Evening star., 1937-01-12
III. Personnel
Management

The merit system should be ex-
tended upward, outward and down.
ward to include all positions in the
executive branch of the Government
except those which are policy-de-
termining in character. At the same
time the civil service administration
should be reorganized into central
personnel agency under single head
and a nonpartisan citizen board ap-
pointed to serve as a watchdog of the
merit system.
Personnel administration lies at
the very core of administrative man
agement. The effective conduct of the
work of the Government depends upon
the men and women who serve it.
Improved plans for governmental or
ganization and management are Of
little value unless simultaneous recog-
milton is given to the need for at
tracing, retaining and developing
human capacity in the public service.
After more than so years of expert
ence with civil service in Federal, State
and local governments, there is over
whelming evidence to show that the
original theory of merely protecting
appointments from political influence
through a legalistic system Of civil
service administration is inadequate
to serve democratic government under
modern conditions. There is still
need for protection, but the urgent
need today is for the development
of a real career service through posi-
tive, constructive, modern personnel
administration. The functions that
the Federal Government has been
called upon to perform are increas-
ingly numerous, technical and difficult.
It is today the worlds largest and
most intricate administrative estab-
lishment.
A thoroughgoing modernization and
extension of personnel administration
is required. The great need Of Ameri-
can democratic institutions Is an able
civil service.
A. EXTENSION OF THE MERIT
SYSTEM.
Recommendations
In order to extend the merit sys-
tenn we recommend that:
/. The merit system should be ex-
tended to positions in new and emer-
gency agencies whose activities are to
continue, and the President should be
authorized to place such positions, in
cluding those in governmental corpo-
rations, in the classified civil service.
2. The merit system should be ex-
tended to permanent high posts and
all other civilian positions in the
regular departments and establish
mentS. Exceptions should be made
only in the case of such of the highest
positions as the President may find to
be principally policy-determining in
character
8. The merit system should be ex-
tended to the lowest positions in the
regular establishments, including
those filled by skilled workmen and
laborers.
4. The incumbent of any position
which Is placed within the classified
civil service should receive civil
service status only after passing a
special non-competitive examination,
following certification by the head OF
his agency that he has served with
merit.
S. All civilian positions in regular
departments and establishments
now filled by presidential appointment
should be filed by the heads of such
departments or establishments. with
out fixed term, except under secreta-
ries and officers who report directly to
the President or whose appointment
by the President is required by the
Constitution.
b. REORGANIZATION AND I'M
PROVEMENT OF PERSONNEL