The Washington times., 1937-01-12
NON bipartisan
B0ARDUNDER
0NEHEAD

commission ana CTeaGlOu III lGS
stead Of Civil Service Admintstra-
ton, composed of an administrator
anad a non-partiSan, non-Salarted
Civil Service Board of seven mem
bers, was recommended by PreSi-
dent RooSepvelt today in transmit
ting The report of his Special Com
mittee on Administrative Manage
ment.
The report on reorganization
and improvement Of personnel ad-
ministration is as follows.
The extension of the merit Sys-
TEN in the Federal Government
requires the reorganization of the
Civil Service Commission as a
central personnel agency. The
Civil Service Commission was es-
tablished over so years ago to meet
conditions quite different from
those of today. The number OF
Government employees was small
and personnel requirements were
relatively simple. Set up as an
agency to protect the Federal ex-
ecutive establishment against the
evils of political patronage, 1t
has made many notable advances.
Devoted to Duty
The Civil Service Commission and
its staff have devoted themselves
assiduously to the public business
and have endeavored conSclen-
tiously to observe the statutes and
orders that have been laid down
for their guidance. The Commis'
sion has achieved its greatest sue
cess in the administration Of open
competitive examinations for posi-
tions in the lower grades of the SER
vice. 1t has pioneered in person
mel research and efficiency rating.
Its new series of general-purpoSe
examinations for recent college
graduates to fill positions at the
bottom of the career ladder was q
marked step forward and has re-
suited in improved recruitment for
positions requiring general ability
and capacity for development.
Nevertheless, the existing civil
service system is poorly adapted
to meet the larger responsibilities
Of serving as central personnel
agency for a vast and complicated
governmental administration in
which there are over 100000 ci-
william employees. Its organization
is unsuited to the present needs.
The Civil Service Commission has
not been appropriately stated to
do the constructive work which
modern personnel management
presupposes. The absence of an
adequate staff has imposed upon
the Commission a negative, protec-
tive, and legalistic role, whereas
the need today is for a positive,
constructive, and active central
personnel agency.
Board Form Unsuitable
The board form of organization
Is unsuited to the work of central
personnel agency. This form of
organization, as stated elsewhere
in this report, has everywhere been
found slow, cumbersome, waSteful,
and ineffective in the conduct of
administrative duties. Board mem
berS are customarily laymen not
professionally trained or expert
enced in the activities for which
they are responsible. They remain
in office for relatively short pc
riodS and rarely acquire the de-
gree of eXpertneSS necessary to
executive direction. The board
form of organization also has a
serious internal weakness. Con-
flictS and jealousieS frequently de-
Velop within a board and extend
downward throughout the organi-
zation, causing cliques and internal
dissensionS disrupting to morale
and to work. Board administra-
ttion tends to diffuse responsibility,
to produce delays, and to make
effective cooperation or vigorous
leadership impossible. The history
Of the Civil Service Commission
has been no exception to this gen
eral rule.
Federal personnel management,
therefore, needs fundamental re-
vision. The Civil Service Commits
sion should be reorganized into q
Civil Service Administration, with
q single executive officer, to be
known as the Civil Service Admin
iStrator, and a non-Salaried Civil
Service Board Of seven members
appointed by the President. This
board would be charged not with
administrative duties but with the
protection and development of the
merit system in the Government.
The functions of the Administra-
tor and the board are outlined be-
low.
Single Executive
The adoption Of the plan Of a
single-headed executive for the
central personnel agency would
give it a degree Of unity, energy,
and responsibility impossible to
obtain in an administrative agency
headed by full-time board of sew
eral members. The Administrator
should be selected on a competi-
tive, nonpartisan basis by spe-
cial examining board designated
by the Civil Service Board and
should be appointed by the Presi-
dent, with the advice and consent
Of the Senate. from the three
highest candidates passing the
examination conducted to fill the
post. In this manner careful at.
tention would be given to the pro.
feSsional and technical qualifica.
fions required BY the office and