Evening star., 1938-02-13
By ]. A. O'LEARY.

BY J. A. O'LEARY.
Creation OF reviewing boards in
each Government department to hear
appeals of employees on their efficiency
ratings was proposed yesterday by
Senator O'Mahoney, Democrat, Of
Wyoming. as special Senate COM
nittee was adopting a modified ver-
sion of the Government reorgan-
ization bill.
While the committee did not put
the OMahoney reviewing plan in the
bill. it is understood Chairman Byrnes,
Democrat, of South Carolina, will
confer with the various executive de-
partments on the proposal.
The committee voted to report out
the substitute reorganization measure
introduced by Senator Byrnes late in
January. with the following last
minute changes:
Limiting the Presidents power to
issue executive orders for the transfer
or consolidation Of bureaus to June
30, 1910. instead of the original three
year period.
Require Senate Confirmation.
Require Senate confirmation OF the
budget director, whose office would
take over the current auditing OF ex-
penditures now supervised by the
controller generals Office. The amend
ment also makes the Budget Bureau
definitely an independent agency.
Eliminate the provision Of the orig
inal bill that would change the Inte-
rior Department to the Department
of Conservation.
Efforts the employees have been
making to have a board of appeals
established since the Classification
Act was passed Is years ago have met
with opposition heretofore, Senator
O'Mahoney said. on the ground it
would deprive departments of author
tty over their personnel
He is seeking to meet that objection
In the amendment offered yesterday
to the reorganization bill by planning
the reviewing system on a home rule
basis within each department, but with
one outside member on each board
he explained.
Boards of Review.
His proposal provided that in each
department there would be one or
more boards Of review of at least three
members. The chairman of each board
would be selected by the new civil
service administrator who, under the
reorganization bill, would succeed the
present Civil Service Commission. The
other two members of each board
would be named by the respective de-
partment heads.
The boards would meet at the call
OF the chairmen to pass on the merits
Of efficiency ratings and any employe
making written request would be en-
titled as matter of right to a hear
ing and review of his or her rating.
The board would make such adjust
ments in ratings as it may find proper.
Although the amendment is not in
the reorganization bill now, it probably
will be brought up for discussion when
the bill is considered in the Senate.
In addition to the change adopted
yesterday, the new bill differs from
the plan that has been pending in the
Senate since last August in the fol-
lowing major respects:
Sets up seven-member advisory
board to consult with the new civil
service administrator on all personnel
matters. and to make suggestions to
the President and Congress.
Preference for Year.
Gives employees dropped from the
service as result of consolidation
OF agencies preference for one year
for unemployment in the Government.
Provides that the new auditor gen.
eral, who Is to replace the controller
general, would be appointed by a
joint congressional committee, in
stead Of by the President. The modi-
fed bill, however, still transfers con-
troll over current accounting from the
general accounting Office to the
Budget Bureau, with the new auditor
general limited to making post audits
and reports to Congress.
The amendments yesterday giving
the Senate power of confirmation over
the appointment Of the budget director
was step in the direction of making
the budget and accounting Office q
more independent agency, but prob
ably will not entirely eliminate the
opposition of those who are urging
retention Of the general accounting
office with authority to pass on ex-
penditures before they are made.
Allows Immediate Report.
Another change approved yesterday
provides that when the auditor gen.
eral taxes exception to the settlement
OF any account he could make an i'm
mediate report to Congress. Pre-
viously the bill provided that no such
disagreement could be reported to
Congress until 80 days after the budget
director had been notified Of the
auditor generals exception.
The committe voted down yester-
day q motion to restore the existing
form Of Civil Service Commission in
place Of the civil service admins
traitor. The Civil Service Advisory
Board members would be appointed by
the President and confirmed by the
Senate. Since this board would meet
only at intervals during the year, it
was voted yesterday to give the board
a secretary to keep 1t advised on de-