Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-09
Conferees Fail
To Agree on
Ramspeck Bill
Further Action Must
Wait Until After
Congress Recess
BY ]. A. FOX.

Further action on the Ramspecb
civil service extension bill was de.
ferred until after the impending
congressional recess today when the
Senate conferees fatty declined to
meet the House demand that the
legislation include a provision that
would deny its benefits to employees
from the District of Columbia anc
about a score of States which have
more than their quota of positions
in the apportioned service here.
Announcing the delay, Senator
Mead, Democrat, of New York said
the Senate conferees were "unani-
mously opposed to the quota
amendment which was inserted in
the bill when it first passed the
House in February, and rejected b.
the Senate last week.
Representative Ramspeck, Demo-
crat, Of Georgia, author of the bill
which would open the way to extern
sion of civil service to 10000 posi-
tons, said the three Democratic
conferees from the House opposed
the delay, and offered to go back to
the House and report disagreement
which would give both Senate ard
House chance to vote on the issues
in dispute.
The two Republican members,
however-Representatives Rogers of
Massachusetts, and Rees of Kan
sas-lined up with the Senate con-
ferees.
Death of Bill Seen.
Republicans in the House are
solidly against the bill, and the
attitude of the House conferees was
that the more delay, the better"
Mr. Ramspeck said in voicing the
belief that the delay ultimately
might end in the death of the
measure. because of the short life of
the present Congress.
Mr.. Ramspeck also disclosed that
the House conferees proposed a
compromise" amendment under
which employees from over-quota
areas would have an opportunity to
qualify for civil service by compete
tive examination instead of the non
competitive examination now pro-
vided in the bill to permit the in
cumbents of those positions brought
under civil service to retain their
places.
I'VE couldn't agree under any cir
cumstances to the quota amend
ment." Senator Mead said. He
added that to have gone back to the
Senate and reported disagreement
| would have periled the passage Of
/ the bill even granting that there is
at present a quorum available for
its consideration"
Senator Mead, who has been in
charge of the bill in the Senate. said
also that it was desired TO develop
a modification of the Minton
amendment which would allow APP
pGcants for positions to submit fin
ger prints instead of photographs.
Barley Approval Reported.
At the time he introduced this
amendment, Senator Minton, Dem
ocrat, of Indiana said it was de.
signed to prevent racial discrimina-
ton by appointing officers. 1t was
reported many House members OBJ
Jected to it and that this was one
of the reasons for the rejection of
the first conference report.
Senator Mead told neWsmen that
the plan to delay further action on
the legislation met with the ap-
proval OF Senators concerned with
the bill and with Majority Leader
Barley.
He said he had been assured that
after the election recess the Senate
would do several days work and
that it was hoped well be able to
make more intelligent progress" at
that time. He said the Senate con-
ferees wanted to talk to Senator
Byrd, Democrat, of Virginia and
other Senators from overouota
States, whose constituents would be
hit by the apportionment proposal
and that he desired also to take I'D
tahe Minton amendment with the
! author.
Representative Randolph, Demo-
crat, of West Virginia said he was
in agreement with Representative
RamSpeck's stand on the bill.
I feel it should have been dis
posed of; it was absolutely wrong
to sidestep until after the election"
he said.
In addition to extending civil
service to positions exempt by law,
the bill also would apply classifi-
cation act pay rates to the field
service. and permit congressional
clerical employees to acquire civil
service status under certain condi-
tions.