Evening star., 1940-06-14
Ramspeck Bill
Is Ready for
Senate Action
Committee Reports
Plan UnonimousIy;
Bockers Optimistic
BY ]. A. FOX.

6y j. A. FOX.
Bolstered with 4 unanimous re.
port from the Senate Civil Services
Committee, the Ramspeck civil
service extension bill was ready for
Senate consideration today with
Government employees hopeful for
favorable action there at an early
date.
The bill, to permit the President
to bring under civil service between
125 900 and 10000 positions, accord
ing to Civil Service Commission
figures, and providing also for ex-
tension of the Classification Act
pay scales to the field, was reported
out of the committee late yesterday,
four months and four days after it
had passed the House.
President Roosevelt is understood
to be anxious to see the measure
enacted, and for that reason sup
porters are optimistic over its
chances, particularly If Congress
remains in session because of the
war emergency.
In voting out the bill the five
Democrats and one Republican who
were at the meeting struck from it
the Keller Nichols amendment,
added in the House. which would
have denied its benefits to persons
employed in Washington who hail
from States which have more than
their quota of employment-accor
ing to population-in the depart.
mental service.
w. P. A. Not Included.
The committee, however, retained
another amendment which bars its
benefits 70 administrative employees
"in or connected with the Work
Projects Administration" This may
reach as high as $4,000, or run only
to about half of that figure, the un-
certainty being caused by the phras-
ing OF the provision. Designed to
apply only to persons directly en-
ployed by the w. P. A. it is gen.
orally agreed that it is broad enough
to reach also those workers in other
agencies paid from w. p. A. funds.
1t is thought likely that this am.
biguity may be cleared up before
the measure finally is disposed Of.
Another prohibition against civil
service status for w. P. A. employees
is carried also in the relief bill
now in the Senate. Any emergency
employees who might get civil service
status under the Ramspeck bill
would be in addition to the Civil
Service Commission estimates Of
125, 600 to 10000 who are due to
benefit from it.
The civil service extension feature
Of the bill is applicable to those
positions exempt by law. There are
about 10000 other positions outside
OF civil service-generally in the
upper brackets-which may be given
competitive status by executive or
der, and these are scheduled to be
brought in under a program on
which a special presidential COM
mittee headed by Supreme Court
Justice Reed has been at work for
. year and half.
Keller Nichols Amendment.
The rejection Of the Keller
Nichols amendment was in line with
recommendations of the Civil Serv.
ice Commission and organized en-
ployes generally. 1t had been
pointed out that to adapt the "ap-
portionment law" principle of the
Civil Service Act to this legislation
would make it unavoidable and de-
prive thousands of deserving EN-
ployes of all chance of promotion
or transfer under civil service.
The commission and the employees.
organizations also had urged the
inclusion of the w. p. A. workers.
but despite this setback expressed
satisfaction that the bill had been
reported out.
The extension of Classification
Act pay scales-which now prevail
in the departmental services an
other goal toward which employees
long have worked. The Civil Serv-
ice Commission has estimated that
eventually this might cost as much
as $4,000, 900 annually.
Power for President.
The bill. sponsored by Represent
ative Ramspeck of Georgia, chair
man OF the House Civil Service
Committee, gives the President the
right to determine when various
groups shall get both civil service
status and the new pay rates. En-,
ployes qualify for the former by
non-competitive examinations, when
supervisors certify they have had
six months satisfactory service.
The Senate committee voted out
The bill when hope practically had
been abandoned for action this ses-
sion. Failing twice to get q quorum
Of the 10-man committee at meet
ings In the Civil Service Committee
room in the Senate Once Building.
Chairman Bulow of South Dakota
finally arranged yesterdays meet
ing In the Post Once Committee
room in the Capitol, just OF the.
Senate chamber. When it appeared
even then that quorum would not
be obtained, Senator Mead, Demo-.
crat, Of New York went on . per-
sonal tour and brought in three.
members. The others who partici-
pated in the disposal Of the bill were
Senator White, Republican, Of
Maine and Senators Downey, Cali
fornia; George, Georgia. and Nicely.
West Virginia, Democrats.