Evening star., 1942-02-27
Priorities SET
In War Shifts.
Of Personnel
Right Of Veto
Denied Agencies
And Workers

AnQ WOIkSTS
The way was cleared today for the
Government to facilitate the trans
fer OF personnel from non-defense
to defense activities, as the Budget
Bureau announced the priority
classification Of departments and
agencies according to their rela-
ton to the war program, and the
Civil Service Commission promul-
gated the regulations under which
transfers will be effected.
The improved procedure was
made possible by the order issued
Saturday by President Roosevelt
and takes away from the agencies
the veto power they previously have
exercised over transfers, ending a
"bottleneck" that in many in
stances has prevented qualified en-
ployes from being assigned to vital
defense functions. In connection
with the regulations. the commits
sion said 1t would initiate transfers,
but that agencies from which en-
ployes were to be shifted would have
their objections heard. - The execu-
tive order had not made clear If
the commission could order trans
fers of its own accord, or must act
only on requests.
In announcing the priority list
fngs, Budget Director Harold D.
Smith said the bureau is going
ahead with the study of appropria-
tions for the several establishments,
In accordance with the Presidents
order to set up reserve "of those
amounts found not essential to the
conduct of the Government and its
war efforts" officials have agreed
that it is only by retrenching in the
non-essentials, and consequently,
creating a surplus Of employees, that
personnel, in any appreciable
amount, will be made available for
transfer to war work. The Presi-
dent has ordered shifts where pos
sible to ease the congestion here.
S Priority Classifications.
There are five classifications in
the priority list which supplants the
defense-agency list set up some
months ago by the Civil Service
Commission. Almost every group
in the Government eventually found
q place in the latter.
Glass | takes in.
Lend-lease activities of the Sur
plus Marketing Administration,
Agriculture Department; Navy De-
partment; lend-lease activities, Pro-
curement Division, Treasury; de-
partmental and military activities,
Panama Canal, Alaska; communi-
cations system, War Department;
Selective Service System: Maritime
Commission; War Shipping Admin
istration.
Glass 2 covers:
Commerce Department - Bureau
of Standards, research and pro-
duction: Coast and Geodetic Survey;
Weather Bureau; Civil Aeronautics,
development of landing areas and
civilian pilot training.
Interior-Bonr,eville Power Ad-
ministration; Bureau Of Reclama-
ton, power projects; Bureau OF
Mines, helium production.
Justice-Federal Bureau OF 1nves-
tigation.
State-Secretary' Office; Board OF
Economic Operations; Divisions OF
Foreign Service Administration,
Foreign Personnel, Communications
and Records and Foreign Service.
Secret Service Included.
Treasury-Secret Service.
War-Civil functions; power pro-
jects, Corps of Engineers.
Board of Economic Warfare; Co.
ordinator of Information; Defense
Communications Board; Federal
Communications Commission. de-
fense activities; National Youth
Administration and Office OF Edu-
cation, defense training; Public
Health Service, production of vac
cines and training for nurses; Ma
tional Advisory Committee for Aero
nautics; Office of Censorship; De-
fense Transportation; Lease-Lend
Administration; Office of Scientific
Research and Development; ONCE
of Price Administration; Tennessee
Valley Authority.
Glass 8:
Certain units of Agriculture,
Commerce, Interior; Justice, office
of the Attorney General, Immigra-
ton and Naturalization Service and
special war effort unit; Labor, office
of Secretary, Division of Labor
Standards; commissioners of concili-
alton; State and Treasury.
Budget Bureau, Alley Dwelling
Authority, Civil Service Commits
sion, except retirement; co-ordina-
tor of inter-American affairs: Fed
eral Power Commission; additional
units of Federal Security Agency;
Federal Works Agency, in part; In
terstate Commerce Commission,
preventing shortages; National
Housing Agency, in part; o. E. M,
III pdlty " al idbOi oOoAos
Listed in Glass Four.
Class 4:
Additions to Agriculture, Com
merce, Interior, Justice, Labor
State, Treasury; remainder Of civil
functions of Corps of Engineers
War Department.; Office of Govern
ment Reports; National Resources
Planning Board; Bituminous Coal
Consumers Council; additions tc
Federal Security Agency; Federal
Trade Commission; National Labor
Relations Board; National Media
ton Board; Tariff Commission.
Glass 5:
Remainder Of Agriculture, Com
merce, Interior, Justice and Labor;
the Post Of1lce Department in en-
tirety; State and Treasury residue
ONCE of the President, mainten'
ance; Battle Monuments Commis.
sion; Board of Investigation ant
Research: Board of Tax Appeals;
civil service retirement; Employees