Evening star., 1938-10-17
Civil Service Assembly Is
Told Career Service Is
Ultimate Goal.
VETERANS PREFERENCE,
PRESSURE GROUPS HIT
500 Delegates Attend-Roosevelt
Wants Chance for Trained
Men to Rise on Merit
Pictures on Page BIZ
BY J. A. FOX.

President Roosevelt proposes to fol-
low up his orders of June "a revamp.
ing the civil service system by call
ing on Congress for adequate funds
to support the expanded program, he
told the Civil Service Assembly of the
United States and Canada, in a mes
sage read at the opening session OF
the 30th annual conference at Ward.
man Park Hotel today.
"Well-selected, well-trained, WE'LL
supervised personnel with opportunity
to advance in the service on a basis
of merit is the key to effective Gov.
ernment administration" the Presi-
dent said in his letter to Charles H.
Bland chairman of the Civil Service
Commission of Canada, who is presi.
dent of the assembly
THE competitive classified civil
service system is the best approach
to the solution of this problem which
there is. That system has not been
perfect. have laid down broad and
specific bases for its improvement. I
shall appeal for adequate financial
support of this improvement, and I
shall continue to urge all of the agen-
cies of Federal Government to discard
inherited reservations and unite in
utilizing and perfecting the national
personnel program now instituted.
"Bulwark Against Danger"
you who are engaged in the tech
nlcsl development of personnel ad-
ministration today are building a bull
Wark of efficiency against a danger
confronting all government, particu-
larly democratic government You
are performing an essential service. I
send you my hearty welcome and my
best wishes for continued success"
About 500 representatives of Fed.
eral, State and municipal governments.
as well as organizations concerned
with government administration we're
expected for the five-day session at
which a wide range of personnel prob
lens will come under discussion.
Launching this program. G. Lyle
Belsley presented his annual report in
which he warned organizations of EN-.
ployes against urging policies of ques-
tionable benefit to civil service and
scored pressure groups for seeking
particular advantages. in this connec-
ton condenning efforts to extend
veteran preference in public employ
ment and expressing satisfaction at
their defeat
Plea Against Seniority.
organizations Of public employees
can exercise tremendous influence in
the Improvements of public service"
he said. Much will depend not only
on the quantity but also the quality
OF their membership. Still more may
depend on the character of their
leadership. To be constructive and
vital force in our national life the
members of these organizations must
inform themselves about broad gov
ernmental problems and must avoid
sponsoring the establishment of ques-
tionable policies such as the placing
of undue emphasis on seniority.
Their leaders must appreciate the
difficulties with which administrative
officers are faced. Members and Lead
ers must be willing on many occa-
sions to subordinate a possible i'm
mediate gain for their organization
to the broader and more far-reaching
social benefits that frequently come
only as the narrow and diverse groups
are reconciled through the fine art
of intelligent compromise. This will
require a quality and boldness Of
leadership of which number of the
more forward looking employe organ
izations can now boast. However,
until this is more generally the case.
these organizations may possibly use
their strength to have written into
law those restrictive civil service pro-
visions to which many professional
groups are seriously opposed. This
possible conflict in objectives may
ieopardize the development of sound
personnel administration in govern
ment."
During the past year." Mr. Belsley
continued, various efforts have been
made by special interest groups or
those appealing to popular prejudice
unduly to limit open competition in
civil service systems. In part. this
has come from some public officials
and political leaders eager to obtain
positions for their constituents by at
tempting to conflne appointments for
their governments to residents of their
respective Jurisdictions. In part. it
has come from powerfully organized
groups seeking special preferences and
undemocratic privileges in obtaining
appointments to the public service.
1T is encouraging to note that dur
ing the last year several efforts by
veterans groups throughout the coun-
try to extend veterans preference were
turned back by an aroused citizenry.
This augurs we'll for the future of
open competition within the frame
work of the merit system and clearly
indicates that citizens and other groups
have definitely recognized that any un-
due perquisites or privileges accorded
to a special interest group may not
only destroy open competitions In civil
service administration, but also may
be socially harmful"
Civil Service Spreading.
The executive director said that q
survey this year showed 1853 govern
mental jurisdictions in this country
operated under some form OF civil
service and that there since had been
additions, with interest growing In
this subject both in the United States
and Canada.
He praised the work of the National
Civil Service Reform League. the Ma
tionsl League Of Women Voters ana
1see CIVIL SERVICE, Page A-lo0