Evening star., 1948-07-18

have preference in applying for
Government jobs. And they would
.etain veterans preference for all
veterans when it comes to job re-
tention rights. In other words, all
veterans on the Federal payroll
would retain the right to be kept on
longer than nonveterans whenever
The Government had a reduction
in-force program.
The proposal to curtail veterans
preference is vigorously opposed by
another group of Federal officials
led by Civil Service Commissioner
Arthur S. Flemming.
Mr.. Flemming asserts that the
Government would be breaking
faith" with veterans by denying
them full veterans preference.
Mr.. Flemming says that service
men and service women were spe-
cifically promised during the war
the right to veterans preference in
competing for Government jobs
when they got back to civilian life.
This pledge must be kept, Mr.. Flem-
ming feels.
In opposing a time limit on vet
erans' preference, Mr.. Flemming
and his supporters declare that a
veteran, who does not now need a
Government JOB, may in future
years find himself in need of one
And 1t would be unfair to cut the
veteran of from veterans rights
that other former servicemen have
had, 1t is argued.
For the time being, at least, vet
erans' preference will be continued
in the Government. Congress al
this time would not agree to any
legislation that would take away
veterans privileges. But those ad-
Vocating curtailment Of veterans
preference in Government employ.
ment base their hopes on the fact
that Congress might change its
mind during the next few years as
times change.
X II n Il
INTERNAL REvENUE-This bu-
reau is. set for a gradual expansion
during the next few years.
The Joint Committee studying
the Reorganization Of the Interna
Revenue Bureau already has mad.
several recommendations to improve
the bureaus operations and increas,
its staff.
Other recommendations are forth.
coming in the next few months
tCongress-next q year protahay:~wA
be asked by Internal Revenue fol
more money to add personnel, parti'
cularly tax collecting agents.
n X X X
NLRB-The special session OF
Congress may look into the situa-
ton at the National Labor Relations
Board, where all is not sweetness
and light.
The boards members and its gen.
eral counsel, Robert N. Denham
have not always seen eye to eye on
policy matters, and NLRB employees
report that there is considerable dis
sension.
SMOOTH-The Federal Register
which is the official daily publica-
tion containing all Government d.
receives and regulations, started ap-
pearing the other day on Slick
paper such as national magazines
use instead of the usual butcher
paper"
Alas, the change may not be per-
manent. The Government Printing
ONCE happened to have some of the
slick paper on hand and used 1t
for the Federal Register. However,
Government officials who have to
read the Register every day hope
that the supply of slick paper will
last for quite a while.
i r X Il
LOSS-Treasury Department en-
ployes as we'll as other Government
workers will miss A. l.. M. Virgins
who resigned the other day as Un-
dersecretary Of the Treasury. Incl
dentally, this column predicted Mr.
Virgins resignation last month.
Mr.. Virgins, a wealthy banker
who took the Treasury job more
than a year ago, is returning to
private industry. During his time
in office, he proved himself an ag-