Evening star., 1954-10-12

hs-.55 t.5 $50
hers Of the Congress. This lead
lership must be accepted and ex-
ercised by the President, If the
business OF, the National Gov
eminent is to be efiicienctly per-
formed.
PERSONNEL POLICIESN No
President has ever had an ade-
quate stan for positive and pro-
sgreSsive personnel administra-
ton. nor one with full jurisdic-
ton over all executive personnel
matters. It is high time that the
President be fully equipped to
discharge his responsibilities in
personnel management. This re-
.quireS an executive personnel
agency to I'd develop and
formulate general personnel.
policies and l2) to stimulate,
assist and review personnel
management with departments
end agencies. Such an agency
should have broad jurisdiction
In personnel administration.
These objectives could be
achieved by broadening the
functions of the Civil Service
Commission or creating within
the Executive Office of the Presi-
dent a personnel agency re-
sponsible for a wider range of
activities than those yet in
trusted to the Presidents per-
sonnel advisor.
The size of the Federal Gov
ernment makes essential the de-
Capitalization of personnel OPP
erations. Each agency head must
be held fully responsible for the
management of his agency. Per-
sonnel administration is an
integral part of management. In
the administration of personnel
activities. department hea d S
should be limited only by neces-
sary Government-wide policies.
r X y
CONGRESSIONAL INTER-
FERENCE-The responsibility of
Congress for personnel admin
istration is to promulgate broad
statements of policy and to over
see performance. Congress. should
provide a framework of general
principles. guides and standards
for Federal personnel adminis-
tration. It should satisfy itself
that these principles are OBJ
served in practice. In this man.
ner it can discharge it's obliga-
tions completely, adequately and
appropriately.
Congressional legislation in
tervention in the details of per-
sonnel management deprives the
President and the heads of de.
partments and agencies of needed
discretion in the use of a vital
tool of management. Such in
tervention impedes administra-
tive effectiveness and efficiency
by freezing procedure in a rigid
pattern.
Much personnel legislation now
embodied in Federal statutes
should therefore be re-examined.
Future personnel legislation
should be framed in the light of
this principle. The Presidents
management leadership would
be greatly strengthened If he
were given the power to veto
individual items in appropriation
legislation.
KEY JOBS-The President. as
Chief Executive and as leader of
his party, must be free to appoint
a sufficient number of key off,
cials OF his own choosing to give
him firm policy control.
In addition, the head of each
department and agency must be
free to choose individuals who
Will assist him in formulating
policies and who will work in a
confidential relationship with
him. This requires that he have
the opportunity to recommend
to the President for appoint
ment those individuals who will
serve under his direction in
positions now subject to Presi-
dental appointment. 1t requires
also that he shall be free within
reasonable and defined limits to
have an adequate number of
individuals of his own choosing