The Washington times., 1937-01-15

contact the writer in the editorial room
by 5:1S p. M, or phone DI. 1000, brancl
DR.. William 1. Sirovich, New
York Representative, has BLASTED
the Social Security Board.
Sirovich, we'll known to Govern
ment personnel because OF tht
"omnibus" bill he introduced las
year, stressing $100 yearly auto
matte pay raises for satisfactor!
workers, has charged that Socia
Security has a personal patronage
scheme" ignoring the Civil Serv
ice laws it is supposedly bounc
to obey and at the same time fail
ing to give patronage tavors tt
those on Capitol Hill.
Issuing a statement today, II
which he declared the House Civi
Service Committee will investigate
the new agency thoroughly, DR.
Sirovich said:
81 have this day offered a
House resolution designed to as.
sist the Congress to learn the
complete facts that have devel-
Oped in certain branches of our
Government, particularly in the
Social Security Board, during the
months Congress has been away
from Washington.
$50 persistent have become
the reports from all over the
country to the effect that Civil
Service is not being observed
in the Social Security Board, and
80 many have been suggestions
from my colleagues on what
should be done to learn the full
facts, that l now believe the
truth should be developed dur
ing the course on an inquiry.
"It has been my pleasure to
confer with the Chairman Of
the House Civil Service Commit
tee, Representative RamSpeck,
with the view to SystematiZing
any inquiry that might be
made. Our committee is deeply
interested in knowing whether
Civil Service has been given
fair consideration in those
branches where it is prescribed
either specifically or by indirec-
ton"
From my observations and
Judging by the experiences as
related by many of my col.
leagues, I believe that the Social
Security Board has followed
neither a Civil Service prOce-
.dure nor q patronage system. /
firmly believe that Congress
never intended that a hybrid
system be instituted. 1 find that
whole delegations in Congress
report their constituents have
been ignored in their pleas for
employment and that many re-
port they have been refused en-
ployment because they have no
Civil Service status, while on
the other hand others have been
barred because they did not
come under the class Of lex
perts.'
at is my information that
whole registers of eligibleS have
been ignored and that positions
have been granted under what I
understand to resemble q per-
sOnal patronage scheme. Until
al the facts are disclosed, until
we learn the true qualifications
of the experts and until we
have assurance that civ1 Serv.
ice Commission has been alert
in its responsibilities in the Sc
lection of personnel for this
magnificent system or social Sc
curity, it is fair to withhold
Judgment. Only an open hearing
can develop the true facts.
"At this time when Congress
is being implOred to preserve and
extend the merit system, we
must remember that passage Of
laws is only half the job. En-.
fOrcement and administration Of
those laws also are important.
The friends of Civil Service both
In Congress and the public must
know the facts before knowing
how and where to proceed"
According to Hill authorities
heavy pressure is behind DR.. Siro
vich's move, which also may bring
the Civil Service Commission into
an e"gument.
Robert Durand, corresponding
secretary Of the Federation oi
Architects, Engineers, Chemists
and TechnicianS, still hasn't been
"adjudicated" by the National
Labor Relations Board. Durand's
case, started by a firing from the
Federal Power Commission for
alleged inefficiency. caused the
NLRB to hold hearings in which
the FPC and his organization pre-
sented evidence on both sides Of
the controversy.
Anticipating q favorable de
cision nevertheless, the Facet
today announced it will give a
Victory Dance" tomorrow at the
Wardman Park Hotel, giving two
reasons. The first is that tomor
row sis the day after payday" anc
the second is that the organization
is deeply in the red" conse
uuently a large turnout is hopec
for. The fete starts at 10 p. m.
and should be attractive.
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