Evening star., 1937-01-12
REFORMS URGED
IN CIVIL SERVICE
Presidents Committee
Would Make U. S. Employ
ment Career Service.

The revolutionary scheme today pro-
posed for the civil service operation
by the Presidents committee agrees
at some points with principles for
which those interested in the merit
system long have argued.
This Is particularly true with ref
erence TO the recommendations for
extension Of civil service to all but
policy-forming positions; making
Federal employment a career service,
and establishing salary rates at levels
designed to attract and hold compe-
tent men and women.
The radical departure comes in the
plan for carrying out the civil service
law, under which an administrator
would become the ranking officer, sub
ject to the checks to be applied by a
nom partisan, non-salaried board of
seven members, whose duty it would be
to safeguard the public interest.
President Roosevelt is convinced
that this administrative plan is sound,
that in tying up the operation Of the
law so closely with the White House
that Congress will be more receptive
to civil service needs, and that the
result will be vastly improved selec-
tive procedure.
Commission Praised.
The report praises the Civil Serv-
ice Commission, slated for the discard,
but with qualifications.
THE existing civil service system is
poorly adapted to meet the larger
responsibilities of serving as central
personnel agency for vast and COM
plicated governmental administration
in which there are over 100000 civilian
employees" 1t says. Its organization
is unsuited to the present needs. The
Civil Service Commission has not been
appropriately stated to do the con-
structive work which modern person.
mel management presupposes. The
absence of an adequate staff has I'M
posed upon the commission a mega
tive, protective and legalistic role,
whereas the need today is for posi-
tive, constructive and active central
personnel agency"
The present form of organization,
the committee believes, is "wasteful
and ineffective" and has tendency
to develop internal dissension.
Advocate Three Functions.
The administrator would have three
principal functions:
To stimulate and aid departments
and bureaus in the establishment and
development of able personnel stafts.
To strengthen and vitalize the pres
ent Council Of Personnel Administra-
ton as a professional advisory group
within the Government.
To attend to such aspects OF per.
sonnel administration. now made
ouately performed" as training within
the service, the facilities for transfer
as a means of utilizing more COM
pletely the personnel resources OF the
Government, development Of execu.
tives, promotion system, examinations
for higher positions and cooperation
with personnel agencies Of State and
local governments.
AS to the volunteer group OF seven:
THE valuable services that can be
performed and the contributions that
can be made by lay board represent
ing the public interest in the merit
system should not be sacrificed, even
though actual administration is vested
in a single administrator. The plac.
ing of large powers of administration
in one official makes 1t essential to
preserve the values of vigilance and
criticism that. in large measure, have
been afforded by the rotation in office
of lay civil service commissioners who
have hitherto supervised the staff
work.
Flaw Would Be Removed.
"a fundamental flaw in the present
organization of the commission would
be removed by the establishment Of
an administrator and board. The
commission now is abliged both to ad-
minister and appraise and criticize its
own administration. These functions
are basically incompatible
The pay question is treated at
length.
The rates for responsible political
officers of cabinet and subcabinet
grade" are described as 'penurious by
any realistic standard of comparison"
The career service is hampered by
even less adequate levels of compensa-
tion," the report says. Under the
classification act Of 1928, salaries for
heads Of the largest bureaus range
from So, coo to $4,000. In few excep-
tional cases, the salary is fixed by law
at $4,000, but this is the ceiling to
which career men may aspire. Heads
of other major bureaus receive $500
to $500 and so on, down the line.
Salary limitations of this kind in the
higher grades must be lifted or they
will defeat the development of career
service"