Evening star., 1952-09-09
|RaInspeckUrges
Congress 10 Act
On u. ). Raise
Civil Service Chief
Also Urges Changes
In Appeal Hearings
BY Joseph Young
Sior StoH Correspondent


Robert Ramspeck of the Civil
Service Commission declared today
that Congress should give serious
consideration" to giving Federal
employees a new pay raise next
year.
Here to address the biennial
convention of the National Fed
Grafton of Federal Employees, Mr..
Ramspeck stressed that he was
speaking as an individual and not
giving the Administrations official
position.
However, it was recalled that
Mr.. Ramspeck broke the log jam
on the Federal pay raise legisla-
tion last year, after the Admin
istration had stalled on the ques-
ton for months. It was Mr..
Ramspeck's insistence that action
be taken that finally caused the
Administration to make the proper
recommendations to Congress.
Mr.. Ramspeck said today that
Federal employees salaries should
keep pace with rising living costs
and should be comparable with
those in private industry.
Would Weigh Statistics.
While cautioning that he Is not
advocating new Federal pay raise
until he has all the statistics on
the situation, Mr.. ,Ramspeck said
he is of the impression that living
costs have gone up during the past
year.
II definitely feel that Congress
should seriously consider the pay
raise situation next year and take
any steps that it deems necessary"
Mr.. RamSpeck declared.
The commission chief also dis
closed that he is opposed to the
bill to give non-veterans in
Government the same appeals
rights to the Civil Service Com
mission on dismissals and griev-
ances that veterans now have.
Congress definitely intended
veterans to have superior rights
in this regard" Mr.. Ramspeck
declared.
However, Mr.. Ramspeck said
he favors strengthening appeals
rights and procedures at the
agency level so nori-veterans, as
well as veterans. can have a better
chance to plead their cases.
Urges Full Hearings.
Too many agencies now have
hit-and-miss procedures and in
adequate hearing rights for en-
ployes involved in grievances and
dismissals, Mr.. Ramspeck de-
clared. He said full hearings
should be accorded each employe.
with the right of counsel and
cross-examination and the right
to appeal to the agency head.
Veterans, of course, still would
have the right to appeal to the
commission, MIR. Ramspeck de.
clared.
At the conventions opening
session yesterday, the nearly 400
delegates from the District, the
48 States and territorial pos
sessions, heard a message from
President Truman, declaring that
there is no better group of people
in the world than the men and
women who make up our Federal
civil service"
Declaring that he has often
made this observation, MIR. Tru-
man declared:
II say that again with all the
integrity and emphasis at my
command. have been deeply
disturbed in recent months by
the unfair attack upon Federal
workers which we have been
witnessing.
Tribute to NFFE.
"Meat-ax personnel cuts and
slanderous TRADES against Federal
employees for partisan political
reasons are dangerous to the well
fare and security of our Nation.
The Federal service must be pro-
tected against this type of attack"
Mr.. Truman paid tribute to the
NFFE's IS years Of service on be-
half Of Government employees.
lauding the union for "35 years Of
hard and productive work for the
welfare. not only of your member
ship, but of all Federal employees"
Civil Service Commissioner
James Mitchell told the conven-
ton yesterday the only way to
insure that all Government en-
ployes vote independently and not
for the party in power is to
strengthen and extend the merit
system.
Mr.. Mitchell. the Republican
member Of the commission. de-
clared:
"The fact remains that big
Government will be with us as
long as the American people.
through Congress, require the
present functions and services Of
their Government" he declared.
There Is only one sure means
Of making certain, for all time.
that the Federal employe vote Is
an Independent. vote, and that is
the strengthening and further ex-
Of the merit system in
Federal employment"
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