Evening star., 1942-01-05

several patent attorneys. Henry
@. Parker, chairman Of the Patents
Committee of the American Insti-
tute of Chemical Engineers, de-
scribed the various difnculties to be
encountered by both patent lawyers
and Government agencies In main-
tanning contact with the Office in
Richmond. He said, too, inventors
may think the Government is no
longer interested in inventions, and
added:
"A single invention may win this
war;"
Representative Downs said sug-
gestion had been made that the
United Statess Chamber of Com
merce "decentralize" so some Of the
space in its Large and beautiful
building" could be used by the Gov
ernment.
The subcommittee expects to con-
clude the hearings at 10 am. tomor-
row Called as the final witnesses
are representatives of the National
Labor Relations Board and the
Once Of Price Administration.
Lee Opposes Decentralizing.
Senator Lee, Democrat, of Okla
homa also came out today against
decentraliZing Government activ-
tiles, but said if the moving of
| bureaus from Washington is going
through. the Indian Bureau should
be in Oklahoma and prepared a bill
so providing.
Arguing against the decentralizing
program, Senator Lee pointed out it
will make it difficult for members
OF Congress to transact business
with Government agencies. He
pointed out also that citizens having
business to transact with Govern
ment departments now can come to
| Washington and go from one de-
partment to another. Under de-
Capitalization, he said, they may
have to journey to several cities.
Noting how rapidly temporary
buildings have been erected here in
the last few months, Senator Lee
said it seemed to him adequate space
could be provided here almost as
quickly as the older agencies can be
moved to other cities.
The civil service circular said:
1T is the desire of the President
that as many employees as possible
move with the agencies affected by
the decentralization program" the
Commission said. But it is also his
desire that those agencies release
for transfer all employees on whom
the move will work undue hardship
If they can be spared without seri-
ously impairing the operating eff
cheney of the agency.
Other Agencies Must Cooperate.
Agencies that are not affected by
the program will be expected to re-
lease as many employees as possible
OF those who wish to transfer to
agencies removed from Washington
to the States, preference being given
to those employees originally residing
| in such States.
In addition, the Civil Service
Commission will recruit eligibles in
the States to which the agencies
will be moved, and those eligibles
can be drawn upon to replace the
rest Of the employees released in
Washington.
| In statement accompanying the
circular, the commission said that
stenographers, typists and other
classes of personnel are wanted for
service with the Patent Office, I'M
migration and Naturalization Serv-
ice and Rural Electrification Admin
istration, in Richmond, Philadelphia
and st. Louis. Certain professional
and technical employees also are
wanted for the Patent Office.
Nom Civil Service Jobs.
In those instances where employees
holding positions exempted from
civil service requirements seek to re-
main here. the commission said,
their qualifications will be studied to
determine if they might be assigned
to civil service positions for which
registers have become exhausted. In
no case, however, it was added, will
the commission seek to locate other
eXcepted positions for this class.