Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-23
Hatch and Mead Emphasize
Merit System in Forum
New York Senator
Points to Progress
And Cites Flows

And Cites Flaws
Senator James M. Mead, Demo-
crat, of New York discussed recent
plans for extending civil service last
night in the National Radio Forum.
He shared time on the program
sponsored by The Star with Senator
Hatch. The text Of Senator Mead's
address follows:
Whenever the subject Of Govern
ment personnel, of Government
costs and of Government efficiency
is brought up, we can be sure that
the question of the advantages of
the merit system Is going to be in
the discussion.
Patronage systems are as old as
governments themselves. The civil
service is comparatively new. Politi-
cal parties in every land rose to
power and have thrived on the use
and abuse of public positions.
Fifty-seven years ago the United
States Government entered perm
anently upon system under which
merit and ability were to supplant
partisan favoritism in the selection
of Federal employees. Today, this
exemplary system Las found its way
into State and local governments.
1t has spread its influence into a
constantly widening sphere. 1t has
demonstrated that the elements of
security, stability and seniority lend
encouragement to efficiency and
economy in public Office.
Public Opinion a Factor.
We might compare the develop
ment of the Federal civil service
with the development of the United
States. Its growth, prestige, eff
cheney and permanency parallels
the growth and efficacy of the Union.
Like this Republic, its beginning
was modest; its progress constant
and noteworthy. The excuses of
the "spoils system" had become in
creasingly unpopular. With Gov
ernment constantly growing and
finding new obligations to meet, the
demand for increased efficiency in
Government personnel made itself
felt in all political circles. Partisan
ship made the creation of the civil
service a tcrtuous process but the
force of public opinion triumphed
eventually, as is always the case
under representative Government.
In sketching the development of
the civil service, we can go as far
back as the administration of Presi-
dent George Washington.
In the organization of the Repub-
lie, President Washington, in addi-
ton to his duties as Chief Executive
was the personnel manager. He
devoted much of his time to the
selection of the personnel required
in the executive agencies of the
Government. In making selections,
by reason of his exacting require
mentS, he was forced to turn away
soldiers of the Revolution in great
numbers, who had urged their suf-
ferings upon him as just grounds for
reward. He abolished all hope of
nepotism in the Federal service.
His honesty and courage in handling
appointments gave the young re-
public an efficient personnel for the
first quarter of a century of its
existence.
Partisanship Runs Riot.
The spoils system came into being
after the election of Andrew Jack d.
son, and, as one authority on the
subject puts it, "It was bound to
come regardless of who was elected
President" In the prediction cam
paign bitterness and partisanship
ran high. Investigations, particu-
larly in New York, had focused pub
lie attention upon the intense parti-
san activities of public officials and
employees of the Federal Govern
ment. So bitter was the feeling
of the rival parties that new align
ments among party leaders took
place; changes in Federal personnel
naturally followed.
With no permanency of office ten
ure, except the inadequate -four
years law" passed in 1920, the merit
system was hardly a name at that
time. 1t was at this period that
Marcy coined his famous phrase,
ITO the victor belong the spoils."
Abraham Lincoln, although his
administration was engrossed with
the prosecution of the Civil War,
encouraged a permanent civil serv-
ice. BY the power of his unerring
logic and superb vision, with wise
selections, he pointed the way for
the coming of civil service reform.
Real civil service reform, how
ever, waited until 1872 before it be-
came a burning issue. At that time.
liberals in Government denounced
the existing personnel system and
held that it had become an instru-
ment of partisanship, tyranny and
personal ambition. From that time
on, debates on civil service reform
echoed within the walls of every
political meeting and convention.
Debates engaged members of both
political parties on the floors of Con-
gress
Two men in particular deserve
the credit for carrying on the fight
for civil service reform at a time
when dissension and ineficiency
were at their height. These two
men fought against tremendous odds
for a cause they knew to be right
the principle that Government
positions should be awarded on the