Evening star., 1938-07-17
Apportionment Legislation
and Not Efficiency Ratings
to Govern Clusters.
ALL AGENCIES ASKED
FOR EMPLOYE LISTS
Persons Paid From Work Relief
and Public Works Funds Are
to Be Affected.
BY J. A. FOX.

4IlOASdllIo Va T ctCl al CiuPiOyCo lclC
who are prospective beneficiaries OF
President Roosevelts executive order
extending the scope of the civil serv-
ice system on February l, face loss Of
the job security this ordinarily would
assure, because in their case appor-
tionment legislation rather than sf-
ficiency ratings will govern dismissals
and payless furloughs.
The employees in question are those
paid from the Works Relief and Public
Works Appropriation Acts of 1887
and 1888, and their status was dis
closed yesterday as the commission
prepared to make another move toward
putting the executive order into effect
by calling on the departments and
independent establishments for their
recommendations as to the employees
they propose shall be given civil serv-
ice status and those they want to con-
tinue to be exempt.
Concurrently it became known at the
commission Office that in preparing to
administer the new law putting post
masters Of the first, second and third -.
class under civil service, serious con-
sideration is being given to a plan to
require second-class postmasters to
pass written examination in addition
to the test as to education, business
experience and general qualifications
for office now applied, and that 1t has
been decided to tighten up the written
test already used to qualify appointees
for third-class Offices.
Age Limits Considered.
1t was said also that the commission
and the Post Office Department are
giving consideration to lowering the
maximum age limits for postmaster
ship appointees, the present top of 66
years being considered too high-at
least for persons coming from civil
life-in view of the fact that appoint
ments hereafter are to be permanent.
The apportionment proviso that
now promises to defeat to some ex-
tent the Presidents ambitious civil
service reform program first was writ
ten into work relief legislation last
year. In part, it is the same as this
civil service apportionment law, pro-
viding for appointments by quota in
the central offices here on the basis Of
State population. 1t goes furtL.r
however, by adding that in making
separations. or applying furloughs
without pay to last as long as three
months-measures that would be
taken in any general retrenchment-
the appointing power shall give
preference. as nearly as good ad-
ministration will warrant. in re-
tention of appointees from States that
have not received their share of ap-
pointments according to populs tion."
Under civil service efficiency rat
ings plus longevity credits govern re-
duction in force.
Thousands to Be Affected.
Thousands of posts in tins cate
CORY in the departments and inde-
pendent agencies are expected to be
brought under civil service in Feb
ruary, but inasmuch as the work re-
lief funds are expendable as far in the
future as June 30, 194l, appointments
financed by them will be subject to
this method of separation up to that
time-barring enactment Of corrective
egislation-despite their classified
status. The only exceptions are for
employees having veterans preference,
apportionment not applying to them.
On June 80. 13 States and the Dis
trict of Columbia had more than their
quota of classified employees. These
included Rhode Island, West Virginia,
Maine. Kansas. Vermont. Missouri,
Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana.
Iowa, Nebraska, Maryland and Vir-
ginia. In addition. Massachusetts, was
right at full strength. While some few
of the States swing backward and for
ward between quota filled" and "ar-
rears" status, for the most part. when
once they have their allotted number
of positions-or more-they remain in
that condition, consequently. the
present lineup furnishes a good indi-
cation of where any reduction by ap-
portionment would be felt.
The commission expects in the next
few days to call on the agencies for
statement as to the positions they
propose to be classified. or exempt, as
the case may be. Under the terms Of
the Presidents order, this information
is to be in the hands Of the commission
by September "a, and from present
indications it will take that long.
Ask for CIarification.
Within a week after the executive
order was issued on June "a, the COM
mission asked for a statement as to
the laws governing personnel, under
which the various units are operating.
Up until yesterday, only one depart
ment and some of the small independ-
ent agencies had responded, and in the
case of the department, its answer was
insufficient and more details were re-
quested.
So far as concerns administration
of the new civil service postmaster law,
it was thought at the commission that
plans would be pretty we'll shaped up
in about 10 days or so. though there
(see JOBS, Page A-l2)