Evening star., 1940-01-08
Civil Service
Investigative
q
Work Slowed
Lack of Funds Puts
Division Seven
Months Behind

The character investigation work
Of the Civil Service Commission has
been slowed up by lack of funds, al
though conditions now warrant the
greatest care in the selection Of per-
sonnel, the commission said in its
annual report to the President today.
Declaring that although the COM
mission may not discover espionage,
it can prevent it," the report said
that everything possible was being
done to improve investigative pro-
cedure, but, it was pointed out, in
many parts of the country, the In
vestigations Division is approximate
ly seven months behind in its work.
The commission, for which tho
Budget Bureau has recommended q
million dollar boost that would put
the 194l appropriation at approxi-
mately $1,000 900, said that "if funds
and personnel are not provided, the
merit system will be set back at least
Is years"
Faces Critical Situation.
"The United States Civil Service
Commission faces a critical situa-
ton" the report amplified. THE
present disturbed state of world
affairs places additional response
bilities and pressures on certain op.
Grating agencies of the Federal Gov.
ernment. This in turn makes it nee.
essary for these agencies to obtain
the best qualified personnel in the
quickest possible time.
Naturally, as these agencies turn
to the commission for assistance in
the recruitment of the necessary per-
sonnel, the commission desires to do
everything possible to meet these
needs. But the commission enters
this critical period knowing that a
number of its most important activi-
ties are already far behind. Conse-
quently, as the commission responds
to emergency requests, it does so
knowing that its normal operations
will be seriously affected. This in
turn creates irritations between the
commission and the agencies which
it is desirous of serving. These irri.
tations in turn lead to attacks on
the merit system. AS a result, the
public adopts the attitude that al
though the idea of merit system is
fine in theory it cannot work out
in practice
This, it was added. has tendency
to encourage recruiting outside Of
civil service, with a resultant in.
crease in cost to the Government.
Studies Personnel Needs.
An innovation disclosed in the re-
port is the effort the commission Ii
making to determine future person.
mel needs of the various agencies.
This plan. designed to speed up re-
cruiting, is being carried out in CO..
operation with william H. Mercy
nolds, the Presidents administrative
assistant in charge of personnel
management.
The commission repeated recon-
mendations of other years for extern
sion of the competitive system to all
but policy forming positions; classi-
fication of positions in the field. and
liberalized retirement along the lines
of the measure snagged in the last
session of Congress.
The commission. in a circular to.
day, called to attention of Govern.
ment employees generally that the
new law which permits purchase Of
additional annuity under the Re-
tirement Act is now in effect. The
amount purchasable is limited to 10
per cent of the aggregate annual
basic pay received by an employe
since August !, 1920.