The Washington times., 1937-01-13

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Mixed feelings were evident to-
day among Government employees
and clerk organizations following
the Presidents proposal Of drastic
changes within the executive civil
branch of the service.
Federal officials in general were
skeptical that the wholesale
changes advocated will ever get
by Congress, particularly the sug-
qested abolition of the General
Accounting office. The majority
of Uncle Sans personnel, how
ever, held the belief that any
changes to be made will be prin-
cipally structural, and will not act
to the detriment Of rank-and-tle
workers.
., The National Federation Of Fed
eral Employees, oldest and largest
of employe organizations, def
nitely approved the report Of the
Presidents committee. From New
York. the president of the Ameri-
can Federation Of Government
Employees wired a message tndors-
ing the programs suggestion CT
extending the merit system, but
otherwise withholding comment
until all Of its provisions have
been given an itemized study.
The United Civil Service En-
ployes, who held their bimonthly
meeting last night. likewise are
both for and against certain
provisions advocated in the re-
port.
At the Civil Service Commission,
officials today were of the opinion
that establishment of a single
Civil Service Administrator, work
ing in collaboration with board
of seven unsalaried citizen mem
bers," would have little effect on
the agency. The keeping Of ser
vice records, retirement statistics,
and the handling of examinations
still must continue, it was pointed
out, and the proposed reorganiza-
tion is not expected to reach pain
fully into personnel.
Naturally, no word was forth
coming from the Civil Service
Commissioner on the report, but
high officials within the agency
were emphatic in pointing out
that 1--WE have fine set Of Com
missioners here" deploring any
possibility Of drastic change. 1t
was admitted, however, that the
President has fine strategic posi-
ton" for effecting his desired
changes, but held that Congress
will probably enjoy a bitter fight
over the entire proposition.
Commission officials also point
ed out that the idea Of a one-man
Civil Service unit is not particular
ly new. but has been advocated by
Brookings Institution for the past
decade as inducive of more prompt
and efficient administration.
Under New York date line, Col.
Charles !. Stengle. of the A. F. G.
E., wired the following comment
on the reorganization:
'I personally endorse and our
organization endorses extension
of the merit system to all non
policy making positions. Our
federation has advocated this
point of view throughout its ex-
iStence and was, I believe, the
first to express it. With respect
to the administrative changes
proposed by the Presidents or
der, they are so sweeping in ma
ture that we feel they deserve
careful study before we commit
ourselves"
At the same time, E. Claude
Babcock, president of the United
Civil Service Employees, and the
last secretary of the Civil Service
Commission, declared that "the
commission form of set-up for the
agency is more desirable from my
point Of view because the Civil
Service Commission is a semijudi-
cial unit"
Babcock said he would not be
opposed to single Civil Service
administrator as far as the ad-
ministrative work of the agency
is concerned, but that he felt its
examining functions, including the
rating of test papers, and its work
of classifying positions, should be
directed by a board rather than
any one person. He added that
establishment Of a Civil Service
dictator is the "FasciStic way of
doing things" and that the COM
mission itself has let itself in
for what is apparently coming"
by allowing its judicial and ad-
ninistrative responsibilities to be-
come mixed.
Any board of appeals, he added,
should not be ruled by a "hier-
archy."
Complete approval of the pro
posed reorganization, however, was
voiced late yesterday by Luther
C. Steward, N. F. F. E., who said:
tReprinted from yesterdays last edi-
The N F. F. E. heartily approved
mot only specific recommendations of
the report. but is gratified to note the
splendidly constructive and progressive
tenor of the report a whole. Viewed
IN the large, il marks a significant mile
stone in the direction of sound Federal
personnel administration. The N. F. r.
e. is hopeful that the fundamental rec
ommenations of the President will be
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