President;
its members are appointed by him
and serve at his pleasure; they are
not independent of the President
and could not be made so under
the Constitution. The reorganiza-
ton of the Civil Service Commis-
sion as a central personnel man
agerial agency of the President
would greatly advance the merit
principle N the Government and
would lead to the extension of civil
service.
The valuable services that can
be performed and the contribu-
tions that can be made by lay
board representing the public in
terest in the merit system should
not be sacrificed, even though re-
sponsibility for actual adminiStra-
ton is vested in a single admins
traitor. The placing of large pow
ers of administration in one offl-
cial makes it essential to preserve
the values of vigilance and criti-
cisn that, in large measure, have
been afforded by the rotation in
office of lay civil-service commits
sionerS who have hitherto super.
vised the staff work.
Would Fix Flaw
A fundamental flaw in the pres
ent organization Of the Commits
sion would be removed by the es-
tablishment of an administrator
and a board. The Commission is
now obliged both to administer
and to appraise and criticize its
own administration. These func-
tionS are baSically incompatible.
An effective appraisal, critical
and constructive, must be entirely
detached from execution.
The usefulness of lay board Is
not confined to its function as a
watchdog of the merit system.
From the more constructive
angle of supporting progressive
programs in the Federal personnel
administration, board of lay ad-
viserS properly chosen can be a
continual leaven. 1t can serve to
focus the spotlight of public opin-
ion on the human side of govern
ment. It can enlist the interest
and cooperation of business, agri-
culture, labor, education, and the
professions in improving the Gov
ernment service as a career. It
can stimulate the initiation of pro-
greSSive personnel programs and
serve as critic which will protect
the service from the dangers of
bureaucracy, SpoilS, and deadly rou-
tine. It can advise the President