Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-26
Federal Promotions

There was good news for
Government employees when
your enterprising Federal news
reporter. Joseph Young, dis
closed that the Civil Service
Commission is turning its at
tention to a possible revamping
of the Governments promo
ton system, or lack of system.
1t is precisely the lack of any
promotion program in many of
the agencies and installations
which led the American Fed
Grafton of Government En-
ployes to ask Congress for
legislation putting promotions
on a strictly merit basis.
The bill which has been
jointly introduced by Repre-
sentative John Moss of Califor-
mia and Senator Olin Johnston
of South Carolina is based, in
part, on the successful promo
ton board system used for
State employees in California.
The purpose of this leg
islation is to improve the OPP
Grafton of the Government,
from a management stand
point as well as from the en-
ploye's viewpoint. An objective
promotion policy, based on
merit, is service to the tax
payer as we'll as the employee.
The important factor in our
proposal - and we do not
claim it is letter-perfect-is
that the selection of employees
for advancement would be
made openly and comparatively.
The employe passed over
would at least know that he
had been considered on his
merits and that a more quail
fed person happened to be
available.
The Star article Of April %
quotes one personnel officer as
saying that the Government
would be tied up in knot" if
every promotion had to go
through a board. The best
answer to this comment is that
there is now promotion
policy in one bureau of the
Defense Department quite
similar to that provided in the
Moss-Johnston bill and it is
functioning very well.
That same argument was
made against the original Civil
Service Act, which set up a
merit system for selection to
the Government service. Many
a promotion today is held up
for months for a variety of
reasons, some valid and some
not so valid. Not too long ago,
court action was necessary to
make an agency reScind the
appointment of an employee
who lacked the qualifications
for the job, while an obviously
qualified employe in line for
promotion under the agency'S
rules had been passed over.
Let me emphasize that some
agencies have in operation
sound promotion programs.
But so long as there are no
enforceable Government-wide
policies in this field, there is
a need for legislation. We will
welcome from the Civil Service
Commission constructive sug-
gestions for improvement of
the MoSs-Johnston bill. But
considering the lack of at
tention given to this problem
in the past, it will be deeply
disappointing il the commits
sion takes the position of OPP
posing any congressional !
action.
James A. Campbell,
National President, Ameri-
can Federation Of Gov
eminent Employees.
II +
The promotion system in
Government service needs re-
vision. l have not read the
Johnston-Moss bill proposing
the change but submit a few
facts with a suggestion for
consideration.
Promotions. as a rule. are
governed by an inside political
clique among the bosses over
ruling the merit system when
desired. Favoritism plays a
very prominent part when pro-
motions are considered. When
an employe plays up to the
bosses and becomes one Of the
favorites, promotion will be
given that employe even with
out merit. However, many
employees who deserve promo
tons also get them.
l suggest that an inspection
or investigation division be
established by Civil Service
for the purpose of detecting ir-
Irregularities in various Gov
eminent agencies. The agen-
cies are checked by General
Accounting Office for audit
irregularities; why not check
their promotion system? 4
Daniel. b. Felker.