Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-01-31
UCCSupport
Not Menaced,
Powell Says
Daily Dispatch Bureau,
In the Sir Walter Hotel.
BY G.. LYNN NISBET.

Raleigh, Jan. 31-"Utterly false and
without the slightest foundation in
fact, said Chas. G. Powell, chairman
of the State Unemployment Compen-
-ation Commission, when asked this
morning about rumors that Federal
social security money might be cut
Coz North Carolina in retaliation for
the exemption CT employees of the
commission from the merit test ex-
aminations
Mr.. Powell further explained that
the national social security act does
not confer any such power upon any
federal board, and that even if there
was desire to penalize a state there
is no legal authority for imposing
the penalty, because the original fed
eral law specifically exempts meth
ods of employment, tenure in office
and salaries of personnel" In many
respects the State regulations must
conform to federal rules, and the ma
tional board has the right to demand
ccnfornlancc. But in personnel it does
cot have any authority at all. That is
peculiarly State function.
Reports came into Raleigh early this
week from points over the State that
Mr.. Powell was in receipt of a tele-
gram from Washington threatening
that the federal appropriation for this
State would be cut off entirely unless
the commission required full COM
of
ginal law providing for merit examina-
tons Some employees of the COM
mission, as well as legislators who
two weeks ago voted for the "blan-
keting" act freezing present employees
in their positions, were much inter
ested in the rumor. According to po-
sitive assurance given your CORES.
pondent by Mr.. Powell, there was I'd
grounds for alarm
The legislature has been rigl..
severely criticized for yielding tC
pressure from commission employees
and passing the bill upsetting merit
examination requirements. There
were charges of breaking faith with
the federal government, inasmuch as
the appropriation was made by the
national board when the merit ex
animation provision was in the law
Many legislators have since privately
admitted that they made a mistake in
voting for that bill. Before passing
judgment upon the effect Of, the act
however, one or two things should be
remembered: In the first place, a
least two states virginia and Wesi
Virginia) struck the merit examina-
ton provisions out of the original act
before adopting it, and Minnesota has
since repealed it. In the second place
the special act passed week before
last does not repeal the merit exam
nation requirement for applicants for
new jobs or for promotions. It merely
freezes" on present jobs and at pre-
sent pay all employees of the commits,
sion with as much as six months SerV.
ice record.
Notwithstanding the passage of the
act, approximately half the employees
took the scheduled examinations any
way. The percentage of those taking
the tests was much larger in the high
er salaried brackets, though num-
Der of Junior stenographers took the
test for senior Stcnographcrs. Actual
figures are not yet available on the
number taking the tests. They may
not be available for some time, due
to the fact that many employees filed
for two or more jobs.
Further in refutation of the rumo1
that federal money might be cut off
Chairman Powell announced that re-
representatives. of the regional board ar
rived in Raleigh Monday to assist ir
making up the budget for the first
six months of 1899. Heretofore allo
cations have been on a quarterly
| basis. For the third quarter of 1885
the commission spent $3.50 509.2S, anc
for the last quarter $220,2S8.28. Mr.
Powell expects some slight reduction
| for the current period, but does moi
fear being cut off entirely.