Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-07-26
AgencyContro|
Of Jobs Fought
ByCivi| Service
60 Slow on Taking
Hoover Suggestions,
CONGRESS Asked
EMPLOYMENT SECURITY Blu.
reau Transfer to Labor Pro-
tested. Page Az.
BY Joseph Young

The Civil Service Commission
has recommended to Congress
that it go slow" on the Hoover
Commission proposals for deem
Trailing most of the Governments
personnel activities.
In setting forth for the first
time its official views on the Hoo
yer personnel proposals. the COM
mission declared that direct de-
Capitalization would lead to po-
|litical favoritism and discrimina.
ton.
The commissions position was
set forth in letter to Chairman
Mcclellan of the Senate Execu-
tive Expenditures Committee. Ths
commissions position will be fur
Their elaborated tomorrow at q
hearing called by the Senate Civil
Service Committee.
Favors Other Proposals.
The commission declared it ia.
vored many of the Hoover pro-
posals. but it cautioned against
granting the agencies outright
powers over hiring, promotions,
ratings and other personnel mat
ters
I'VE cannot emphasize toe
strongly that any further decen-
tralization should be accom-.
plished through the present sys-.
tenn Of Boards of Civil Service
Examiners and Committees Of
Expert Examiners located In the
agencies. but approved by and
under the direct supervision OF
the Civil Service Commission,
Harry B. Mitchell, president Of
the commission. declared in his
letter to Senator Mcclellan.
The responsibility for the de-
velopment and maintenance of q
career service is vested in the
commission" Mr.. Mitchell con-
tinued. Therefore, the authority
for actions must be vested in the
commission. Direct responsibility
. and authority for the supervision
of the machinery for recruiting,
examining and rating must re-
/ main vested in the commission
even though the operations are
authorized by the commission In
boards of examiners that have q
delegated authority"
Cites Favoritism.
Mr.. Mitchell declared that the
avoidance of personal political
favoritism and discrimination re-
quires this. Public confidence in
the fairness and impartiality Of
the competitive system also re-
quires this"
The Hoover proposals to allow
the agencies to have free hand
in hiring employees also was ques-
toned by the commission.
| The commission. however. ac-
knowledged that the Hoover group
was right in declaring that the
present "one out three" hiring
system. in which agencies are re-
quired to hire one of three appli-
cants sent them by the commits
sion, is too restrictive.
The commission told Congress
that "fexibility" was needed to
give departments more choice In
selecting personnel for important
Jobs. 1t suggested that the rule
of lone of three" be retained for
routine jobs. but that the rule OF
"one- of five" should apply to more
complex positions in the middle
levels and that agencies should
have the wide degree of discre-
ton" recommended by the Hoover
report In the top-level jobs.
Salary Plan Questioned.
Another Hoover proposal ques-
toned by the commission Is the
one to adjust Federal employees
salaries on the rate of pay for
comparable private industry jobs
in particular areas. 1T appears
to us that this question has not
been thoroughly thought through"
the commission said.
In regards to the Hoover Cons
mission proposal for junking the
Governments present reduction
n-force procedure in order to give
lSee PERSONNEL. Page A.4D