Evening star., 1940-11-13
j. ). Job Order
Bans Racial
Discrimination
New Rules Permit
Appointments From
Local Registers

cifically for the first time today,
when important changes were en-
bodied in civil service rules by
executive order.
Another new provision designed
to speed defense employment if
necessary allows the Civil Service
Commission to make appointments
to the Federal service from civil
service registers maintained by
State and local governments. This
same practice was followed during
the World War, and the appointees
so chosen generally were assigned
to duties within their own States.
Coincidentally, the racial dis
elimination ban was written into the
civil service rules after the Ramspeck
civil service extension bill had been
deadlocked in conference by
Senate amendment to substitute
fngerprints for photographs as a
means of identifying applicants for
employment. Vigorously opposed In
the House, the Senate sponsors Of
the amendment said it was necessary
to prevent discrimination by ad-
mlnlstrative officers in passing on
prospective appointees. Heretofore
civil service rules have prohibited
only racial and religious discrimina-
ton, but the Civil Service Commits
sion has followed a policy of guard
ing against racial prejudice rs far as
possible.
Immediate Use Unlikely.
In announcing that local registers
would be used if recruiting needs
demanded it, the Civil Service Com
mission said the registers must have
been established through examina-
tions which meet Federal standards.
1t was added that no immediate
necessity for using such registers
was contemplated, but that the au-
thority might prove valuable in the
event of shortage of eligibles in
certain localities for positions under
the national defense program.
Another important change pro-
vided by President Roosevelt's order
does away with plan inaugurated
two years ago under which Federal
employees qualifying for other posi-
tions by open competitive examina-
ton were placed on a separate reg
lister. which, in effect, gave them a
preferential status for appointment
over contestants from outside the
service. The commission now may,
IN its discretion. establish only a
single register when examinations
are held. 1t was explained that this
will undoubtedly prove useful in ex-
pediting the establishment of regis
tiers and the certihcation of eligibles
and will thus help the commission
meet its deadline under the national
defense program
1t was recognized at the same
time that the change would give
appointing officers a wider field
from which to select personnel.
Probationary Period Reduced
The probationary period for en-
ployes is reduced from a year to
six months under the amended reg
ulations, although the commission
has authority to prescribe a longer
period in special cases In order to
insure a closer check on the work
of the probationary appointees con-
frmation of their appointment will
be made now only when the agency
where they are employed certifes
that they have rendered satisfac-
tory service. The procedure under
which employees acquire civil serv-
ice status when their positions are
brought under the competitive sys-
tenn also has been frightened and
they now must be shown to have
rendered six months satisfactory
active service Immediately prior to
the time their position is classified.
Heretofore only three months sat-
lsfactory service has been required.
The new rules also specifically au-
thorize the commission to inquire
into the background of prospective
employees to determine if they would
be disqualified by membership in a
political party or organization. This
rule simply is recognition of the
duty imposed on the commission by
the Hatch Act to deny employment
to those persons having membership
in any political party or organiza-
ton which advocates the overthrow
of our form of constitutional gov
ernment in the United States"
Senate and House conferees on
the Ramspeck civil service extension
bill will meet again Monday in an
effort to whip the bill into acceptable
shape, and if a quorum can be
rounded up, it is hoped to take final
action on the measure.
Chairman Ramspeck of the House
Civil Service Committee, and SEN
ator Mead, Democrat, of New York
who is in charge of the bill in the
Senate, arranged the meeting yes
terday, and Mr.. Ramspeck said every
effort will be made to speed the bill
to final passage before the present
Congress goes out of existence.