Evening star., 1943-10-13
Civil Service
Continued From First Page)

AoeAoAio eoOoy WOulu Udl d lllel pCl
centage of soldiers from Govern
ment service
Taking vigorous exception to that
declaration, the Civil Service Com
mission promptly issued a reply de-
claring that the statement is in
direct conflict with the facts" and
adding If it is not corrected it will
develop feeling of bitterness and
create unjustifed apprehensions in
the minds of the members of the
armed forces and their relatives"
The report was generally critical
in its findings.
1t charged that Government
workers are blowing up" their own
descriptions OF their jobs and
getting salary hikes ranging from
$500 to $1,000 year for doing the
same work.
Called Personal Machines"
Some administrators, it was said,
build up personal machines of
friends on the payroll who move
with them from job to job their
salaries usually being boosted on
tho doubtful excuse that their duties
have been increased
The swift and unWarranted" pay
increases uncovered, it was added
had tendency to demoralize loyal,
hard working employees. some of
whose wages had been frozen 20
years"
AS an example of rapid advance
ment in the personnel field, the
committee cited the case Of Miss
b who was part-time clerk in a
5-and-l0 store five years ago. She
was graduated from college two
years ago and went to work for the
OPA as Junior classification
analyst at Sl.32O Now she is an
associate personnel officer" making
$4,000 year.
skilled N Jarson"
All similar case histories show
the common denominator OF a
college degree and few years. If any.
IN practical business experience, -
the investigators said. declaring
that such experience is too narrow
for the delicate and responsible
career OF personnel relations"
In charging that employees skilled
in personnel jargon" have made
moderate jobs sound impressive
enough for substantial salary in
creases. the commission said that
this practice is becoming increas-
lngly widespread. and has added
millions Of dollars to the Federal
payroll without justification"
1T must be pointed out here that
the Civil Service Commission. con-
trary to the widespread notion
lacks the authority 10 block paw
raises the committee ampli1ed
Its sole function in this respect is
to determine that a job description
and title fits into a specified group
OF grade, which carries with it a
certain salary. and no more"
Emphasizing that favoritism In
granting pay raises breaks down
morale and hurts the civil service
system, the committee said that the
personnel officers should have fol-
lowed the system of promoting from
within instead of going outside fol
help.
Suggest Legislation.
lhe committee believes that the
correction of certain deficiencies
IN the Classifica ton Act would re
suit In more effective and economic
utilization Of personnel" One sug-
gestion was that reference to mum
Der OF employees SUPERVISED should
be modified or eliminated as a JUS
tlflcatlon for upgrading of super
vlsors. 1t being explained that the
committee has evidence that super
visors are reluctant to reduce stats
Tor fear OF hurting their own stand
ing. Provision also was urged for
ln-grade promotions based on guam
tltV and quality of work.
In summation, the committee
said that "the bald fact is the unco-
ordlnated departments of the execu-
tive branch of the Federal Govern
ment lack an overall. centralized au-
thority with powers of management
control. The time has come when
Congress should give serious con-
slderation to this fundamental i'll
Until this situation is corrected the
taxpayers can expect a continuation
of needless effort and duplicated
! hiring"
1he committee once more took
credit for checking the pace of in
creasing Federal employment it
found at the outset of it's inquiry
AT that time, it said. Government
agencies were following the vir-
tually senseless. helter-skelter policy
OF packing typists, statisticians and
economists into Government build =
lngs scarcely large enough to hold
them. The committees investiga-
lion has been a wholesome psvcho-
logical deterrent to further needless
hiring"
Economies have been brought
about in the War Department, as
the result of the inquiry, the report
said. announcing that hearings
shortly will be undertaken to de-
N>'-AAAAA> IA III ClVlllS n
personnel can be effected in the
Navy Department.
Civil Service Statement.
In its reply to the committees re-
port, the Civil Service Commission
said that from January l, l943
through August 81, 1943, it issued
1880 examination announcements
and recruiting circulars. Out OF
this total only 43, or 1.S per cent
required college graduation, the
commission said.
In other words, persons can uus;
lfy for 98.2 per cent of the various
types of positions now being filled
by the commission" the commits
sion statement said, "solely on the
basis Of experience and proven ac-
complishment.
When called upon to evaluate the
knowledge. experience and accom-
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