Evening star., 1940-07-30
Civil Service
Will Speed Up
Placements
System Launched to
Facilitate Transfers
And Promotion
BY J. A. FOX.

Lie OlV1 OcIV1Cc OOIIlInlSSlOu Is
getting ready to open the blind
alleys of Government employment.
For the first time in the history
Of the Federal service, an overall
plan to facilitate transfers and pro-
motions is being shaped, and COM
mission officials are hopeful that
the next few months will see person
mel placement systematized to the
point where capable workmen are
assured of the fullest opportunity
for demonstrating their ability in
any capacity for which they may be
particularly qualified, anywhere in
the executive agencies.
The projected system long has
been advocated by the employees
themselves and by progressive ad-
ministrators, who have argued that
because adequate records have not
been established, there doubtless are
thousands of men and women serv-
ing Uncle Sam whose undisclosed
talents have retarded their advance
ment while at the same time making
it necessary for the Government to
60 to the expense of recruiting
personnel from the outside for duties
which could be discharged efficiently
simply by the reasSignment of
workers engaged on other tasks.
Fer more than a decade, the prob
lem of tapping this source of supply
was discussed intermittently with
but little to show in the way of pro-
gress; then the defense program
created almost overnight a pressing
demand for man power, and the
matter quickly was advanced from
the conversational to the action
stage.
Stumbling Block Removed.
Confronted as they were-and are
with the necessity for recruiting
for many specialized lines of work,
officials concerned with the defense
program thought once more on the
possibilities of using the approxi-
mately 100000 Government employees
as valuable auxiliary reservoir,
provided those persons with special
qualifications for defense operations
could be made available. Always
before, when transfer planning was
discussed, the same stumbling block
was encountered, lack of machinery
and the money to set it up.
The arms program, however,
made funds available, and the Civil
Service Commission at once started
to develop the plan that is intended
not only to serve defense needs, but
to make it possible for any agency
requiring additional personnel to
determine without delay if it can
be furnished from within the Fed
eral force, thus perhaps saving the
time and money entailed in an ex-
animation, and at the same time
helping some employe who other
wise would have been overlooked.
The first step in the project is
the compilation of giant card
index which is to contain detailed
history of those persons already in
Government employ, and those who
enter hereafter. This information
Is being collected on special forms
sent to Government establishments
throughout the country, and off,
cials expect that at the outset it
will start off with from 100000 to
100000 individual records.
These forms are framed so as to
bring out every important qualifica-
tion for employment possessed by
an individual. The data sought
covers education, professional train
ing, specialized instruction of any
sort, acquaintance with foreign Ian
guages, experience in both Govern
ment and civilian employment, and
even technical avocations such as
aviation, photography, public speak
ing and exploring. Any employment
preferences also may be listed.
$4,000 Returns Already Made.
Although the blanks are just now
In process of distribution, more than
$4,000 returns already have been
made to the commission, demon
strating that the program is meet
ing with an instant and widespread
appeal.
Next comes the all-important task
of classifying these records, for it is
on this phase that the success of
the venture rests.
The foundation for the classifica-
ton is a numerical code that is re-
ceiving its first trial. The informa-
ton submitted by each person is
translated into code symbols which
enables it to be reproduced by
series of perforations on code
card approximately the size of the
blotters school children use. These
cards then are ready to be sorted
out by an electric machine that
operates at high speed and assemblies
for ready inspection any occupa-
tional group it is desired to use.
The selective procedure is about
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