Evening star., 1939-12-30
Ramspeck Asks
Civil Service
For $4,000
Georgian Plans to
Push Legislation in
Coming Session

SOIIIIHS SSSSIOU
Following a visit to the White
House for a talk with President
Roosevelt, Chairman Ramspeck Of
the House Civil Service Committee
said today he plans to push legisla-
ton in the coming session of Con.
gress for bringing 250000 additional
Federal employees into the civil
service system. The Ramspeck bill
would empower the President to put
all but 47.444 Federal jobs under
civil service
Members of Congress last night
began streaming back into the
Capital for the politically important
session of 1910. which opens Wednes-
day. They talked about brewing
battles over governmental spending
and renewal of the administration s
reciprocal trade agreements program
Approved BY Committee.
The Ramspeck civil service bill al
ready has been approved by the
House Rules Committee, which
means that 1t is in preferred posi-
ton for quick consideration by the
House itself. The greatest number
of jobs which would be left outside
the merit system are the admins
trative positions of the w. P. A.
Into the civil service would come
the Farm Security Administration,
he H. o. L. c., the T. v. A., the r..
F.. c. and others.
At the same time Representative
Ramspeck plans to supplement the
work of Senator Hatch. Democrat,
of New Mexico, who proposes ex-
tending his ban on political activity
to employees of State governments.
Mr.. Ramspeck, a Georgia Democrat,
would provide for an extension of
the merit system to State govern
ment employees who help administer
Federal funds. He said:
THE Federal Government is Civ
ing the States hundreds of millions
for highways, social security. health.
vocational education and farm sur
plus removal. 1t is proper that
standards be set for employees ad-
ministering these funds"
Discuss Labor Legislation.
Mr.. Ramspeck and the President
also talked about labor legislation
in their conference yesterday. The
Representative said he told Mr..
Roosevelt he believed most of the
trouble over the Wagner Act was
due to its administration rather
than to any defects in the law
The conference between these two
gave a faint glimmer of what might
be expected at the Congress that
opens Wednesday.
Despite President Roosev velt's
known desire for a short, harmoni-
Gus session. many of the legislators
conceded it would be tempestuous
and prolonged-not only by the
trade agreements and spending is
sues. but by such other subjects as
proposed changes in the Wagner
Act and whether to increase the
public debt limit.
After a White House luncheon
conference. Speaker Bankhead an
nounced Yesterday that Mr.. Roose-
welt would deliver his annual mes
sage to Congress Wednesday, He
will address a joint session of the
Senate and House. probably about
2 pm. The address will be broad
cast.
The Presidents budget message.
containing his recommendations for
governmental expenditures for the
year starting next July /, will be
transmitted to Congress next Thurs
day, Mr.. Bankhead said.
Budget Surprises Seen.
On the fiscal front, reports were
current that the administration was
endeavoring to effect reductions in
the spending of numerous govern
mental agencies but probably would
recommend that the debt limit be
increased from its present level of
S45 900 600, ,000-rapidly being reached
to S5O.0OO 900 900.
A budget containing some "sur-
prises" was predicted yesterday by a
Treasury official while President
Roosevelt was telling correspondents
he had arrived at a final figure
which he called good"
What the surprises might be the
official would not disclose, nor would
Mr. Roosevelt reveal his total budget
figure.
But reports of apparent authen-
ITCHY have placed the budgets total
at about s9,250, 100000, with deficit
in the neighborhood of $4,000, ,00O,-
900. Both figures are smaller than
the corresponding items for the cur
rent fiscal year.