Evening star., 1937-08-01
Job-Mindedness by Congress
Dims Hope of Civil Service Reform

last year he found an undercurrent
Of resentment among Americans over
there because lot OF these career
men were doing everything they could
to discourage the policies Of the Gov
ernment OF the United States under
this administration"
Representative Clifford, Republican,
Of Massachusetts agreed to this.
Representative Knif1en, Democrat,
Of Ohio said 1t had been his observa-
ton Of the civil service that some Of
the employees down here are very
clever politicians"
II think that the proposals con-
tanned in this section would have the
effect, as they have had the effect
where they have been put In force, In
State and in local governments, to re-
duce the political contact OF the
thought Of these people," Brownlow
said. 4 don't say you can do that over
night but that has been the expe-
rience."
There the discussion stopped
1t should be said here that while
there is no disagreement among those
organizations interested in civil service
as to the desira ability of extending the
merit system. there is a sharp differ
ence of opinion on the proposed civil
service set-up.
Foremost advocate OF the admins
traitor plan is the National Federation
of Federal Employees, arguing it will
increase efficiency.
Equally rs opposed is the American
Federation Of Government Employees.
affiliate of the American Federation of
Labor, which sees it leading to political
abuses
Wants Competitive System.
The Civil Service Reform League
inferentially in favor of the plan,
wants the selection carried out under
the Brownlow competitive examination
program
The Brookings Institution, conduct
ing Government economy research for
the Senate committee headed by Sena-
tor Byrd, Virginia Democrat, which is
carrying on an independent reorgan-
ization study, opposes the admins
traitor plan in its entirety.
Both BroWnlow and Brookings in
| veStigators favor further development
Of the Council OF Personnel Admins
tration, composed Of Government per-
sonnel officers, which was set up in
the Hoover administration in an effort
to formulate an attractive promotion
program for employees.
In the meanwhile, civil service con-
tinueS to take the now customary
beating as successive pieces OF legis-
lation wend their way through Con-
gress.
Among the accomplishments of the
Seventy-f1fth Congress are the wreck
ing OF An excellent civil service meas
ure in putting the new Coal Commits
sion, for most part, on a patronage
basis; making civil service subordinate
to railroad experience in the new
Railroad Retirement Board; doing
away with 800 career positions of
Junior assistant technican which
President Roosevelt instituted in the
Civilian Conservation Corps to give
some Of the qualified youngsters there
an opportunity to get a foothold in
Government service; knocking out
5000 soil conservation civil service
positions from the c. G. c.; putting
the machinery to administer the farm
tenancy legislation outside civil service
and proposing to do the same for the
wage-and-hour set-up, successor to the
N. r. A.
And this looks like the picture until
along in 1910, when time comes to write
another campaign platform. Then the
old civil service plank will be dragged
out, busted of and placed where all
may see it.
But will it mean anything?