Evening star., 1938-05-08
PUSHF0RACT|0N
ON CIVIL SERVICE
Commissioners Ask Seal to
Complete His Draft of
D. c. Measure.
Ry DON &. WARREN.


Hoping for decisive action on the
proposal at the next session Of Con-
gress the District Commissioners called
on Corporation Counsel Elwood H.
Seal to complete the draft Of the bill
to establish separate civil. service
system for District employees. 50 it may
be sent promptly to the Budget
Bureau.
1t Is expected the bill will be called
to the attention OF E. o. Grif1enhagen
4 Associates. specialists in municipal
affairs, the firm employed by Senate
and House leaders to study plans for
reorganization Of the District Gov
ernment
Major principles of the bill were
agreed to yesterday by Mr. Seal and
his assistant, Chester H. Gray, who
Is in charge Of drafting the bill. The
skeleton draft of the measure is being
rushed to completion in the hope It
may be introduced before the end of
the present session. to make it avail
able for action early at the next
session.
Promises Action.
Chairman King OF the Senate Dk-
trict Committee. among other congres-
sional leaders in District affairs has
promised sympathetic attention to the
bill as primary element OF any Dis
trtct reorganization.
Thousands OF District employees now
are without Civil Service standing or
protection. Only school teachers, fire.
men and policemen have their own
merit system. Since 1880 the District
has been making other appointments
from the eligible lists Of the Federal
Civil Service Commission, under an
agreement with the Commissioners
but there is an extraordinarily long
list Of exemptions.
As planned by Mr. Gray and Mr..
Seal, the proposed bill would establish
separate department of personnel
under the Commissioners, with q di-
rector in charge OF municipal civil
service. The director would be ap-
pointed by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate. for a term of
is years. To be eligible it would be
necessary for him to have been q
resident Of the District for a period
Of at least five years and have claimed
legal residence in no other jurisdic-
ton during that period. The latter
clause Is suggested as a means of pre-
venting ''lame-duck" members Of
Congress from obtaining the Job.
Appeals Board Planned.
There would be an appeals board,
to hear complaints against the de-
cisions OF the District personnel di-
rector, as District civil service ad-
ministrator. and the present plan Is
that this should consist Of three Dis
trict officials. However, spokesmen
for some organizations Of Govern
ment workers are said to be insisting
the appeals board should include at
least some representatives Of civilian
interests.
The plan is to make use Of the
body of rules and regulations on
personnel established by the Federal
Civil Service Commission, while still
planning full powers and responsible
ties with District officials The Dis
trict would be authorized to enter
into an agreement with the Civil Serv-
ice Commission to pay for any aid
extended in the giving Of examina-
tions and grading Of applicants for
jobs.
Resident for One Year.
To'be eligible for District govern
ment job an applicant would have to
be resident of the District for one
year, or a resident of metropolitan
area" including that area within IL
miles of the boundaries of the Dis
trict of Columbia. Residents of the
District proper would be given a
10 per cent credit above suburbanites,
in examination ratings. in a pro-
posed move to give preference to tax
paying residents Of the Capital. In
addition, veterans would have the
normal preference of an additional
10 per cent in grading
All District employees who have been
in the service six months or more,
at the time the bill Is enacted, would
be covered" into the municipal
civil service. This Is the customary
civil service probationary period.