The Washington times., 1937-03-30

place Saturday at the Kn' o1
Pythias Hall, 1912 Ninth st
N. W., and is being held for s. S
B. workers stationed at 1712 G St
N. W., 1888 F st. N. W., 916 G St
N. W., 1106 Connecticut Ave. and
C'i Souther ailway Building.
The fun, which WI stretch
from p. m. until midnight. is to
center around bear. refreshments
and dancing.
The d. C. Department Of the A.
F. G.. E. has long been known for
its lack Of independent inicn on
any controversial subject. Voting
is invariably the cause of a 2-1
solid split, conservatives holding
the majority against the liberal
minority. IL regardless Of the
merits of the question, few ever
switch from one side to the other,
to the detriment Of what some
members term true der >racy.
On this subject, however, the
following statement was made on
the floor at the most recent meet
ing:
Sometimes the best inter.
ests of an organization exceed
the interests Of Democratic
actiOn!"
The statement was made in justi-
fication of the refusal of the body
to allow the State Department
lodge a perusal Of the report ban
ming States delegate, Leander
Lowell, from a delegates seat.
Procurement Division Lodge No.
86, A. F. G. E., will hold its regular
social evening on Friday at Joppa
Hall, 1909 Ninth st. N. w., Record
ing Secretary r. Mabel Hebert
informs. Dancing and refresh
ments will be the principal items.
Three new examinations have
been announced by the Civil Serv-
ice Commission, applicants having
until April 26 to get under the
wire. They are:
Junior naval engineer (naval
architecture), $4,000; curriculum
specialist and textbook writer
(mathematics), $500, and text
book writer and curriculum spe-
cialist, $2,600; assistant and aSso-
ciate technical analyst, $4,000
So, 200.
The National Civil Service Re
form League, somewhat quiet since
the Administrators plan for a
general reorganization Sidetracked
its announced intention Of seeking
a constitutional amendment to en-
force the merit system, has at
tackled the Hendricks bill recently
introduced in the House.
The bill. it points out, would re-
Quire the Civil Service Commission
to furnish each Congressman with
names on eligible lists residing in
his district when appointments are
to be made, and require Federal
officers to consider the
recommendations Of Members Of |
the House as to the character.
residence, merit and fitness" Of |
applicants. President Robert L.
johnson declared:
at takes little imagination to
see that this would put . political
whip in the hand Of the poll
ticians to lash department heads
into obedience to the political
command. We have had enough
experience with such practice
in connection with past post
masterShip appointments to dis.
courage us from viewing this
suggestion rs other than desire
to control appointments to the
civil service"
johnson also hit numerous other
measures as detrimental to merit,
adding:
"Not only has the Congress
ignored the recommendations
and findings Of the Presidents
committee on administrative
management, but it is now seek.
ing to evade the Civil Service
law by excepting many of the
key positions in the new agen.
cieS sought to be established to
carry on the Administration
program"
In this connection he alluded
especially to the provision in the
independent offices appropriation
bill, now in conference, which
would require social security attor-