Evening star., 1946-10-23
Administration Is Seen
Opposing Raises for
Average u. 5. Worker

Average u. ). Worker
By Joseph Young
Star Stoff Correspondent
NEW YORK, Oct. %. - TOP
Federal officials attending the
Civil Service Assembly here to-
day revealed the Democratic
administration will oppose any
further wage increases for rank
and-tile Government employees
At the same time, the Admins.
tration Is expected to ask the new
Congress to lift the present $40, ,00O-
a-year Federal pay ceilings so top
flight Government officials can gel
wage increases denied them because
of the ceiling. Government workers
have had two pay raises in the past
two years, but high Federal officials
got little or nothing out of them
because of the ceiling.
The officials here declared that
leaders feel the sal
aries of most Federal workers
are as high as Or higher
than those in private industry. Fur
thermore, with the Republicans
Government economy one
of their chief campaign issues this
year and certain to re-emphasize ii
in 1948, the administration feels i,
would be sticking its neck out by
granting Government workers an
other raise to meet the increase in
the cost of living, it was said.
Some Leave U. s. Service.
President Truman and his ad-
visers are said to believe that higher
pay for top-caliber men in the Fed
eral service are essential to the
operation OF efficient government
Many of the Governments ablest
men have left the Federal service
during the past few years to accept
better paying jobs in private in
dustry.
Meanwhile, it was learned, the
United Nations has taken initial
steps toward setting up an interna-
tional civil service commission
Headed by U. N. Personnel Di-
rector Mary Smieton, U. N. person
mel officials are now engaged in set
ting up salary grades and classified
ton scales for the various jobs to be
filled both in U. N. and other world
wide agencies.
Difficulties F0reseen.
1t will probably be some time be-
fore an international civil service
body, on the same order as the
United States Civil Service Commis-
sion, will be set up officially, but U. N
personnel officials feel that some sort
of merit system should be put into
effect as soon as possible. Once this
is done, they feel the way will be
paved eventually for an internationa.
civil service commission.
Some U. N. people, including
United States personnel experts, fee
it might be well not to move toe
hastily in setting up an international
civil service group in the u. N. They
feel that, as matters stand right now
the various countries would scramble
to put their own representatives on
the commission. thereby making II
q political body rather than a merit
organization.
These officials feel that once the
for a merit system is
worked out, 1t will be easier to make
ont a case for a truly nonspoils sys-
tenn as far as m international civil
service body Is concerned. Top
United States officials feel the best
method of appointing members to
this commission would be to let
Trygve Lie, secretary general of the
U. n, make the selections. They feel
that the commission should be COM
posed OF five or six members. IA
Thousands OF Jobs to be Filled.
There are thousands {pf jobs that
will be filled In the next year or so
both in the U. N. itself and affiliated
such as the Interna-
tional Bank, the international Food
and Agricultural Organization, the
World Bank Fund, the international
Governmental Committee, the World
Health Organization and the
United Nations Education. Social
and cultural Organization.
A worldwide civil service system
must be established If the United
Nations and the other world Or
are to carry out properly
the vast tasks assigned to them, iu
the opinion of many personnel
oflicials here for the U. N. General
1t is with this thought
In mind that Miss Smieton, her
stan and UNRRA officials are
to get the program under
way.
UNRRA officials have been called
in to help in the belief their
during the past few
years in personnel matters would
greatly aid the U. N. In determining
personnel policy.
500 Delegates at Assembly.
"The U. N. can learn an awful lot
by our mistakes and avoid the pit
falls that befell us through the
trial-and-error system" high
UNRRA personnel offlcial remarked
today
Miss Smieton Is scheduled to ad-
dress the Civic Service Assembly to-
morrow. The assembly Is being at
tended by more than 800 delegates,
the chiefs of all Govern
nent agencies and departments as
we'll as leading State, city and
county officials throughout the
United States.
The assembly yesterday heard
various speakers emphasize the
need for larger health and safety
programs for Federal and other
public employees. Another topic dis
:ussed was methods OF improving
training for veterans
both in private industry and in the
public service.
Among the Federal officials who
will address the assembly during
the final two days Of the conference