Evening star., 1941-10-05
Civil Service OK. S
Brookings Discussion
By federal Workers
May Debate Montgomery
Issue Under Section
Of Hatch Act

Federal employees who are dele
gates to the Montgomery County
Civic Federation may participate in
study and discussion of the Brook
ings Institution report without vio-
lating the political restrictions of
the Hatch Act or civil service rules,
the Civil Service Commission an
nounced yesterday.
Noting that the changes in the
county form of government proposed
in the Brookings report may become
an important issue in the next cleo
ton, the commission added, how
ever, that Federal employees par
ticipating in the Brookings study
and discussion, shall not engage in
the campaign "as advancing or op-
posing the candidacy of any in
dividual."
The commissions decision was in
answer to a request from Joseph B.
Matre, president of the Montgomery
County Civic Federation.
Hull Rendered Opinion.
William A Hull executive assist
L
opinion, which said in part:
LAS you have pointed out, the
broad changes in your local govern
ment, as recommended by the
BrookingS Institution, will in all
probability be an important issue
in the next county political cam
paign. Therefore, whether or not
Federal employees, as individuals or
as representatives of specific group,
may take part in the advancement
of this controversial question de-
pendS entirely on whether or not the
activity in question comes within
the specific exception set forth in
Section 18 of the Hatch Act"
1T will be noted that one of the
exceptions set forth in section 18
deals with issues not specifically
identified with any State or ma
tional political party. This would
apparently be broad enough to in
clude a general issue such as a
drastic change in the form of the
local government which would nee
essarily have to be submitted to
the voters for their approval or
disapproval.
Election Rules Cited.
"In connection with these ques-
tions of broad public interest such
as constitutional amendments, ref
erendums. approval Of local ordi-
nanceS and others of a similar
character, which section Is deems
not to be specifically identified with
any State or national political party,
it is a recognized fact that such
general questions are at times at
issue in a general election in which
officers are to be elected from among
candidates who are representing the
major political parties. In such
cases Federal employees subject to
the provisions of the Hatch Act
are required to so govern their ac-
tivities in connection with the gen.
eral issue that they deal only with
the question to be decided and do
not in any way become part of
the campaign of any of the candi-
dates.
Therefore, In answer to your
general question it can be said that
Federal employees affiliated with
Montgomery County Civic Fedora
ton may serve as officers, chair
men of committees, members of
committees and delegates of
Montgomery County Civic Feder-
alton and as a part of such
service may participate in a
study and discussion of the Brook
ings report on the government of
Montgomery County, Md, without
violating the political activity re-
strictions of section 9 (a). of the
Hatch Act as amended and the
civil service rules provided that
such Federal employees either as
individuals or as officers or dele
gates of the federation do not en-
gage in the campaign of political
party either as advancing or op-
posing the candidacy of any of the
Individual candidates for public Of
fee"
Was Leader in Movement.
The county civic federation was
an instigator of the movement to
have the Brookings report under
taken. Since its completion the
federation has appointed a special
committee for its study.
Mr.. Matre said he was pleased by
the stand of the Civil Service Com
mission, and hoped it would be con-
ducive to freer and fuller discussion
of the institutions report.
Many Federal employees had
raised questions in connection with
the proposed study group sessions, y
he said. Il believe the statement
will reassure these workers that par
ticipation in the discussions will be
entirely within proper bounds"
Meanwhile the list of speakers in
the first six of series of meetings,
scheduled to be held weekly be-
ginning October Is at the Rockville
High School to consider the Brook
ings report, were announced yester-
day by Mrs. Aldo L. Raffa of
Bethesda.
Mrs. Raffa Is Chairman.
Mrs. Raffa is education and pub
1icity chairman of a county wide
study group organized last month to
sponsor study of the report issued
last spring by the Brookings In
stitution.
The speakers and their subjects
are:
October 16-Frederic P. Lee,
background of the Report"
October 23-Mrs. Dean Dinwoodey
who will discuss the reports findings
on the county educational system
ana Mrs. Donald Roberts, who will
speak on Public Welfare"
October 3O-Dr. Lewis Merriam Of
the Brookings Institution, Per
sonnel and Civil Service"
November 6-W. Paul Walker, pro.
fessor at Maryland University
County Financial Administration.
November 13-Daniel P. Selko
Revenue"
November 17-Charles L. Dearing
"Roads and Streets"
CounIe Win Stranded