The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-08-26

and third classes and l don't think there win be any legisla- tion upon the subject
 "It should be mentioned that when this statement was made, Sem ator Maloney arose to say that he was not among those asked and that he was in favor of the postmaster bill.
 Another bright hope for civil service reform went glimmering when congress adjourned without acting on the report of the presi- dents committee on administrative management, which included per- sornel recommendations which, if accepted, would have gone far to. ward transferring personnel from spells to merit.
 Exemptions
 "Serious if1roads were made into existing agencies, such as happened when all of the employees of CCC were exempted from the civil serv- ice act. Among the personnel thus affected have been technicians ap- pointed on qualification and with out those necessary political con- tacts that might ensure them pa- tronage appointments, and who were therefore subjected to hardship and injustice.
 "Other measures transferring merit system appointments to pa. tronage have seemed to have the object not so much of adding to the supply of patronage available to congressman but rather seemed to have been the assertion of 6 sena- torial right or the expression ot some individual senator's disap- proval of acts done by the serv- ices in question. Such apparently was the rider to the independent offices appropriation bill providing that experts employed by the social security board from the $5,000 at- torneys up to the $10,000 manage ment ofhcials-all of them appoint ed and holding office in recognition of professional ability-should be made subject to senate confirmation with all its political implications. The deplorable effect of such meas ures as these is not so much the ad- dition 1t makes to patronage as the effect 1t is bound to have upon men and women of high calibre who are likely to be driven by it out of the governmental service where they are SO much needed.
 Face Constituents
 l UfyaV1nNacc hoe in,aNYaI AaS1 a opa returning to their homes to face their constituents. If they do not meet with public scrutiny of their votes now they certainly will when the public is better informed. While the record of our Connecticut sena- tors and representatives on civil service is better than some from other states, 1t Is not perfect, in the light of the party platforms.
 But the outstanding fact in this whole matter from the point of view Connecticut citizens, is the dramatic contrast presented by our own state since the legislature passed the merit system and reorganization bills. As the admirable process oi putting these measures into effect develops before our eyes, in the white light of an excellently informative publicity, 1t is hard to believe tha' these good things are happening it our conservative state. When i can be said by @ seasoned politica observer: Patronage in the form o. jobs, contracts and other spoils oi political warfare is becoming ob. solete', we might be inclined t too great optimism but when we re- member that congress has persist. ently throughout the last session added to Its store of patronage, w are forced back to @ soberer mood
 "In the face of broken promise. the country must hold not only thu congress, but the political partie! themselves responsible. The actior of the 18th congress has made tn, merit principle Q fighting issue fol the 1888 election and for the year that lies between"