Evening star., 1937-11-24
P[ANCOMPR0M|SE
ON POSTAL BILL
Action Is Sought on Civil
Service Requirement for
t. PostmasterS.

By ]. A. O'LEARY.

T. 4 move is under way at the Capitol
today to get the three different plans
s9or dealing with application OF civil
service to postmasters up for consider
ALTON at one time in the Senate Post
Somce Committee next week, in hope
yot working out some acceptable COM
promise.
" y. When the Post Office group met
yesterday afternoon, it had before it
only the bill of Chairman McKellar,
which would continue civil service
examinations, but also would preserve
the congressional voice in appoint
ments by retaining the four-year
.term and Senate confirmation for
Lppointees.
After making a few changes in the
stext of the McKellar measure, the
committee deferred further action un-
til next Tuesday. Meanwhile, Senator
p'Mahoney, Democrat, of Wyoming
has suggested that the other two bills,
.one sponsored by himself and the other
by Representative Ramspeck of Geor-
.gia, be transferred from the Civil
Service Committee to the Post Office
Committee so provisions of all three
may be weighed at the next meeting.
Provide Civil Service.
Both the Ramspeck and OMahoney
bills would put postmaster appoint
plents wholly under civil service, by
doing away with Senate confirmation
and making the appointments without
definite term. The Ramspeck bill
already has passed the House.
All three measures make possible the
-reappointment of incumbents, or the
promotion of civil service postal em-
sployes to the rank of postmaster. but
the Ramspeck and OMahoney bills
splace greater emphasis on promotion
within the service.
% In the McKellar bill, promotion is
sone optional method of filling vacan-
..cies In the other measures, an incum-
shent or classified employe in the
office would have to be promoted when
- vacancy occurs unless the Post
master General certified to the Civil
Service Commission they were not duly
qualified.
Opportunity for Promotion.
Senator O'Mahoney pointed out his
bill offers an additional opportunity
for promotion of postal employees by
providing that in the so largest cities
of the country, having gross annual
postal receipts of sl,O0O,0OO or more,
no person would be eligible for post
master unless: l. He had four years
experience as postmaster in a first
class office; 2, or four years as classi-
ned postal employe or inspector, or
four years Of outside experience in an
executive position calling for super
vision over at least $50 employees.
/, Senator McKellar said it was agreed
yesterday to eliminate from his bill a
clause relating to appointment of
fourth-class postmasters, who have
sbeen under civil service for years and
who will not be affected by the bill as
ssmended. The remainder of the
pending legislation relates to first,
second and third-class postmasters.
Civil service examination has been
applied to these postmasterships dur
ing the past year by executive order
OF the President, with the high man
seligible. but still subject to Senate
confirmation and limitation on term.
The proposed new legislation would
permit choice from the three highest
civil service eligibles.
, Senator OMahoney said last night
ne IS hopeful a satisfactory plan may
be worked out from the various pend
ing proposals. The subject has re-
NAMED unsettled since the Ramspeck
Dill reached the Senate with House
approval at the last session.