Evening star., 1943-06-15
Two Big Hurdles
Still Confront
Mcclellan Bill
Measure Passed by
Senate Must Go to
House and President
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.


Two big hurdles still confront the
Mcclellan bill. making thousands OF
Government employees subject to
Senate confirmation. which passed
the Senate late yesterday, a to ~.
1t must pass the House, which has
never given 1t committee study.
Then it must go to the President.
who attacked it as a blow at civil
service, in letter to Vice President
Wallace several months ago.
Provisions of Bill.
The bill would require Senate con-
firmation of any person in the Gov
eminent receiving $4,000 or more q
year, except artisans and craftsmen
and employees who were appointed
or promoted in accordance with
competitive civil service rules, and
would require confirmation of a
specified list of policy-making OH
cials, described as follows:
The heads. assistant heads and
head attorneys of departments and
agencies.
The heads of bureaus, divisions,
sections and other subdivisions of
departments and agencies.
The heads and assistant heads OF
regional. area or State offices Of
Government bureaus.
All persons whose duties include
the preparation of rules or orders.
All persons who participate in
policy-making conferences between
bureaus or departments.
27,715 Jobs in Bracket.
The Judiciary Committee report
on the bill lists 27,715 jobs paying
$4,500 or more as of last November,
but it is not known how many indi-
viduals would be made subject to
confirmation. From this figure
would be deducted those exempted
by the competitive civil service
clause. Opponents of the bill con-
tended, however, that the policy
making definitions would reach
down below $4,000 and could affect
a $4,000 law clerk if his duties came
within the descriptions of policy
makers.
Senators Mead, Democrat, of New
York, and Hatch, Democrat, of New
Mexico made a futile effort to de-
feat the bill, but series of roll
calls made it clear Senator McKellar,
Democrat, of Tennessee had a sub
stantial majority, drawn from both
parties, supporting him.
The substitute of Senator OMa-
honey, Democrat, of Wyoming, was
beaten AZ to 32 1t sought to elimi-
nate the broad application to all
jobs paying $4,000 or more. and
confne confirmation to policy
makers, with the Civil Service safe
guard.
Effort to Exclude iva Fails.
An effort to exclude the Ten
nessee Valley Authority failed. So
to Is. A last-minute effort by Sen-
ator Mead to send the bill TO the
Civil Service Committee for further
study was rejected, At to %.
Opponents of the bill called it a
step away from the merit system
and in the direction of patronage
appointments.
Supporters charged in the ma
jority report that IAN alarming
number" of employees are being ap-
pointed in emergency agencies with
out regard to civil service. The
debate indicated the bill as passed
would not exempt from confirmation
those blanketed into civil service by
executive order or by the nom
competitive examination.
Backers of the bill also con-
tended that many employees "by
virtue of authority which has been
either assumed or subsequently dele
gated to them are, in effect, en-
acting legislation by means of rules
and regulations which drastically
affect the entire Nation"
If Congress arranges a summer
recess early next month no House
action is likely before fall. Some
opponents of the bill are hoping
it will be shelved in that chamber,
but this is only the beginning of
the present Congress and the bill
would not die unless delayed until
December, 1914.
Thirty-four Democrats, joined by
8 Republicans, passed the bill.
Voting against the bill were 20 Re-
publicans, Democrats and / Pro-
gressive.