Evening star., 1947-11-11
Home Rule Plan
Proposes D.
Career Service
Federal Puttern Urged
For Merit System
By AuchincIoss Unit
By Don S. Warren

Present methods of selecting city
employees here were criticized by
the Auchincloss House District Sub
committee today. as 1t argued for q
career service that would be open to
non-residents.
The group is proposing formal
merit, retirement and classification
systems that would closely follow
the Federal patterns. There would
be notable exemptions to keep the
District system somewhat flexible"
One main objective, however. would
be to make personnel transfers
possible between Federal and Dis
trict jobs.
In its preliminary report on Dis
trict Reorganization and home rule,
proposing an elected councilman
ager form of government, the group
declared there should be no District
residence requirement for the city's
career service.
Preferred Plan Provided.
Also, it said, Federal registers
should be available for certification
of lists for appointment, to District
jobs. Persons living in the Metro
politan Area of the National Capital
would be given preference" but the
preliminary report of the subcom-
mittee did not specify that this be
made mandatory.
Urging a merit system Of selection
subject to Civil Service Commission
approval, the subcommittee proposed
exemptions only for professional en-
ployes of the Board of Public Educa-
tion Gncluding schools and libraries)
in addition to the usual exemption
of policy making and unskilled Job
applicants.
In support Of this theme, sup
Elemental statement today from the
subcommittee said:
"The present systems (of selec-
tom are varied and complicated.
There seems to be no rational basis
as to why some District agencies
come under the Federal Civil Service
and some do not. Neither does there
seem to be any rational basis for
some agencies selecting their en-
ployes by formal merit system and
some selecting employees at the
discretion Of the head Of the
agency. *"*
Wide Selection Urged.
"The public service of a COM
munity Is only as good as the indi-
viduals who are responsible for 1t.
The District should secure its public
employees on as wide basis of selec-
tion as is practical"
It added that the possibility Of
transfer from Federal to District
positions will also increase the
range of selectivity" by the District
Government.
Further, to make pay and retire.
ment comparable to the Federal
system. it added, would give the
District service status Of equality
with the Federal service.
This, it concluded, should result
in an efficient, well-manned career
service in the District second to
none in municipal services in the
United States-which Is as it should
be-"
School Exemption Explained.
The subcommittee said it was sug-
gesting exemption from the uniform
merit selection system for profess
sional employees of the school and
library systems because this was the
traditional practice"
It recommended application of the
Federal retirement system to all
District positions except uniformed
police and f1remen, who have their
own laws. The only change sug-
gested was to raise their pay deduc-
tions for retirement from 35 to 5
per cent. Their systems otherwise
would be left intact, because the
Federal system, the subcommittee
found, makes no adequate provisions
for the hazardous nature of their
work.
Under the tentative plan, Federal
classification Of jobs would be applied
to all District positions except police,
flremen, school and library employees
where special acts appIy.