Evening star., 1939-08-02
Roosevelt Personnel
Training Plea Blocked
As Money Plea Fails
Committee Disoerees
On Promoting Higher
Workers by Tests

N0iNSIS - iSStS
President Roosevelt's revolution
ary program as set forth in an eX-
ecutive order of June "a, 1888, de-
signed to change the handling OF
personnel throughout the Govern
ment service, with training pro-
grams set up and promotion guided
by competitive examination, was
temporarily blocked today when the
third deficiency appropriation bill
failed to carry the funds recon-
mended by the Budget Bureau.
The Presidents program called
for an appropriation of $745,366 to
set up personnel divisions manned
bv persons skilled in personnel
MANAGEMENT" in the 10 major de-
partmentS and independent agen-
cies under the supervision of di-
rector.
The Appropriations Committee in
cluded in the bill 700 for the
Capital Council of Personnel Ad-
ministration to accomplish i'm
provements with the means at
hand" The Presidents program
would have permitted employment
of 273 additional persons.
Disagree With President.
The Appropriations Committee,
while admitting that ION its face
1t is a wholly commendable feature"
disagrees sharply with the PreSi-
dents plan to have promotions to
higher grades determined by tests
of fitness. The committee report
says that such a course would be
"f, aught with difficulties if gov
erned by hard and FAST rules" and
that it may infronge upon the
provisions of the ClasSifcatlonS Act.
Certainly no such course was in
tended by such act"
During hearings on the budget
recommendation The committee
questioned James c. O'Brien of the
Civil Service Commission regarding
the proposed promotion system. He
SAID The examination method
gives the loW-salaried employe ain
opportunity to advance in an Or
derly system. 1t provides system
whereby a great number of low
grade employees will have an oppor-
tunity to advance in accordance
with their qualifications
In its report the committee says
that the program looks to bettering
the administration of personnel
matters and the building up the
efficiency of civil servants through
centralized management, uniformity
of procedure and coordination.
One feature of the plan looks to the
provision generally Of practical
training courses for employees in the
departmental and field services of
the classified civil service. Training
is now given to employees in certain
branches of the public service where
there is a demand for specialists but
the practice is not widespread"
Procedure Questioned.
Representative Woodrum, Demo-
crat, of Virginia, during the hear
ingS was critical of the procedure
in asking for the funds in the de-
ficiency bill rather than in the reg
ular departmental appropriation bill.
He emphasized that while the eX-
ecutive order was issued 13 months
ago. Congress was not asked for
funds to carry it out until almost
year later"
The hearings disclosed that under
the Presidents plan personnel direc-
tors in the various departments
would act as liaison officers between
each department and the Civil Serv-
ice Commission and that they would
also make up the Capital Council
of Personnel Administration with
representatives of the Budget
Bureau and the Civil Service Com
mission.
The committee report says:
The committee is impressed with
the need for better supervision and
management of personnel matters
and particularly for central control
or jurisdiction within each Federal
agency. 1t also favorS coordination
within and between such agencies.
These phases of the program can
be accomplished to a considerable
extent without the provision of ad-
ditional funds. They are being ac-
complished to considerable extent
today by a number of agencies.
Some reassignment of personnel
might help, but that is permissible
procedure under the law through the
medium of temporary details.
More Study Desired.
The training phases and the
phase conditioning promotion upon
competitive tests involve aspects
which the committee feels should
be studied and passed on to the legis-
lative committee of Congress hav-
ing jurisdiction over legislation
affecting civil service. The training
envisages a procedure of consider
able scope and more than likely
ultimately of considerable expense.
Particularly is this true as to the
proposal presented by the Office of
Education of the Federal Security
Agency.
Entertaining such views the COM
mittee is unwilling to recommend the
additional amount requested at this
time. 1t is recommending half of
the S45 1000 requested on account of
the Council of Personnel Admins
tration to enable that agency to aid
in accomplishing improvements with
the means at hand. While the two
phases suggested for congressional
study are not necessarily integral
parts of the program, they are SUBJ
mittod as part thereof and it is
felt that the whole program to the
extent that it rests upon the pro-
vision of additional funds should be
provided for at one and the same
time"