Evening star., 1941-09-04
Election Of RoyIe
AS n. F.F. E. Officer
Seen al Convention
! Only Change Expected
| In FitzgeruId's Post;
I Rumspeek to Speak
Bv J. A. FOX,
Star Staff Correspondent.

"A single change in the official family
was in sight today as the convention
of the National Federation of Fed
eral Employees prepared to elect
officers and choose a meeting place
for 1943.
: John Fitzgerald of Brooklyn, win
ner of the Congressional Medal of
Honor while serving with the
marines in Cuba in 1898, is stepping
put as first vice president, and dele
gates predicted the place would go
to John j. Royle of the Watertown
Arsenal, thereby giving the skilled
trades representation on the council
Mr. Fitzgerald is relinquishing Office
because of his retirement from the
customs service.
I 1t was a forgone conclusion that
Luther c. Steward president of the
federation virtually since its incep-
tion "a years ago, would be re-
elected, along with Miss Gertrude
McNally. secretary-treasurer for the
iast Is years. The other eight vice
presidents also were slated for re-
election, the strong sentiment for
Fthe present administration pointing
to defeat for the proposal of the
Montana State federation to re-
organize the official staff, which was
due to come up for action in the
report of the Constitution Com
mittee.
Ramspeck Slated to Speak.
Cincinnati was a likely prospect
for the next gathering.
Working on legislative program
for the next two years, the conven-
tion today was to hear an outline
of what might be expected from
Congress, Representative Ramspeck,
Democrat. of Georgia, chairman of
the House Civil Service Committee,
being scheduled for an address.
AS a part of the legislative program
the federation yesterday reaffirmed
support of the pending Ramspeck re-
tirement bill, which would liberalize
the Federal annuity law and at the
same time require employees to raise
their contribution from 31a to per
cent of salary. Concurrently, the
federation voted against any plan
to merge the Federal retirement
system with social security and in
dorsed the principle of a dismissal
wage for employees with not less
than five years service if they are
involuntarily separated from the
service for reasons other than mis-
conduct.
Thirty-day notice of contemplated
dismissals was approved in another
resolution.
Back Inspectors Plea.
Acting on a complaint from naval
construction inspectors in New York,
who pointed out that they get less
from the Government than do the
employees of contractors whose work
they must check, the federation
voted to seek reclassif1cation of the
scale for inspectors to raise their
pay from $4,000 and $4,000 to $4,000
and $4,000.
Existing conditions, the COM
plainants said in a resolution, cause
"a certain lowering of respect for
the position of inspector in the eyes
of contractors workmen"
The federation yesterday after
noon heard warm praise from Will
liam H. McReynolds, administrative
assistant to President Roosevelt,
who brought greetings from the
Chief Executive.
A veteran of SO years in the
Government and now the White
House naison man on personnel
matters, Mr.. McReynolds recalled
the early days of the federation,
when there was lot of prejudice
against the organization, and at
tempts to outlaw it that were almost
successful" Development. however,
has been sound, he continued, and
now with a lot of things to do in
the personnel field" in connection
with the Ramspeck Act extending
civil service and Classification Act
coverage "I feel that the organiza-
ton, with its experience and back
ground, is sort of general COM
mittee attached to my Office to
carry out the program"
Touches on Transfers.
Discussion during the last three
days have disclosed a great deal
of dissatisfaction among Govern
ment workers as a whole because of
the virtual ban put on transfers by
reason of the emergency, the con-
tention being advanced that this
often was preventing well-deserved
promotions. This step has been nee
essary, Mr.. McReynolds said, but he
emphasized that the restrictions
should be removed as soon as feas-
ible. declaring his belief that all
vacancies should be filled by trans
fer where it meant advancement
for qualified worker.
Raymond r. Zimmerman, one oi
the directors of the Council of Per-
sonnel Administration, was warmly
applauded when he took a slap al
Government red tape, declaring "a
sometimes think that we give too
much attention to procedure and
not enough to getting the job done.
H. Eliot Kaplan of New York
executive secretary of the Civi
Service Reform League, warned
that the principle of the merit sys-
tenn should not be permitted to suf'
fer because of the short cuts thai