Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-01

administration, the American
people can be proud of the eff
cheney and the effectiveness Of
their civil service. In the pre-
Iceding 20 years. inbred bureauc-
racy had developed inefficiency
and corruption in many quar-
tiers: for example, the Bureau
Of Internal Revenue. In that
instance, some two hundred Bu-
reau of Internal Revenue en-
ployes were involved in mis-
conduct charges in the postwar
Democrat administration. They
ranged from Hatch Act VIOLA
lions to grand scale theft.
Despite the highest employ
ment levels that this country
has ever seen. despite this great
period OF industrial prosperity
and increase in ake-home pay,
the Federal service is more at
Itractive today as a career than
lit has ever been in any other
period of prosperity. You are
well aware of the intense pres
sures on our college graduates
to accept posts in industry. The
Federal civil service, despite this
competition, has received since
october 1854, over $4,000 appli-
cations from these young men
and women.
During the years covered by
the previous administration, 1T
was most difficult for the Federal
service to attract college gradu-
ates not only because OF low
morale and inefdciency, but also
because it was impossible Tor
lany new applicant coming into
the civil service to acquire a
permanent civil service appoint
ment-a passport to a career IN
the service of his country. II
took until November, 1854, TO
lstraighten out this part OF the
mess and to establish sound
civil service appointment system.
/ When this administration came
Into Office IN January OF 1858, the
turnover of Federal employees was
las high as 26 per cent on an
annual basis. For the last two
wears. turnover, annually. has
been at IA per cent, and the quit
rate has run consistently lower
during this period than the rate
for manufacturing industry.
I Statements have also been
made on the subject of patronage
and that the cream OF career
civil service jobs have been taken
l1for political purposes. The Amer
'Iican people in 1852 expected your
administration to put into effect
.Iyour announced policies.
In our form of Government 1t
lis of the most vital Importance
that all of those positions which
are truly of a policy-determining
nature should be clearly identi-
fled and the policy determining
'|officials should be subject to
change with any change in. po-
llitical administration. However.
during the last years of the pre-
Ivious administration, no stone
WAS left unturned to bring as
many policy determining posi-
lions as possible under the pro-
lection of the civil service UNI
Ibrella.
/ No one has been more jealous
than you in seeking to protect
land preserve, and to develop the
Integrity. the career opportuni-
tiles, and the quality of our Fed
eral Civil Service. You have al
ways insisted that career posts
be clearly identified and distin-
guished from those policy deter
mining positions which should be
Isubject to change. The American
people. l am sure, understand
this distinction, and will likewise
insist that no matter what adj
ministration comes into power,
the civil service must not be
Itampered with for political pur-
poses. either at the beginning or
lat the ending of a presidential
term of Office.
The record shows that over
the last three years, of the 1,100
positions placed in Schedule c,
which consists of policy deter
mining positions and associated
jobs. only 248 of those came
from the competitive civil serv-
ice. At the same time. the rec
ord shows that during this Pc
riod over 10000 positions for
merly outside of the competitive
civil service have now been
brought into the civil service on
the basis of fair and just compe-
tition
Over the last three years it has
become well recognized that more
progress has been made in the
development and modernization
Of the career civil service system
than in any comparable period
since Theodore Roosevelt was
President, so years ago. The es-
Enlistment Of the new civil
service appointment system pro-
vided job security for 100000
in definite employees and put the
Federal appointment system back
on a stable basis.
Fresh Approach
This new program represented
a fresh approach to. and an app
probation Of. the rights. privi-
leges and obligations of career
civil servants. II also provided
the needed flexibility to adjust
TO changing conditions since 1t
has built-in machinery to han
die expansions and contractions
Of the Federal service caused by
periods Of emergency. In the
same executive order that estab-
lished the new appointment sys-
TEN. you specifically prohibited
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