Evening star., 1938-08-14
By ], A, FOX.

The Civil Service Commission Is
preparing to extend the application
Of fingerprint tests as q prerequisite
to Government employment.
In q statement last night which
forecast general tightening Of examin-
ing procedure, the commission pointed
out that heretofore-witht the excep-
ton OF law enforcement positions
nngerprint investigation has post.
dated appointment with the result
that eligibles have sometimes been
appointed and subsequently removed
from service because Of the evidence
disclosed by the investigation
It is to correct this condition that
wherever practicable" the commits
sion now proposes to apply both
character and physical tests before an
applicant is certified for appointment.
So far as concerns the physical exam
nations, however, it was made clear
that the commission does not feel any
change will have material effect on
appointments. because so many physi-
cal disabilities are not employment
handicaps.
The commissions new examination
program is being drafted in con-
formity with the civil service reform
program instituted by President Roose-
welt in his two orders of June "a, and
the extent to which it will be carried
out, it was explained, is dependent
entirely on the appropriations which
Congress sees fit to make for the work.
Will Hold interviews.
A principal change contemplated
will revise the procedure in nom
assembled tests. which are based on
education and experience. These are
to be bolstered with oral interviews
and, in some instances, written exam
ination.
In this connection, the commission,
by implication, replied to criticism that
the preliminary competitive rating"
prescribed by the Presidents order to
weed out applicants with insufficient
experience would act as barrier to
aspirants who could qualify for the
positions. The positions affected gen.
orally are in the administrative upper
brackets.
In the past" the commission said,
in many examinations, the only rating
given has been based on the education
and experience Of the applicants.
Those with the highest ratings re-
ceived consideration for appointment,
while vast quantities of 'eligibles'
further down on a register were never
reached for certification and received
no consideration for appointment. Ap-
plicants like those under the old pro-
cedure who had no chance of appoint
ment by reason Of an experience rating
not sufficiently high to result in Ger
tification, will lose nothing under the
new procedure. They would not be
considered 9or or receive appointment
in any event. Those, however, who
have high ratings, to q number COM
mensurate with the needs of the serv-
ice, will have a further opportunity
to demonstrate that they are better
qualified than their experience state
ment indicates. No one who had any
chance for consideration under the
old rules will lose that chance under
the new rules; many will gain addi-
tional consideration.
More Thorough Examinations.
"And this is the important point
it will be economically possible to give
far more thorough examinations than
heretofore because the numbers SUBJ
ject to such further tests will be linn
tied to those who have some reasonable
chance of being appointed"
Until the commission knows how
much money will be available, it is not
even guessing publicly how much ter
ritory the revised procedure will cover
either for the non-assembled tests
or the fingerprinting investigations.
The commission yesterday an
nounced an examination for first as
sistant physician psychiatrist - at
st. Elizabeth's Hospital, for which
applicants will be rated on education
and e1perience, The post pays $500.