Evening star., 1937-01-04
REPORT STRESSES.
CAREER. SERVICE;
FOR Government
Civil Service Commission
Outlines 8.Point Legis.
Iative Program.
SCORES HALF Merit,
HALF PATRONAGE PLAN
Recommendations of Past Re.
peated and Need of Extending
Merit System Emphasized.

Merit System Emphasized.
Outlining an eight-point program,
the Civil Service Commission today
announced intention to press vigor-
ously for the establishment of career
service in Government.
The commission called for wider
application of civil service and de-
clared that the public service cam
not thrive on a half-merit, half
patronage basis. whether in national,
State or municipal administration" !"
The commission plan was given in
the annual report which repeated
legislative recommendations of past
years, and emphasized the necessity
for extending the merit principle as
far as possible over the Federal estab-
lishment.
During the next fiscal year." the
report said, on the career-service
phase, "it will be the policy of the
commission to improve procedures
with special reference to the follow
ing matters:
Improvement of the selective quail
ity of non-assembled examinations,
especially in such fields as law, eco
nomics and administration.
Arrearage in Records.
ITO bring up to date the serious
arrearage in service records and to
study plans for more extensive per-
sonnel records to be kept by a me-
chanical system.
ITO encourage, wherever possible,
programs OF training for Government
employees.
ITO develop more adequate facil-
tiles for transfer of employees from
one agency to another.
ITO encourage better placement
and supervision methods in Govern
ment agencies.
ITO conduct personal investigation
in examinations for first and second
class post Offices, and in examination
for other responsible administrative
positions.
ITO examine the possibility of closer
contact with professional and technical
associations in connection with the
examining and certification procedures
of the commission.
ITO encourage. so far as practicable,
and especially in the ways indicated
above, the establishment of a career
system in the Government service"
Present trends in Government as
applied to the social structure Of the
United States emphasize anew the
basic importance Of the extension Of
the merit SYSTEM" the report contin.
ued. Originally proposed chiefly to
protect democracy as a form Of gov
ernment against the influence Of pat
ronage, and later recognized as i'm
proving the efficiency of administra-
tion, the merit system has become
essential to the program of social Sc
curity to which the National Govern
ment is committed in cooperation
with the States. This program is re-
hected not only in the social security
act and in grants to the States for
handicapped and underprivileged. but
also in such legislation as the bank
deposit insurance act, the securities
and exchange act, the relief acts and
the various laws authorizing the ex-
tension of the credit Of the National
Government. The risks Of failure in
this new type of legislation represent
hazards of a new order in American
life. The use of the merit system in
the administration Of this and other
legislation, where the question of per-
sonnel is involved, is an obvious safe
guard for its success.
Merit System Increase.
"The number Of positions under
the merit system on June 80, 1886, was
498,725, an increase of 43, ,496 since
June 30, 1885. This Is the largest num-
ber of positions ever included in the
Federal classified service in time of
peace. On the same date, however,
there were 325,534 positions In the
unclassified. service, the proportion
being sos per cent classified to 39.5
per cent unclassified. These figures
point directly to one Of the major Is.
poets in the reconstruction of the Fed.
eral service. Many important agencies
Of a presumably permanent character
are still entirely outside the operation
Of the merit system. While the stand.
ards Of personnel administration Of
these agencies may seem satisfactory,
they Lack the advantages of stability
and protection from outside interfer.
ence which are secured through the
application Of the civil service law.
Many positions in the older estab-
lished agencies are also exempt from
the principle Of open competition and
should likewise be brought into the
classified service"
The commission said the revision
by President Roosevelt of the regu-
lations governing appointment Of first,
second and third-class postmasters,
giving appointments when examina-
tions are held, to the highest ranking
constituted q step forward,
but that the postmastership situation
would not be cleared up until these
positions were taken entirely out of
the field Of political preferment.
The legislative recommendations,
all Of which have been made before,
In addition to those for ex-
tending civil service to all non-policy.
posts, these items:
Giving the commission authority
to handle employe complaints.
Extension Of classifications to the
field.
Establishment Of . statistical unit
In the commission.
Requiring heads of agencies to take
action proposed by the
commission In cases Of political
activity.
Retirement law changes to provide
at go after 80 years serv-
ice, or at So, after Is years, with
option to be exercised either by Gov
ernment or employe; compulsory re.
tirement at 10; annuities to cover two
lives, and annuity for employees who,
retired because Of physical disability.
recover before reaching the retirement