Evening star., 1940-06-09
Defense Program
To Push j. ). Workers
Over Million Mark
Civil Service Commission
Sees TotoI 100000 Over
World War Peak
BY ]. A. FOX.

More than a million men and
women will be working for the
Government when the defense pro-
gram gets under way, it was esti-
mated yesterday at the Civil Service
Commission as plans went ahead
for bringing the Federal force up
to a new record breaking level that
will run at least 100000 over the
World War peak.
When the armiStice was declared
on November II. 1918, civilian en-
ployment was estimated at 9l7,76O,
with 100000 workers in the field
service and 117,760 here. These
figures have long since been ex-
ceeded, as the result of the expan-
sion that started in 1888 and as of
April 80 this year, the last date for
which figures are available, the
Civil Service Commission reported
129.677 employees on duty here and
s29.469 through the rest of the
country, for total of 959,146.
1t is estimated now that 10000
employees will be added to the War
Department force and $4,000 to that
OF the Navy and that other agencies
will also show increases.
Some of Increase to Be in d. C.
Some OF this extra employment
naturally will come in the District,
h1It civil nf6niolc coiI
terday that to estimate the size the
local force eventually may reach
would be only wild guess"
The district managers of the Civil
Service Commission, who arrived
here Friday to confer with the
headquarters staff, were in session
. all day yesterday and faced other
conferences today, as recruiting
methods for the emergency were
discussed. Outside Of the shortage
OF skilled labor, technical and pro-
fessional workers are needed most
by the Government. and in order to
speed up the enrolment of these
the district managers are to be
allowed wide administrative latitude
In setting up the necessary ma
chlnery.
100000 Are in Registers.
On the commission registers are
more than 100000 eligibles for vari-
ous classes of employment, and
when need arises. persons who have
qualified for one kind of work will
be offered another. For example.
there is large reservoir of man.
power on the clerk-carrier registers
that were set up some months ago
for the Post Office Department that
can be used for general clerical
work. and other interchanges also
are possible. The commission also
can have recourse to device of
World War days and take eligibles
from State and municipal civil serv-
ice registers if need develops.
The commission representatives
In the field also have been in
structed to cooperate with the
United States employment service,
both in placing jobless workers and
In procuring specially qualified per-
sonnel for particular work who may
already be engaged in other lines.
Ramspeck Bill Speculation.
In the meantime, with vast addi-
tions to the working staff in pros
pect, most of whom will be under
civil service, officials are speculating
on the chances for the Ramspeck
bill to complete passage by adop-
ton by the Senate. 1t was said in
an informed quarter that President
Roosevelt is desirous of seeing the
measure 60 through. Designed to
put thousands of exempt positions
under civil service and extend the
Classification Act pay scales to the
field. the bill has been in the SEN
ate more than four months, after
passage in the House.