The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-10-13
Government Reorganization Bill
Opposed BY American Federation

The expressed determination of ad-
ministration leaders to bring the
Government Reorganization Bill, de-
feated by the last Congress, before the
Congress which convenes the first
week in January, is of vital import
ance to the workers and others who
believe that the policy expressed in the
bill is unwise.
1t will be recalled that the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor opposed the
Reorganization Bill when it was under
consideration by both Houses of Con-
gress and finally urged the House of
Representatives to recommit the bill,
which was done.
The general opposition of the
American Federation of Labor to the
bill was based on the belief that "Con-
gress ought to retain all it's constitu-
tional authority in conformity with
principles of democratic government" "
that "said power ought to be broad
ened and extended but never curtailed
nor surrendered" and that the Reor-
ganization Bill represents broad
and sweeping delegation of congress-
ional authority to the executive branch
Of the Government"
| When the bill was before the Sen
ate the opposition Of the American
Federation of Labor to it was tren-
chantly expressed by William Green,
president of the Federation in a
strong condemnation Of the proposed
abolition Of the bipartisan U. S. Civil
Service Commission and the creation
of single Civil Service Administrator
with authority over the merit system
in the Federal service, covering hun
dreds of thousands of men and women
employed by the Government.
Green Outlines A. f. of l.. Opposition
to the Bill
In letter addressed to each of the
9G U. S. Senators who were consider
ing the bill, Mr.. Green stressed his
profound conviction "'that the faith of
the masses of the people in the merit
system and the administration of civil
service Legislation will be strengthened
through the maintenance of a BIZ
partisan Civil Service Commission. y
With equal emphasis he declared that
confidence in the administration of
civil service laws will be greatly i'm
paired if single administrator is sub
stituted for the bipartisan Civil Ser
vice Commission"
In view of the fact that the entire
subject matter covered by the proposed
reorganization of the Government is
scheduled to come before the represen-
tatives Of the citizens at the next
session of Congress, it is important
that working men and women should
understand the fundamental philos-
ophy underlying the opposition of the
American Federation of Labor to some
of the important provisions in the re-
organization bill. II. ~
The following is the text of Presi-
dent Green's letter to the members of
the Senate setting forth the position
of the Federation with respect to the
proposed legislation:
The officers and members Of the
American Federation of Labor are
deeply interested in the provisions OF
Senate Bill 1881, generally known as
the Reorganization Bill. We are in ac-
cord with the provisions Of this meas
ure which have for their purpose the
promotion of efficiency and economy
provided that these economies of gov
ernmental operation are not effected
at the expense or sacrifice of wages
and standards of employment already
secured by government workers. We
rely upon the members of Congress to
jealousy guard and protect both the
wage and work standards now in eff
feet for government employees.
One-Man Board Plan
There is one feature of the proposed
government reorganization bill to
which the officers and members of the
American Federation of Labor are
strongly opposed. refer to the section
of the Reorganization Bill which reads
as follows:
"Sec. POI (a). There is hereby estab-
lished in the Executive branch of the
Government an organization to be
known as the Civil Service Admins
tration Hereinafter referred to as the
'AdministrationO at the head of which
shall be Civil Service Administrator
hereinafter referred to as the Admin
istratorO, who shall be appointed by
the President by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate, for term
of fifteen years and shall receive a
salary at the rate of $4,000 per an
num- The Administrator shall be Sc
lected without regard to any political
affiliations, shall be person specially
qualified for the office of Administra-
tor by reason of his executive and ad,
ministrative qualifications, with par
ticular reference to his actual expert
ence in, or his knowledge Of, accepted
practices in respect to the functions
vested in that office by law"
This proposed measure would, il
No. 163.-Potters Supply and Re-
fractories. E. Liverpool, o. Lawrence