Evening Star Newspaper, July 6, 1933, Page 7

Fitness, Not Politics, Declared Library Appointment Basis ¢Paironage Raid” Threat Prompts Presentation of Data. BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT. MPLOYES of the Library of Congress have heen appointed without regard to their political affiliations. Only a minority have had political backing, and the fact that they were so sponscred had little to do with their engagement. | “They have come from every section of | the country. Chosen in line with the law wheréby they must be selected solely with respect to efficiency, they | represent the best available personnel | material to be had, and there already | are on file 33.000 applications for their i ns if they leave tha service of | the institution. These facts constitute a commentary cn the threatened “patronage raid” upon the library ebout which there has been e¢onsiderable discussion in Wash- ington during the past several weeks. In an effort to discover the truth in the circumstances I asked Dz Herbert Putnam, librarian of Congress since 1899, to grant me a personal interview. In reply to my request he said he must decline to be drawn into any genefel comment upon the pre ed introduc- tion of the “patronage” nciple at the Library, but readily agreed to answe any question I might wish to ask on matters of fact. My first question was, “Upon what information did the Deémocratic Patron- age Committee base the statement that | of 800 positions in the Library 700 are now held by Republicans?” Nothing on Politiczl Affiliation. Dr. Putnam's response W. What the committee sk ed was a list of all our | present employes appointed since March 4, 1913; their legal residence when ap- | pointed, and the position and salary of each when appointed and now. We | .added in the case of each individual | two other items of information, namely: | Mis education, training and experience, | and a list of all letters on file regarding | him, even if mere notes of introduction attesting his identity and residence. All of these data were available in a com- pilation we already had prepared for | Senator Barkley of Kentucky, chairman | of the Joint Committee on the Library. “As to the ‘political affiliation’ of the employes, we could farnish nothing specific, for we had nothing. No ap- plicant for our service ever has been asked his political affiliation. No records of ours show it. The form submitted by the applicant even discourages men- | tion of it, since it is headed by a quota- tion of the law. which requires that all | appointments shall be made with ref- erence solely to fitness for the particu- lar job in question.” { Dr. Putnam said that until recently he did not know the political connec- tions of any member of the Library | staff. A colleague -volunteered the | statement that he has been a lifelong Democrat. The librarian has no per- sonal knowledge of the political views of any other person connected with the Library work. Few Political Recommendations. I asked: “Do the letters of recom- mendation mention the politics of the applicant?” “Only rarely. Nor is the fact con- clusive that many of them are from | Senators or Representatives identifiable | as Demccrat or Republican,” was Dr. Putnam's reply. “Under the impres- sion that such recommendations are a necessary formality, even trained ap- | plicants_are in the habit of seeking | them. In the case of the very sub-) ordinate pesitions not requiing techni- | cal training, but where character espe- | cially counts, we even welcome them, as | they may furnish the readiest respon- | sible information as to the antecedents of the applicant and his repute at home. | But even where the letter constitutes a genuine recommendation, the interest | expressed is generally that of confidence | in the merits of the applicant, personal | sympathy for ‘a worthy case,’ and per- haps a claim that the writer’s State or district should be more adequately represented here. During any given period, the majority of them naturally will be from members of the party at | the moment preponderant in Congress. | Juast now, for instance, they are mainly from Democrats.” I asked for the figures for the period | from 1913 to date. In reply, Dr. Put- nam gave me the following statement: “Of the 714 present employes in the Library, including the copyright office, | but excluding the building force, 140 | ‘were appointed during the period March 4, 1913, to June 30, 1924. Of this num- ber 38 filed letters from Senators or Representatives. In the case of 20 the recommendations were from Democrats, in the case of 12 they were from Re- publicans and in the case of 6 they were from both. A total of 481 were appointed during the period July 1, 1924, to April 30, 1933. Of this num- ber 243 filed letters from Senators or Representatives. In the case of 124 the recommendations were from Re- publicans, in the case of 80 they were from Democrats and in the case of 39 they were from both. “Prior to July 1, 1922, the building force, consisting of watchmen, elevator operators, laborers, etc., was not under the jurisdiction of the librarian. Al- together, of the 61 present employes In this department, appointed since July 1, 1924, only 15 filed letters from Sena- Over 30 _Yeas; of Quality Service WHEN . . . Your Fine RUGS and DRAPERIES —are placed in MERCHANTS MOTH-PROOF STORAGE VAULTS, for Safe-keeping, they are not only safe from moths, but safe from other hazards...in reliable and responsible hands! RUGS Carefully Cleaned ® If your Rugs are soiled let us clean them thoroughly, before placing them in storage . . . You take no chances of having your prized rugs injured when intrusted to us for cleaning. Very reasonable prices for the: Services. Estimates on reque: MERCHANTS Transfer & Storage Co. JOHN L. NEWBOLD. JR.._President 920-922 E St.—Phone NAt. 6900 Storage—Moving—Packing—Shipping SWAT THE FLY Use Star fly swatters to | continue an aggressive war on the fly through- out the season. The Star has for free distribution wire- handled fly swatters. Ask for one at the main office of The Star | Putnam said, “The law says nothing | the usual excess from Virginia, Mary- 1 1th and Pa. Ave. N.W. : Library Employes | Listed by States In State Quota Service Disiricy of Columbia 3 ki Maryland . Vizginia Alacama . Arizona ... Arkansas ... Califcrnia Colorado F.orida ... Georgia .. Ideho . Illinois . indiena Iowa .. Kansas . Kentucky Louisiana Malne Massachus Michigan . inncsota ississippi Misscuri Montana . Nebraska . Nevada . New Ham New Jersey . New Mexico New York . Ncrth Carolina North Dakota ©Ohio ..... Oklahoma Oregoen . Fennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota ‘Tennessec Texas . Utah .. Vermont . Washington .. ‘West, Virginia . Wisconsin Wyoming . Philippine At large .. Alaska ... 0 e h - o - HONWARANIDANBWI RGO wABLINL WS 2 2 & tors or Representatives—10 from Re- publicans and 5 from Democrats.” 1 inquired if the committee had asked data on the education, training and ex- perience of the library employes. Dr. Putnam explained that no spe- cific request for this reference material had been made. “But,” he continued, “it was available in print for adminis- trative use and was supplied as indica- tive of our compliance with the law prescribing ‘fitness for the particular duties’ as the basis for selection, and to counteract any supposition that po- litical indorsement had been a con- trolling influence. . “It is to this record, presumably, that the circular letter of the com- mittee referred in suggesting that ‘a proper conception” of the education and training necessary for our service could best be had by an examinaticn of the qualifications of the present stafl. That phrase in the letter, and two others—that persons recommended to Mr. Farley ‘should have the necessary education, and preferably library train- ing,’ and that the committee did not wish ‘to impair the efficiency of this institution'—were omitted in the let- ter as published.” Some States Below Quotas. As to geographical appointment, Dr. as to that. In our practice, however, it is regarded, preference being given | to applicants of equal qualifications from the regions thus far less repre- sented. The result is about the same | relative proportions as exist in the | classified service at Washington, with land and the District of Columbia, and | for the same reasons; a slight excess | from States where library training is | to be had or experience in some re- search library; about the average quota for most of the States; and a marked deficlency in the case of a few—for in- stance, California, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wis- consin and New York—even where both training and experience are available.” T asked, “Are you expecting to make any considerable number of appoint- ments_in the near future?” Dr. Putnam indicated that he is not. “The appropriation act for the year Just starting,” he explained, “leaves our | staff practically where it was last year. During the past month, however, we have taken on a few people, a half dozen of whom may get upon the per- manent roll, to fill vacancies caused by resignations. Some represent rein- THE EVENING to clear up certain a small sum became ests not. ex- merely temporary, e whfihbh through unexpect ) ior leave wichout pay. we“So pect further such opportunities. T suggested that the recent publicity must have increased the number of ap- plications, and Dr. Putnam agreed, “It ceru’.nlgwhu. ‘We are del with them, though the 33,000 on file should sufficz for our needs for many years to come. “Do these new applicants claim to be Democrats and to be entitled to special consideration on that ground?” was my next question. “Not a few have done so,” Dr. Put- nam said, “but on the other hand there has been a notable number offer- ing attainments excellent for our pur- pose, including a welcome number frem States heretofore under-represented in our service.” T asked if preference would be given to the applicants from such States, and Dr. tnam answered, “Certainly, other, things being equal. The recent grouf Is an illustration, the most of the people newly selected, even for the temporary appointments, being from States still below their quota.” Appointment System Effective. As the system of appcintment, Dr. Putnam thought, “It is not as rigidly competitive as one based on a writ- ten examination, but it results in the selection for any particular vacancy of a person apparently the most promising for that vacancy; and the appointment does not become definite until a pro- bationary period of from three to six months “establishes his competence in the actual work. “After all, our problem is in dimen- sion a small one. The staff is now practically static, and likely to remain 50 until additional personnel is required for the Annex. If our rolls comprised 8,000 employes instead of 800, and the vacancies during any one year 400 in- stead of about 40—and those mostly in the lower grades, as it happens—we 1d require a procedure more elab- orate, including machinery for testing applicants at a distance such as is maintained by the Civil Service.” In answer to the question, “Has there been any proposal to cover the library staff by including it in the Civil Serv- ice?” the librarian said, “Yes, it was one of the proposals rejected ir 1897, and it was recently revived in biraJdn- troduced in the Senate by Senator Jvic- Kellar last year and the year before.” I requested Dr. Putnam’s own views of that phase of the subject. He ex- plained, “I submitted a memorandum to the chairman of the Committee ou the Civil Service to which the bills had been referred. The substance of that communication was that such a measure undoubtedly would afford re- lief to members of Cong.%s from the importunities which now .fiict them and to my office from tedious explana- tions of our inabilities; that, applied to our entire service, it certainly would impair the distinctive efficiencies of our staff in the higher ranges, and, in in- cluding the technical and professional group, therefore, would be unfortunate; but that as the importunities are directed almost extlusively to the sub- ordinate positions, below $1,440, a meas- ure applicable to those alone would ac- complish substantfally the relief de- sired without such serious consequences. Many Young People Assisted. “I added, however, that under my authority to ‘make rules and regulations for the government of the Library’ I doubtless could direct that those lower positions should be filled from the eligible lists of the Civil Service. And if I had hesitated to do so, it was because under the present freedom of choice we are able to secure personal qualities in the appointees very im- portant in a library and not capable of test by a written examination. In- cidentally, we have had the opportunity to assist to a higher education many young people who came to Washington for advanced studies. In 1929 there were 141 of our employes pursuing such studies. They bring with them an education—including, generally, college CAPITOL LIMITED The only Completely AlR- CONDITIONED train to Chicago COOL—CLEAN—QUIET No Extra Fare Special WORLD'S FAIR Rates For_details *phome District 3300 _ B&O statements. The majority, however, are STAR, WASHINGTON, courses—quite sufficient for non-techni- cal positions. When I insisted that it might be that the Civil Service would prove to be a protection, Dr. Putnam declared, with some warmth, “No, not a greater {;rotzctlon than the pride of Congress n the Library, the actual desire of every member of Congress for an effi- cient service here, and the determina- tion of Corgress, as a body, to assure it.” It is those interests, together with the consideration for our task which ! they imply, which have enabled us dur- ing the past 30 years to build up here Group No. | 5169 In this group there are ex- actly 8 suites—all of one de- sign...Early English type in walnut and American gum- wood; ten pieces in each suite and selling originally for $295. ‘The 8 families that buy these 8 suites will really have a “bargain.” D. a staff of the highest professional com- petence, in spite of the fact that the Library is part of an establishment otherwise controlled by patronage. I have no belief whatever that they will fail hereafter.” per cent of the present employes of the Library can be said to have had politi- cal backing in making application for appointment and that of this fraction of the total approximately 35 per cent had Democrat support, about 49 per cent had Republican support, and the Group No. 2 5195 ‘There are 15 complete 10-piece suites in this group...all 18th Century English types...5 dif- ferent styles. . .mostly in classic mahogany designs... suites selling originally from $220 to $289, offered for clear- ance now at $195. You will love these suites, C., THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1933. remaindes, or theoretically 1 Two of Crew Die in Collision. MANILA, July 6 (#).—Two members of the crew of the interisland steamer Ggrregidor were killed last night when the vessel collided in Manila Bay with the steamer Cebu. The Cebu brought 12 passengers and the remainder of the crew from the Corregidor here early today. Both vessels were small craft. —_— Open All Day Saturdays This Summer 30 Good Lifetime Dining Room Suites formerly marked from $220 to $495 ARRANGED IN 3 LOW PRICE GROUPS To Clear Out Immediately These are all dependable Lifetime Dining Suites which we want to move out quickly to make room for new purchases. prices advancing as they are, these suites represent extraordi- nary values at the low prices. Every suite perfect and regular Lifetime quality.’ With Group No. 3 7 suites in this group...10 pleces in each...some 17th Century Early English designs and some 18th Century types ... 4 different styles. . .selling originally from $295 to $495 ...priced now for clearance at $265. These Are All Unusual Values and Cannot Be Duplicated Today at These Low Prices MAYER & CO. 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