The Omaha guide., 1937-01-30

VIII soon run dry. In many Of the
departments no coored clerk has
been appointed for the past fifteen
or twenty years.
In cases where the photographs
have failed to reveal the racial Nd
entity of applicants they have been
known to be refused appointment,
even after assignment to duty, when
this identy has been disclosed. In
other eases they have been demot-
ed and assigned to work of an in
ferior rank and pay.
The honor of the government is
at stake. The Negro applicant is
invited along with the rest to enter
the examination, and when he wins
the prize he is deprived of the vic
tory at the hands of the United
States government. In sportsman
ship when one does moi play the
game according to the rules of his
own making he is called by an ugly
name. The Civil Service reform,
inaugurated with such high and
holy pretentions to blot out corrup-
ton, has become the means of rob
bing loyal and patriotic citizens of
their fairly earned opportunity. In
equity fades into iniquity by slow
and impereeptible degree.
There Is the clear and unmistak-
able purpose to introduce the caste
system based on race, into the pu-
Bile service. The thousands of Ne
groes in the Federal service are
assigned for the most part to sub
clerical duties. A Civil Service Com
missioner told the writer that I'M
der operation of the present sys-
tenn the Negro does not possess a
"Chinaman's chance" for appoint
ment to regular cerical jobs. Those
who squeeze by the Civil Service
Commission are assigned to- lower
duties such as file clerks, machine
operators, or the Post Office whose
work is chiefly of a semi-fanual
nature.
The complaint does not lodge
against the Civil Service Commits
sion itself. No one alleged unfair
ness in the conduct of the examin-
alton, the rating of papers or the
certification of names. But when the
list is sent to the appointing Of
fceri there is the rub. AS long as
they are vested with discretionary
power they can discriminate among
the three applicants submitted to
them. The evil practice is accentu-
ated by undue Difference to division
chiefs who are allowed to deter
mine the race or sex of recruits for
their divisions.
The substitution of fingerprints
for photographs would not do away
with this discrimination so long as
the appointing officers are vested
with discretion. In order to be eff
fective the law must be amended
so as to deprive these appointing
officers of discretion and the di-
vision chiefs of the right to express
preference as to the race or sex of
those requisitioned.
The selection of his assistants to
staff the government, from Cabinet
members to charwcmen, ii vested
in the President by the Constitu-
ton of the United States. Congress
of itself cannot legislate this power
from him except by Constitutional
amendment. The whole Civil Ser
vice machinery was ordained as an
instrument to assist the President
in selecting these assistants. The
President, therefore, by executive
order, can by right of law correct
this fragrant evil which has deve-
/, loped in the name of the merit sys-
tenn.
In final analysis the moral res
possibility devolves upon the pre-
sident. President Roosevelt has been
a member of the Civil Servise Re-
form League for many years. It is
only necessary, therefore, to i'm
press this matter upon his atten-
item to have it corrected.
Governor Landon, in his bid for
Negro votes during the last CAM
paign, promised that he would
correct racial discrimination in the
Civil Service if chosen President.
President Roosevelt, the apostle Of
profess and righteousness in public
affairs, cannot do less than his de-
feated opponent who failed to gain
the approval or support of the col
ored voters. Surely we may rely
upon the New Deal President to
evolve fair treatment for all Am
erican citizens as did the Square