Evening star., 1937-12-17
RANDOLPHPUS
EMPLOYMENT BILL
Holds Figures Are Mis|ead-
ing, in Pressing for Jobs
for Older People.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Determination to press for action
early in January on his bill to open
the way for Federal employment for
persons As to IS years old was an
nounced today by Representative Ran
dolph. Democrat, Of West Virginia,
who ranks third on the House Civil
Service Committee. He already has
received assurances from Chairman
Ramspeck that hearings will be ar
ranged
Representative Randolphs an
nouncement was made after he had
received a report from the Civil
Service Commission which he considers
misleading" This report shows that
Of 433,633 employees, 80, o,385 are between
so and so. Representative Randolph
points out that these are mostly work.
ers who have been many years in the
Federal service and does not mean
that the bars are down so persons who
already have reached As to SIS years
OF age are given an equal chance to
get in as original appointees.
AAtNS. &iS tokaSCiitS, a lSpbL SlQONUlR
that 43 per cent of all employees are
under 40 and 81 per cent are over 40
means nothing regarding the purposes
OF his bill-which is to open the way
for new appointments.
Representative Randolph maintains
that the Government should set an
example for private industry in finding
suitable work that can be performed
by persons Of more mature years.
The Civil Service Commissions re-
port says the maximum age limits run
from 20 for messenger boys and girls
to SO, IS and higher. depending on the
duties and responsibilities.
Mr.. Randolph said the purpose of
his legislation not only is to have no
prohibition against employing older
persons, but also to give them some
sort of preferential status for certain
positions. He said that often these
older persons have dependents, while
the younger ones can fight their way
in private employment.
The civil service report said that
except where the positions are of an
apprentice nature or where vigorous
young men are desired, q great many
OF the maximum age limits for our
examinations are put at So" Mr..
Randolph says this means little or
nothing-the older persons are allowed
to take the examination and are never
called into the service.
This is just an attempt to evade
the ISSUE" he says II desire to have
the older men and women, many of
them still in full vigor, given q fair,
and even preferred, chance for en-
ployment in the Government service. :"
The commissions report points out
that employment factor is the re-
tirement law, which does not permit
payment Of any annuity until there
has been Is years Of service. BY plac-
ing the maximum age limit at SO, two
years are allowed for the securing Of
position after the examination has
been held so as to leave IS years of
service before the retirement age of 70.
Representative Randolph proposes
to reduce the required Is years of
service and also intends to find out
just how many have been taken in
after they have reached SO years.
The breakdown on age of employees
sent to Mr.. Randolph includes in the
various age groups, he points out, those
who have been for many years giving
their best service to the Government
and in no way shows the number Of
those entering the service at those ages.
The commissions figures are as fol-
lows:
Under 20 years Of age. 316; between
20 and 30, 52,202; between 80 and 40,
1887; between 40 and so, 2,465;
between SO and 80, 80,385; between
so and 10, 1855, and over 10, 235.