Evening star., 1963-04-16
LETTERS TO THE STAR
csc on Summer Jobs

csc on Summer Jobs
It is inconceivable that
any but the most pathetically
retarded minds in this Ma
toms Capital will be taken
in by the Civil Service Com
missions suspension" of
agencies authority to hire
college students for summer
jobs, as reported in The Star.
Indeed, the give-away clause
appears on the heels Of the
initial "high-minded" an
nouncement of the "suspen-
sion":: the csc will lift the
suspension" upon assurance
by agency heads that mo
political considerations will
be given"
Well, 1t appears that "con-
vincing" the csc is a lead
pipe cinch; the various Fed
eral agencies have been
doing Just that for years, by
suggesting" to the csc
which high-priced admin
istrator" applicants on the
Federal Administrative and
Management Examination
should, at a given moment,
FLOAT" to the top Of the
eligible list. Just in time to
be selected by the applicants
contacts in the agencies. Vir.
tually every single appoint
ment made in Grades Is to
is Is effected by this "selec-
tive certification" method.
So, who could be 50 ingenu-
Gus as to suppose the CSC
will not be placated by the
agencies protestations of
playing the game in good
faith this time?
Postmaster General Days
observation to Mary Nc
Grory several weeks ago
must have been another such
feeble attempt to persuade
the public that there Is such
a thing as a merit system in
the Federal service; Mr.. Day
opined that most postal posi-
tions were beyond the reach
Of the politicians. No doubt
postal employees are still
laughing.
c. L. Edwards.
Thank you for uncovering
the story that all appoint
ments for summer trainees
would be made through the
White House. This alerted us
to the extent to which the
patronage-happy boys named
Kennedy will go to insure
their future. The article in
The Star that the Civil
Service Co m mission has
stepped in to restore honesty
and dignity to this system is
refreshing and heartening to
those Of US of the loyal OPP
position.
Apparently the eager
beavers on the White House
staff fail to remember that
the Democrat victory was
won with a very slim margin
and that less than per cent
Of the voters Of this country
gave him the majority he
obtained.
The President quotes Abra-
ham Lincoln occasionally,
and Lincoln's words that
you cant fool all the
people all the time" are Just
as true today-yes, even in
spite Of the soft sell" Of the
Madison avenue boys who
apparently are managing the
Kennedy press agentry.
Anyway. you deserve a
good deal Of credit for giving
us factual reporting instead
OF the spoon-fed news the
administration managers
would have us see.
. Alice T. DeisrOth.
The Civil Service Commits.
sion's theatrical gesture 70
take summer Jobs out OF the
hands Of patronage. is 9
sham 10 ordinary intelli-
gence.
The csc has become tn,
focal point for q fourth
branch Of Government Il
which both Presidents anC
Congresses must bend. It Il
the basis OF mushroominG
Bureaucracy that has NJ
end in sight.
The maturing Of the civi
service viewpoint has no
brought stability 10 the ad
ministration OF the Fedora
business, as II has brought
stability and security 10 thI
worlds greatest bureaucracy
Our civil service bureauc
racy has attracted tn,
wrong kinds OF people. thos,
whose desire for security 4
so overpowering that the,
find a home in Bureaucracy
and those who use q Fedora
Job as a springboard 10 NOR
lucrative employment in pri
vate industry.
Jim Argodale.