The Washington times., 1937-01-22
'SHAKEUP' UNIT
MAY ASSIST
VETERANS
BY ]. EARLE MOSER

DN y. EANLE NIOSE"
Each day The Times publishes pictures
their colleagues, with ACCOMPANYING bio
graphical sketches. Federal folk in
terested in such photos or members ot
Government organizations should CnntaCt I
the writer in the editorial room by 5:l5
p. M. or phone District 1000, Branch @1O.
The drive OF veterans organiza.
tions for improved preference
regulations, which induced heated
argument and loud words yester,
day behind closed doors Of the
Civil Service Commission board
room. may possibly receive tangible
aid from the BroWnlow reorganl-
zation committee.
In addition to Louis Brown
low. the Presidents reorganization
group includes Charles E. Merriam
and Luther Gulick. All three of
them were likewise included on
the commission of inquiry on pub
lie service personnel. which in
January of 1885 recommended
drastic revision of preference
rules. They probably retain the
views which they expressed at
that time, as follows:
Testimony has revealed
widespread dissatisfaction with
this system. Friends o. the
merit system claim that merit
Is being thwarted and the en-
tire system compromised. Per
AIw.AivaScfro nj innt IN
violating their own standards.
Nonveteran public service EN-
ployeS resent the privileges
granted to a special class and
are tempted to use political
pressure themselves 1t is
not surprising that there : con-
siderable sentiment for the re-
peal of existing preference legis-
lation."
And early in '35 Messrs. Brown
low, Merriam and Gulick ex-
pressed almost what veterans pre-
sented yesterday to Harry B..
Mitchell at the Commission, re
porting:
"The veterans do not want a
system which requires the ap-
pOintment of veterans who are
unqualified for a position over
the heads of others who are
qualified. What they want is
the appointment of the veteran
in accordance with all the merit
requirements when he is equally
qualified for the post, and the
recognition as experience of his
military service whenever this
may have a bearing on the work
to be done.
"The Commission would go
even farther and recommend
that personnel departments
search out posts in the public
service which disabled veterans
are particularly suited to fill"
Since there have been Govern.
ment organizations, the colored
worker has been almost invariably
forced to take something of a
back seat, with no representation
other than that provided by some
subsidiary group within an organ
1zation subject to the latter's
rules, or scattered membership
within white units-with even less
representation.
The United Government EN-
ployeS has entered the picture,
however, and plans plenty of &C.
tion during the coming Congress
on behalf of Colored nepheWS of
Uncle Sam. Tonight, the new or
ganization will stage mass meet
ing at the Garnet-P Patterson Junior
High School Auditorium, Tenth
and U Sts. N. w.
Edgar C. Brown, president, is
to discuss the McCarran pay raise
bill now resting with the Senate
Civil Service Committee and then
will talk of the Civil Service Com
mission in its relation to the col
ored employe. Brown is backing
the $500 minimum annual wage
feature OF the McCarran docu-
ment as the only way to meet
the needs of the lowest bracket
Government workers.
The Durand decision revealed
yesterday, in which a three-man
impartial board decreed he should
be reinStated to his Federal Power
Commission position, brought out
the vital need for a permanent
court for settlement of grievances
between employees and their Of
ficials.
On this subject. Edwin S. Smith,
Otto Boyer and Hugh L. Kerwin,
the mediation board, declared.
Finally, we must say that our
experience in listening to this
rather prOtracted case cOnvinces
us of two things: First, that it
is important for Government
employees to have some tribunal
before which they may bring in
dividual grievances, including
charges of discrimination for
union affiliation or activity; and
second, that such a tribunal
should be permanently eStab-
lished in the Government and
not merely created ad hoe as
was the present committee to
hear the case of Mr.. Durand."
The final decision, incidentally
marked a notable victory for the
little Federation of Architects, En-
1ineerS. Chemists and TechnicianS
which fought the case of it's cor,
responding secretary through from
start to finish.
Federalities - One year age
today: Greater appropriations