Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-07
Ramspeck 10 Seek
Early Meeting on
Civil Service Bill
Measure Was Snogged
In Conference as Congress
Took Election Recess

Hope for early action on the
Ramspeck civil service extension bill,
which was snagged in conference
when Congress started its election
recess was expressed today by Rep
resentative Ramspeck, Democrat, of
Georgia, the author, as members
of Senate and House started back
to the Capital to resume their duties.
Rejected by the House because
of two major changes made when
the legislation was approved In the
Senate, the measure. which would
open about $50, 900 positions to civil
service, was deadlocked when Sen
ate conferees insisted on the Senate
amendments. One would require
the Civil Service Commission to sub
stitute flngerprints for photographs
for identifying applicants for en-
ployment, and the other work knock
out a House provision to withhold
benefits of the bill from employees
from States having more than their
allotment of positions in the appor-
toned service here.
When the conference broke down
it was said that meeting would
be held AS soon as the confereeS
could get together after electin and
supporters of the measure are hope
full of bringing about this meeting,
though Mr.. Ramspeck said there
was no certainty of when it could be.
Executive Order Suggested.
1t has been suggested that the
controversy over photographs might
be quieted by the issuance of an
executive order to bring about this
change, which supporters say Is
needed to prevent racial diScrimina-
ton by appointing officers in passing
on applications for employment.
With this out of the way, con-
hdence has been expressed that the
apportionment issue would not con-
stitute a major stumbling block.
A strong argument in behalf of
the legislation was seen by Mr..
Ramspeck in the Democratic victory
Tuesday which, he emphasized
demonstrated clearly that an admin
istration does not have to depend on
political appointees to stay in power,
more than 100000 Federal workers
having been removed from the field
of political activity by the Hatch
Act.
Committee Shifts Studied.
with the fact made so plain,
he said, the presumable value OF
patronage can be discounted greatly.
in
employees should devote their time
to public business, I am naturally
greatly encouraged, and I hope that
those who have supported the merit
system may continue to do so and
that we may be able to extend 1t
and improve 1t.
In the meantime today Federal
employees studied election returns in
the light of changes that will be
brought about in the next Congress
in the Senate and House Civil Serv-
ice Committees.
On the Democratic side of the
Senate committee three members
we're re-elected-McKellar, Tennes-
see; Byrd, Virginia, and Mead, New
York, and the only prospective
change consequently would be &C.
stoned by the appointment of Sue
cessor to Senator Nicely of West
Virginia, who is retiring to take the
governorship. Senator Bulow Of
South Dakota, the chairman, did not
come up for reelection this year.
On the Republican side two
changes will be necessary-Senator
Frazier of North Dakota, having
lost out in the primary, and Sena-
tor Ernest w. Gibson, ST., of YER
mont, who died.
Two Possible Casualties.
Chairman Ramspeck of the House
Committee, and 10 other Democrats,
were reelected, but there were two
probable casualties in this list
Representative Fries and T. v.
Smith of Illinois.
Six of the seven Republicans, led
by Representative Edith Nourse
Rogers of Massachusetts we're re-
elected, but the fate of Representa-
tive Marshall of Ohio was in doubt
Representative Gehrmann, Wiscon-
SIN, Progressive, was reelected.
In another development, the Com
mittee of Unafhliated Federal En-
ployes prepared to meet again No
vember IA, to set up provisional
organization, designed to form the
nucleus of a new employe union, I'M
less those interested in this move
ment are convinced that they can do
more toward promoting their own
principles for aiding Government
workers by lining up with one Of the
unions already in existence.
This group, composed of employees
who have left other organizations
because of dissatisfaction over inter-
nal policies, along with others who
have never belonged to any union,
held their first meeting last night.