Evening star., 1938-06-12
BY ]. A. FOX.

BY j. A. FOX.
eliminating a long fight. the House
last night passed bill putting post
masters of first, second and third class
offices under civil service and giving
them unlimited tenure of Office in
stead OF the four-year term now in
force.
The measure, affecting $4,000 politi-
cal jobs and hailed by supporters as a
definite step toward breaking up the
patronage system in Government, now
goes to the Senate. Its passage there
is forecast by Representative Rams
peck, Democrat. of Georgia, chairman
of the House Civil Service Committee,
who for four years has fought for the
legislation.
The bill was passed by vote of $50
to 6l amid shouts Of "spoils system"
and farce" Representative Smell of
New York. the Republican leader, de-
clared the bill simply meant the
freezing of present postmasters in their
jobs for life"
Chairman Ramspeck conceded that
it was not "true civil service bill" his
reference being to the fact that the
postmasters still must be confirmed
by the Senate despite the fact they are
to be chosen through competitive civil
service. He explained, however, that
these terms were the best that could
be obtained in view of Senate opposi-
ton to any other form of legislation.
Measure Seen as Advance.
If the measure is passed by the SEN
ate, it will create a system where for
the first time appointees under regular
civil service procedure must also be
named by the President and confirmed
by the Senate. Advocates of the
measure, even though disliking this
feature. ere convinced that in time
this situation will correct itself. The
same sentiment has been expressed
about the so-called freezing" in office
of incumbents.
President Roosevelt, who. has urged
legislation of the sort for several
years. said Friday that the present
measure represented an advance.
The House voted to put the post
masters under civil service by adopt
ing conference report that came out
Tuesday after House and Senate con-
ferees had been deadlocked for sew
eral weeks.
Originally the House passed in jan
uary, 1887, bill which would have
put the postmasters on the same basis
as any other civil service employe-
that is. with the provision for presi-
dental appointment and Senate con-
flrmation eliminated.
Tied Up for Months.
That measure. however. was tied up
in the Senate Civil Service Commit
tee for months. Eventually the Sen
ate passed a bill that did nothing but
set up an eight-year term for post
masters and overturn an executive
order by which President Roosevelt
had sought to inject an element Of
merit in the present selective system.
which is based on a pro forma civil
service test
The conference report developed
from these two bills.
The new legislation provides that
incumbent postmasters may complete
their terms Thereupon the offices
are to be filled Cd by the reappoint-
ment and classification, non-competi-
lively. of the incumbent; 90 by pro-
motion from within the Postal Service
under civil service regulations, or 90
by an open competitive examination.
The original House bill would have
done more to make postmasterships
career positions than is accomplished
bv the new bill, inasmuch as the
Postmaster General would have been
REQUIRED to certify that there was no
employe in the Office to be filled
capable of assuming the berth, before
an examination would be held. At
the request of the Post Office Depart
ment, however, this restriction was
knocked out.
Tightens Up Regulations.
The new measure also tightens up
the regulations for appointment OF act
ing postmasters, allowing them to
serve q maximum of six months unless
the Civil Service Commission extends
their terms another six.
The principal fight against the
measure in the Senate is expected to
come from Senator McKellar, Demo-
crat. of Tennessee, ranking majority
member Of the Civil Service Commit
tee and chairman of the Senate Post
ONCE Committee. He has been held
responsible for burying the first House
bill. Senator McKellar, one of the
conferees, refused to sign the confer
ence report, being the only dissenter
in the Senate group, which was COM
posed also of Senators Hayden, Ari-
zona: Logan, Kentucky. and O'Ma-
honey, wyoming, Democrats, and Sem
ator La Toilette, Wisconsin, Progress
sive.
On the House side the two Repub-
lican conferees-R Representatives Rog-
ers of Massachusetts, and Tobey of New
Hampshire--refused to sign. Those
approving it were Representatives
Eanispeck, eirovich Of Nev York and
Randolph ef West virsiniS