The State Employee, 1949 January

-NATIONAL:COMMERCIAL:BANK:

F | a new

= service for State
H HH Employees by the
= Capital District’s
Most Progressive
Bank

T
cy
a |
mi

Ket
bso

six new paying tellers speed
cashing of salary checks . . .

Pictured at the right 1s the tellers’ counter containing
windows for six additional paying tellers. These
tellers will cash salary checks issued by the State of
New York and other large employers only. To
rapidly moving lines these tellers will not
ecks.
inking, will be av
ing the cashing of salary checks the
Commercial Bank adds onother service to the community.

unique
‘on paydays

another new service of the Capital
District’s most progressive bank . . .

The Commercial Bank, having long reolized the importance
of the individual, opened one of the area's first

personal loan departments in 1935. Si
Commercial Bank has di ed more
‘any other Co; + bank. jing with this
progressive spirit i pictured at
left. These six booths installed in the new Commercial
Bank Annex will afford our personal loan customers
absolute privacy during interviews.

The National

COMMERCIAL BANK

and Trust Company of Albany
60 STATE STREET 60 STATE STREET
MERIT

Official Publication of
The Civil Service Employees Association, Inc.

Vol. 18, Number |

THE ASSOCIATION

President. - - - - Frank L, Tolman
Ast Vice-President - Jesse B. McFarland
2nd Vice-President - John F. Powers
3rd Vice-President - Frederick J. Walters
4th Vice-President lyn Stearns
5th Vice-President - Ernest L. Conlon

SPRING ISSUE, 1949

15e a Copy

Iu This Tesue

(Teeasnrer coe he Bay ake

eretary - - - - Janet Macfarlane

Counsel. - - . John T. DeGrat | Peatares :

ae Conn eae Meee ie Helguaee

Exe, a. William | Maloacagh Governor Dewey at Annual Dinner................0.seeeeeee 4

Field Reps. - - Laurence J. Hollister
Charles R. Culyer

Research Consultant - - Irving Cohen Legislative Report 5
THE MAGAZINE Veteran's) Preference Proposal sss: 6...’ isles sine sie cc > cieiel ene 8
Editor-in-Chief - - Frank L. Tol v.
Mar ace Editor : Jeaph D Vasher (Next Step Is Approval at Polls on Nov. 8)
Advertising Mgr. - - - Roy Fisher
Prone = = = WER Keke | What Can It (the Association) Do For Met......++..-eees0004 10
S Oe 5
Association Victory!
SINCERE SYMPATHY Onondaga ‘Chapter’s Story. 02. osc etre neitinieiols eininierelelste)e ai9 13
All Association members SA venha
motrn. with President Tol: Statistics for the Layman................-4+ p)ainieiare sla hale] ohalonera 14

man in the loss of his be-

loved Daughter, Anne, who
met death on Easter Sun-
day morning, April 17,
1949,

Albany, N. Y.

MERIT is published quarterly. Publication office, 2 Norton St, Albany, N. Y._ Editorial
and executive offices, 8 Elke y

Second-class matter, July 19, 1934, at the Post Office at Albany,
3 Letters to the Editor, contributions, news items, applicati
application for advertising rates should be

t., Albany, 0c per’ year. Entered as
under the act of March
jons for memberships and
Sent to Executive Headquarters, 8 Elk Street,

Ise, single copy,

THE FRONT COVER—At the Thirtieth Annual Dinner
of the Association—(1) Commissioner of Commerce Harold
Keller and Mrs, Keller—(2) Show Cast, Ruth C. Keane, Ellen
Delehanty, and Ruth A. Schaughnessy, Motor Vehicles; Mary
A. Lynch, Agriculture; Dorothea E. Hoffman, Elizabeth T.
Cregan and Mary E, Clarke, Correction; Elizabeth Mihranian,
Public Works; and Rose I, Griebsch, Education—(3) Show
Cast, front, I. to r., Joseph F. Feily, Tax; Kenneth E. Sullivan,
State; Matthew Fitzgerald, Motor Vehicles; William K.
Wilson, Education; Robert’ J. Shillinglaw, Public Works;
Louis A. Luizzi, Civil Service. Back, 1. to r., S. Norwood Blake-
man, Public Works; Burton Stilson, Education; Miles
Heberer, Commerce; Gerald J. Ryan, Tax; Donald Walling,
Education and Foster Potter, Agriculture—(4) Hostesses,
Frances Normand, Legislature; Rita Lemieux, Tax; and Lea
Lemiuex, State—(5) Governor Thomas E. Dewey and Janet
Macfarlane, Association Secretary—(6) Director of Budget
John E, Burton; Commissioner of Health Herman E, Hilleboe
and Secretary to the Governor Paul E. Lockwood—(7) Asso-
ciation First Vice-President Jesse B. McFarland, Director of
State Retirement Fund H. Elliot Kaplan, Mrs. Joe R. Hanley
and Association President Frank L, Tolman—(8) First Asst.

Corporation Counsel of New York City Charles F. Preusse and
State Senator Sidney A. Fine—(9) Administrative Director of
e Civil Service Department Charles L. Campbell, State
Service Commission President J. Edward Conway and
Director of Creedmoor State Hospital Dr. Harry A. LaBurt—
(10) Association Board of Director Member Charles H, Foster,
Assistant Counsel John E. Holt-Harris. Jr., and State As-
semblymen George W. Foy and Harold C. Ostertag—(11) St.
Lawrence State Hospital Chapter President Clarence A. Lin-
son, Rockland Chapter Treasurer Edward A. Benson, Associa-
tion Counsel John T. DeGraff, Regional Attorney Edmund L.
Shea, Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence Chapter President Philip L.
White; Regional Attorneys J. Norman Crannage, Syracuse
and Donald W. Kramer, Binghamton; Headquarters’ Attorney
John Kelly, Jr.; Robert W. Martin, and Dannemora State
Hospital Chapter Delegate Albert 'S. Foster—(12) West-
chester Group, clockwise starting at bottom, Anne H. McCabe,
Anthony E. Paradise, Marion Wilson, Westchester Chapter
President Ivan S. Flood, Harry Rodriguez, Association Fourth
Vice-President J. Allyn Stearns, Eileen Kelleher, Chapter
Treasurer and Michael J, Cleary—(13) William K. Wilson,
Education, the Director and Producer of the Show.

Governor

Eprror’s Note: All Associa-
tion Members will be inter-
ested in the following high-
lights of the address at the
Thirtieth Annual Dinner of
the Association by Governor
Thomas E. Dewey.

“‘T signed an order today and
I give you my word it was not
done because this dinner was be-
ing held tonight. It was decided
several weeks ago. The Civil
Service Commission has taken
the solemn steps and it finally
arrived on my desk today. Asa
result, I signed today the order
covering into the competitive
class the Civil Service employees
of Matteawan, Dannemora, Al-
bion and Westfield. That is a
great landmark in Civil Service.
It is the largest group of Civil
Service employees brought into
the competitive Civil Service in
a long period of time, and I think
it is a very fine tribute to you and
the people you represent because
you proved it could be done when
people said it could not be done.

“‘Now what we have to do is
to improve the quality of our ex-
aminations so we can get better
workers. How do you measure
zeal? How do you measure im-
agination? How do you measure
devotion and creative capacity
to make Government do a better
job?— When you do that, you
will make Civil Service better.
It is a very big job.

“(The difficulty is that merely
to be able to write on a piece of
paper in answer to somebody’s
questions does not make a society
function. It does not make the
wheels of a department run. It
does not cure a mentally ill pa-
tient. It does not build a better
bridge. It does not build a longer-
lasting highway. It is a combina-
tion of genius, enthusiasm and
skill that does that and I wish
that you, Dr. Tolman and Civil
Service commissions, and all
those who believe in making Civil
Service mean more than the sane-
tity of examination marks and

4

Dewey

protection against casual changes
of administration, would at-
tempt to find a means of evaluat-
ing quality, leadership, creation
—the first essentials that make
government or any business go
instead of making it a dead level
of performance.

“T don’t know the answer. I
have not met the person who has
the answer, but it is the most im-
portant thing in Civil Service
that I know of and if we can
solve that, you can make Civil
Service a great moving creative
thing and you will have the re-
spect of all elements of society
even to a higher degree than
now.

“You will make government
closer to the will of the people
and the people closer to their
government. It works both ways,
because if the people do not have
confidence in the Government, it
will not be good government.

“There is some confusion as
to the freezing in of the last
temporary increase. I recom-
mended in my last message that
it be frozen in, and now, it is
confused because the emergency
eompensation is not lined out in
this budget. The purpose of the
recommendation in the message
— and this I would like sincerely
to have you take home with you
— is that the Legislature is asked
to freeze the temporary increases
into the permanent salary sched-
ules. The bill which has been
drawn is to assure that those
temporary increases become per-
manent on April Ist of this year.
If that bill is passed, the gross
salary will then be permanent
but they will be paid out of two
different funds—one, the line
item and two, the $15,000,000
lump sum appropriated. The
reason they could not be merged
in this budget was purely techni-
eal— it could not be done, so
they tell me. It can be done be-
tween now and next January Ist
and if the bill as proposed be-
comes law, the increases become
permanent on April Ist begin-
ning next year, so long as the

AT ANNUAL
DINNER

money is voted to pay for it. The
emergency compensation will be
merged into the line item as soon
as the technical job can be done,
but all the essentials are included
in this Bill and when that is
passed, the whole job is done ex-
cept the technical details,

“T want to speak of another
job of major importance, aside
from the one concerning the Re-
tirement Fund, of which I am
frankly not sufficiently informed
to speak on now. I have listened
to enough discussion about the
Retirement Fund to now say that,
I do not know enough about it,
and if you don’t know about a
thing, it is better not to talk
about it. I will exercise the vir-
tue on that subject.

“*What I should like to point
out is the need to establish on a
more uniform basis a means by
which personnel problems be-
tween individuals and depart-
ments can be readily and speed-
ily handled in a fair, friendly
and impartial way. I have on
my desk the result of a year’s
study. It is in substance an ex-
ecutive order which states — for
the first time in the history of
this state — a broad method for
working out clearly and, speedily
all the personnel relationship
problems involved in the opera-
tion of the business of the state.
It is my hope that it will get into
final form and can be signed
within the next.30 or 60 days.

“A solution to this problem
has been urged by your officers
for a long time. I believe it to be
another great milestone in the
march to good relations between
the State and its enormous num-
ber of employees. I expect the
order will become effective this
year. I hope it will prove mighty
successful so that we will have
more great achievements in the
establishing of a sound and good
relationship between the em-
ployees of the State of New York
and the government of the State
of New York as represented by
all of its executive officers.

(Continued on page 18)

Spring Issue
Legislative Report —

Now that the dust of the legislative session has settled, and its
activities can be surveyed in proper perspective, Civil Service em-
ployees generally and State employees in particular have every
reason to be gratified by the results.

The session this year was held during a major transition in our
economy. During the past seven or more years, the Legislature has
met during a period of ever rising inflation and the efforts of Civil
Service employees have been focused primarily upon salary increases
to meet the rising cost of living. The inflationary peak was reached
last fall, shortly before the session opened. This session, consequently,
was characterized by the change of atmosphere engendered by the
steady decline in the cost of living index which is now back to the

April, 1948 level.

i As the session opened, the five major objectives of the Association,
in the order of their importance, (others may put them in different

order) were as follows:

1. The adoption of a new vet-
eran’s preference law, fair
to veterans and fair to the
merit system.

Civil Service employees
throughout the State centered
their efforts in support of the
Mitchell - VanDuzer preference
bill, 8. Int. 380, Pr. 382; A. Int.
520, Pr. 528. They,.and govern-
ment officials as well, have learn-
ed during the past three years
that the present Constitutional
provision for absolute and re-
peated preference for both dis-
abled and non-disabled veterans
in both appointment and pro-
motion was slowly strangling the
merit system.

Last year, the Condon bill,
supported by the American Le-
gion and other veteran’s organ-
izations, was an overwhelming
favorite and the Mitchell bill was

a hopeless underdog. If the two
bills had come up for final pas-
sage last year, it is doubtful if
the Mitchell bill could have mus-
tered the support of a dozen
votes in both houses of the Legis-
lature.

At this session, the year-long
educational campaign conducted
by Civil Service, veteran, and
ivie groups, with the aid of the

Service Leader, came to
fruition. In the early days of the
session, the Condon bill was killed
in committee; and the Mitchell
bill passed by the overwhelming
vote of 50 to 4 in the Senate and
124 to 14 in the Assembly. Sea-
soned Capitol observers were as-
tounded by this political miracle.
The Mitchell-bill is, beyond ques-
tion, the most important and
far-reaching “Civil Service meas-
ure to come before the Legisla-
ture in the past decade.

This is no time, however, to
sit back and relax.. The over-
whelming vote by the Legisla-
ture is meaningless, unless the
Mitchell bill is also ratified by
the people in the coming Novem-
ber election. Our position is fa-
vorable because of the generous
support accorded the Mitchell
bill by both Governor Dewey on
behalf of the Republican party
and Chairman Paul E. Fitzpat-
rick on behalf of the Democratic
party. Our educational campaign

JOHN T. DeGRAFF
Association Counsel

must be vigorously continued,
however, so that all segments of ~
the public, many of which are
unfamiliar with or indifferent to
the issues, will fully understand
that the adoption of the Mitchell-
VanDuzer bill is essential to
good government in this state.

2. Adequate grievance
machinery

For many years, the Associa-
tion has sought to bring about
the adoption of a system where-
by publie employees and admini-
strative officers of government
may work out, by round-the-
table discussion, solutions to the
many personnel problems that
arise in the public service. Our
plans have been based, in gen-
eral, upon the Whitley Councils
which have operated so suc-
cessfully in England and which
have recently been. successfully
initiated in Canada. They were
outlined in the Desmond-Foy.
bill, S. Intro, 583, Pr. 590; A.
Intro. 651, Pr. 660.

Various names for this sys-
tem have been suggested, such as
“grievance machinery’’, ‘‘labor
relations machinery’’ and others.
The name that has found the
most support seems to be ‘‘Con-
ference Committees.’’

This far reaching objective
has already been accomplished,
in principle, in our negotiations
with Governor Dewey, who has
agreed to inaugurate the plan
and formulate the necessary pro-
cedures by Executive Order. The
details remain to be worked out
in conferences which will doubt,
less commence soon after the
thirty-day bill period has ended.

This is pioneering work of the
highest importance. No similar
plan has been adopted by any
state. There are no precedents
except inEngland and Canada.
We hope that the plan to be
formulated in the coming months
will prove so effective in the
state service that it will be fol-
lowed by other units of govern-
ment in and outside the State of
New York.

3. Adequate salaries

All Civil Service employees
are now aware of an important
fact, that was apparent to many
at the opening of the session,
viz.: that the steady decline in
the cost of living required the
abandonment of any hope for a
general salary increase this year.
Our primary efforts were there-
fore devoted to an effort to
‘freeze’? emergency compensa-
tion as part of base pay. Emer-
gency compensation last year
was 15% on the first $3,000 of
compensation, 10% on the next
$2,000 and 5% on the balance, if
any. The ‘‘freeze’’? was accom-
plished in conference with the
Administration and was an-
nounced before the Governor
submitted his Executive Budget.

Time has demonstrated that
the Association made a wise
choice in negotiating a ‘‘freeze’’
instead of battling futilely for an
unobtainable general salary in-
crease, At the time, however,
the Association’s ‘‘freeze’’ agree-
ment was hailed by a barrage of
criticism from employee organ-
izations which were long on
mimeograph paper but short on
membership. ‘These organiza-
tions, whose membership consists
mainly of employees in New
York City, with only a handful
of members in the State service,
avidly seized upon what they
thought was an opportunity to
spread discontent and loudly
characterized the freeze agree-
ment as a ‘‘sell-out’’ in news-
paper releases and a barrage of
bulletins, Time has shown their
error to their members, if not to
their leaders.

The salary freeze, effective
April 1, 1949, is now looked upon
with satisfaction and with a
sense of security by the em-
ployees of the State. It is an im-
portant precedent which will be
helpful to employees in many up-
state communities. In New York
Ctiy, however, the employee or-
ganizations which so loudly criti-
cized the Association’s ‘‘freeze’’
agreement are now attempting,
without notable success, to ob-
tain a similar freeze for their
own members.

Thus far, only one-half of the
emergency compensation of New

6

York City employees is to be
frozen into basic wage scales. The.
other half of their emergency
bonus is still on an ‘‘if”’ basis
and is not considered as salary
for retirement purposes.

These self-appointed critics
of the ‘‘freeze agreement’’ are
now pointing to‘the precedent
set by the State as their princi-
pal argument for similar action
in New York City. The Associa-
tion wishes them well and gladly
supports their efforts. It is only
fair that the emergency bonus
should be frozen into basic wage
scales in New York City and
elsewhere.

Moreover, it is outrageous to
disregard emergency compensa-
tion for retirement purposes.
This seriously prejudices older
employees who have retired dur-
ing the past few years as well as
those who are about to retire.
This injustice should be im-
mediately corrected. All units of
government should promptly
follow the policy of including all
emergency compensation for re-
tirement credit as the State has
done for several years.

4, Retirement liberalization.

For the past five years, or
more, liberalization of the Re-
tirement System has been a ma-
jor objective of the Association.
Of our initial Seven-Point Pro-
gram, three of our proposals
were adopted during the past
four years. This year we have
made more rapid progress toward
our goal.

Conferences between Associa-
tion representatives and officers
of the Retirement System com-
menced early in the session and
continued up to and after the
last day for the introduction of
bills. Agreement was reached
upon some seven or eight bills
which, while not of universal
application, represent important
advances for the members af-
fected by them.

Our efforts were concentrated,
however, in support of the 55-
year Retirement option intro-
duced by Senator Halpern and
Assemblyman Noonan, §. Intro.
840, Pr. 3109, A. Intro. 548, Pr.
3523, Although many members
had high hopes for its adoption

this year, we were unable to
reach complete agreement with
the Administration on this pro-
posal. We did, however, only a
week before. the session closed,
reach agreement with the Retire-
ment System upon the draft of
a bill that was characterized by
the Retirement System as being
“technically correct’’ in form.

The Association thereupon re-
doubled its efforts to obtain pas-
sage of this bill by the Legisla-
ture. Our original bill was
immediately amended in the ap-
proved form and we were suc-
cessful in having it reported
from committee and advanced
to third reading in the Senate.
In the closing hours of the ses-
sion, however, legislative and ad-
ministration leaders succeeded
in having the bill. recommitted.

While this last minute setback
caused considerable disappoint-
ment to members of the System,
whose hopes were raised when
the bill was advanced to third
reading, our efforts have not
been in vain. Experience tells us
that when a bill comes as close
to passage as this one did, its
chances of adoption at the com-
ing session may be considered
bright.

The limited space available in
this issue of Merit does not per-
mit a complete explanation of
the other retirement bills worked
out in agreement with the Ad-
ministration. Several of these
bills have passed both houses and
will undoubtedly be soon signed
by the Governor. They include:

1, The adoption of the Asso-
ciation’s additional annuity pro-
posal, which permits all em-
ployees to pay additional contri-
butions, equal to 50% of their
normal contributions, on that
portion of salary not exceeding
$7,500 per annum. This bill,
Stephens bill, Assembly Int.
2632, Pr. 2826 will permit the
building up of the annuity part
of the retirement allowance
which, in most cases, is now defic-
ient because of the recent in-
creases in wage levels,

2, Liberalization of accidental
disability retirement allowances
by amending the definition of
“final average salary’’, Erwin
bill, S. 2282, Pr. 2517, and by

Spring Issue
providing that legal fees up to
$100, allowed under workmen’s
compensation, shall not be de-
deducted from retirement allow-
ances, Erwin bill, S. Intro. 2281,
Pr. 2516.

8. The liberalization of the
Retirement Law for the benefit
of retired employees by permit-
ting employees with retirement
allowances under $1500 per an-
num to earn up to $750 per an-
num in public service after re-
tirement. Erwin bill, S. Int.
2283, Pr. 2518; Desmond bill, 8.
Int. 2364, Pr. 2599,

4, Authorizing an additional
option to beneficiaries in the
event of the death of a member.
Erwin bill, 8. Int. 2374, Pr. 2609.

5. Extending the period with-
in which members transferring
to the State system may pur-
chase allowable service. Fino
bill, S. Int. 1651, Pr. 1780.

6, Liberalized computation of
maintenance for employees of
county .or city tuberculosis hos-
pitals transferred to the State,
Erwin bill, S. Int. 1504, Pr.
1597, and similar provisions for
employees of Onondaga County.
Hughes bill, 8. Int. 1908, Pr.
2063.

7, A 25-year retirement option
for Regional State Park Police
on the same basis as State Troop-
ers, now Chapter 297 of the
Laws of 1949.

8. A Constitutional amend-
ment authorizing the Legislature
to increase the retirement allow-
ances of retired employees, Ma-
honey bill, S. Int. 493, Pr. 495.
Before this Constitutional
amendment can take effect, it
must be repassed by the 1951
Legislature and ratified by the
people at the 1951 election.

These bills and the details of
the 55-year retirement bill, with
its favorable provisions for pres-
ent members, will be reported in
full in the next issue of Merit,
after the Governor has acted on
all thirty-day bills.

5. Merger of the Classification
Board and the Salary
Standardization Board.

The difficulties of having two
separate boards charged with the

‘esponsibility of establishing

titles and salary schedules in the

State service has become in-

ly, rigi
Albany Chapter, of

George W. Hayes, retiring Pi

President, State Tox Commission, congratulates Joseph F.
jency of Depa

nt of Taxation and Finance,
lent of the

Chapter looks on.

creasingly apparent. In our ne-
gotiations with the Administra-
tion, agreement was reached to
create a single agency to handle
both title and salary allocations.
which, after all, are basically a
part of the same process of fixing
fair and adequate salaries for all
positions in the State service.

Our conferences with the Ad-
ministration resulted in agree-
ment upon a bill which has al-
ready. passed both houses and
been signed by the Governor.
Under the terms of this bill, a
“Classification and Compensa-
tion Division’’ is created in the
Civil Service Department, head-
ed by a director, in the competi-
tive class of the Civil Service,
who is charged with the respons-
ibility of establishing appropri-
ate titles as well as appropriate
salary grades. Appeals from his
decision may be taken to a five-
man appeal board, with em-
ployee representation, appointed
by the Governor. The new sys-
tem will take effect on July 1,
1949.

This is an important advance
which should improve efficiency

in the handling of salary and
classification appeals. It is now
evident that the period for gen-
eral salary increases is over, un-
less the Cost of Living Index re-
verses its present trend and con-
tinues steadily upward again.
Emphasis must therefore be di-
rected to the establishing of fair
and adequate wage scales on an
individual and group basis. The
merger of these functions in a
single agency will promote the
expelitious and equitable hand-
ling of such matters.
Summary

The legislative program of
the Association this year con-
tained the formidable total of 78
proposals. 38 bills were passed
by both houses and are now be-
fore the Governor. Three are be-
ing accomplished by administra-
tive action, viz.: The setting up
of conference committees and the
reclassification into the competi-
tive class of employees at Danne-
mora, Matteawan, Westfield and
Albion.

Eight of our bills have already
been signed by the Governor and

(Continued on page 16)

Veterans’ Preference Proposal

NEXT STEP IS APPROVAL AT POLLS ON NOVEMBER 18th

By Wa. F. McDonovex

Veterans Preference as now provided in the Constitution of New
York has been tested by experience and found wanting. In its present
form it is inimical to the merit system, to efficiency in government,
and civil service administration as a whole.

The objectves of the Association will be upheld and strengthened
by approval by the people at the election this coming November
of the proposed Constitutional Amendment which reverses the present
provisions relating to preference for appointment’ to and promotion
in the civil service of the State and of all the civil divisions thereof.

Each member of the Association should, therefore, make every
effort from now until November 8th to tell the facts about Veterans
Preferénce and the proposed changes to his fellow employees and
their families, to his neighbors and friends, and particularly to the
leaders of his community in civic, business and political organiza-
tions, to editors of his local press, and radio stations, The new form
of Veterans Preference embodied in the Mitchell proposal, was
adopted by the 1948 Legislature and the 1949 Legislature, and must
be approved by the voters at the November election if it is to become

effective.

This article gives the facts as
to the present provisions of the
Constitution -and the change
which is proposed, and will en-
able each member to inform
others accurately as to what is
involved,

The Following Is Exact Copy of
Subdivision 6 of Article 5 of
the State Constitution as Now
Effective:

“Appointments and promotions in the
civil service of the state and all of
the civil divisions thereof, including
cities and villages, shall be made ac-
cording to merit and fitness to be ascer-
tained, as far as practicable, by exami-
nation, which, as far as practicable,
shall be competitive; provided, however,
that any member of the armed forces of
the United States who served therein in
time of war, who is a citizen and resi-
dent of this state and was a resident at
the time of his or her entrance into
the armed forces of the United States
and was honorably discharged or re-
leased under honorable circumstances

tion, and whose disabili
the United States veterans administra-
tion to be in existence at the time of
his or her application for septomnet
or promotion, shall: be entitled to pref-
erence and shall'be appointed or pro-
moted before any other appointments or
romotions are made, without regard to
Ris or her standing’ on any list’ from
which such appointment or promotion
may be made. Until December thirty-

8

first, nineteen hundred fifty, but in no
event for a period less than five years
next following the honorable discharge
or release under honorable circumstances
of a member of the armed forces of the
United States who served therein in time
of war, who is a citizen and resident of
this state and was a resident at the time

of his or her entrance into the armed
forces of the United States, he or she
shall be entitled, after such disabled

titled to preference in the retention of
any position held by him or her, in in-
verse order of the preference as pro-
vided in this section. Laws shall be
enacted to provide for the enforcement
of this section.”

The Following is exact copy of
Proposed New Subdivision 6,
Article 5— It Restates Pres-
ent Merit System Provisions
and Provides for Fair Pref-
erance for Veterans:

“Appointments and promotions in the
civil service of the state and all of the
civil divisions thereof, including cities
and villages, shall be made according to
merit and fitness to be ascertained, as
far as practicable, by examination which,

far as practicable, shall be competi-
tive: provided, however, that until Janu-
ary first, nineteen hundred fifty-one, any
member of the armed forces of the
United States who served therein in time
of war, who is a citizen and resident of

this state and was a resident at the time
of his or her entrance into the armed
forces of the United States and was
honorably discharged or released under
honorable circumstances from such ser-
vice, shall be entitled to the preferences
granted by the provisions of former sec-
tion six of this article, which shall con-
tinue in effect until such date, notwith-
standing its repeal by the concurrent
resolution of the senate and assembly
adding this section, and provided, fur-
ther, that on and after such date,’ any
such member shall, in lieu of such pref-
erences, be entitled to receive five points
additional credit in a competitive ex-
amination for original appointment and
two and one-half points additional credit
in an examination for promotion or, if
such member was disabled in the actual
performance of duty in any war, is re-
ceiving disability payments therefor
from the United States veterans ad-
ministration, and his or her disability
is certified by such administration to be
in existence at the time of his or her
application for appointment or promo-
tion, he or she sl e entitled to re-
ceive ten points a ional cre in a
competitive examination for original ap-
pointment and five points additional
credit in an examination for promotion.
Such additional credit shall be added to
the final earned rating of such-member
after he or she has qualified in an ex-
amination and shall be granted only at
time of establishment of an eligible
list, except that eligible lists in existence
on January first, nineteen hundred fifty-
one shall be revised by adding the ap-
plicable credits provided herein for such
members of the armed forces. No such
member shall receive the additional
credit granted by this section after he
has received one appointment, either
original entrance or promotion, from an
eligible list on which he was allowed
the additional credit granted by this
section. The legislature may provide b
law for preference in retention of sucl
members in case of the abolition or
elimination of positions in the civil
service. Laws shall be enacted to pro-
vide for the enforcement of this section.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF BOTH
FORMS OF PREFERENCE

Present

The present Constitutional
provision means that veterans
having a disability attested by
the Veterans Administration at
Washington, who qualify by ex-
amination, shall be placed at the
top of the eligible list for ap-
pointment or promotion, and
that until December 31, 1950
any non-disabled veteran. shall

Spring Issue

be placed next below those with
disability certificates on the elig-
ible list for appointment or pro-
motion.

‘This means that a veteran with
disability who receives a passing
mark on a competitive test must
be appointed before a non-dis-
abled veteran or a non-veteran
who might have achieved a much
higher rating in the same exami-
nation.

‘he present preference bars
not only most non-veterans from
opportunity for public employ-
ment but bars also sons and
daughters and parents of vet-
erans, even children or widows
of veterans who gave their lives
in battle. It closes the door of
opportunity for public. service
upon many thousands of eager
young people graduating yearly
from our colleges and highschools
and who had no chance because
of their age to enter war service.

New Proposal

‘The new proposal — the Mit-
chell proposal—for which a
“YES”? vote is asked at the No-
vember election, provides a ten-
point additional credit or per
cent for disabled veterans and a
five-point additional eredit for
non-disabled veterans in original
open examination tests, and a
five-point additional credit for
disabled and two and one-half
points additional credit for non-
disabled veterans in promotion
examinations.

Another sound improvement
of the new over the present pro-
visions, is that the preference
may be used only once, that is,
either in obtaining an original
appointment or for one promo-
tion if the veteran is already in
the service. The Mitchell bill
also gives an absolute preference
in retention in the event posi-
tions are abolished for lack of
work or lack of funds. This
meets the underlying reason for
preference and prevents the un-
limited use of this privilege to
the detriment of non-veterans
seeking entry into the service
and of able and faithful civil
service employees who were not
called to war service.

The new proposal is favored
by all veterans who have fa-

Merit

miliarized themselves with the
problems of upbuilding the ef-
ficiency of public service. It is
strongly supported by the great
majority of non-disabled veter-
ans in the public service who
have experienced the effect of
absolute preference on their
chances for a civil service career.
It is favored by civil service em-
ployees because it restores, in
part at least, the fundamental
safeguards of the merit system
which seek to give recognition in
original appointment and pro-
motion to ability and efficiency
without regard to preference of
any other nature.

High Efficiency in Government
Is Essential

The people of all the World
are today beginning to seek the
benefits of the highest possible
quality of civil government. It
is crystal clear that good govern-
ment depends as certainly upon
the efficiency of its civil servants
as upon its bill of rights or the
basic laws. It is vital to good
government that there be respect
for the merit system principle of
recruitment of the best fitted
among all of the citizenry under
competitive tests open to all of
the men and women of the State.
This is the American way — this
is demoeracy in action.

Probably no amendment to
the State Constitution pre-
viously submitted has been so
thoroughly discussed by the
legislators who approved it or by
the people who must determine
its fate. The Mitchell proposal
‘was one of two opposite veterans
preference proposals submitted
to the 1948 Legislature. Both

. were debated throughout the

1948 Legislative session. To give
full consideration to both, both
were passed by the 1948 Legisla-
ture with the idea that sound
agreement on one of the two
would be reached by the people
and by the Legislators of the
1949 legislative session. Thus the
pros and cons of two distinctive
types of preference were dis-
cussed over a full year’s period
by the people and by two differ-
ent Legislatures elected by the
people.

During this period thousands

of veterans came out vigorously
for the Mitchell proposal. Even
the American Legion (which fa-
vored the Condon proposal dis-
carded by the 1949 Legislature)
was split. A committee of six of
its prominent members appoint-
ed to study the two proposals
recommended with but one dis-
senting vote that the Mitchell
proposal was best. The largest
American Legion Post in theState
favored the Mitchell proposal.
Several independent veteran or-
ganizations favored the Mitchell
proposal. A group of twenty civic
organizations including the Uni-
formed Firemen’s Association of
Greater New York, the New York
State Federation of Labor, the
Citizens Union and the City
Club of New York City, the
State Nurses Association, the
State.Charities Aid Association,
the New York Academy of Medi-
cine, the Public Education Asso-
ciation, the Civil Service Reform
Association, the Legislative
Clearing House of Volunteer
Firemen of New York State and
other outstanding groups de-
elared for and will carry on an
intensive campaign to bring
about the adoption of the Mit-
oan proposal on next November
8th.

The delegates to the Annual
Meeting of our Association held
in October 1948, endorsed the
new proposal, and the Associa-
tion officers and committees have
been active in an educational
program to inform the people of
the need for this amendment in
the interests of better govern-
ment.

From Now Until November 8th

The call to chapter officers, to
conference officers, and to each
member of the Association is to
inform the electorate as to the de-
sirability and the great need of
the adoption of the new pro-
posal, and to remain active until
the vote is in on November 8th.
Again we point out —to secure
the adoption of the Mitchell Con-
stitutional Veterans Preference
proposal is to advance the wel-
fare of the state, of the people,
and of civil service workers. To
these high objectives your Asso.
ciation is dedicated.
What Can It Do For Me?

That’s the question usually asked by nen-Association members.
The answer? Plenty! It not only can but has. All State workers,
and many other public employees enjoy substantial benefits hard-won
by the Association since 1910, Mr. Public Employee, if you aren’t a
member — you are free-riding on your fellow employees who are.
The 45,000 and more members are carrying the non-members along
— actually handicapped by their complacency. Membership strength
and unity determines in large measure the recognition attained and

degree of success.

Simple Facts

No fancy statements—no ex-
cess wordage—here are the plain,
simple facts. These are the
more important accomplishments
and services of the Association.
Read them carefully. Then ask
yourself—‘‘Have I benefited ?’’
—‘Should I join with my fel-
low employees or make their. ef-
forts to improve our working

conditions more difficult by re- ~

maining a non-member???’ —
“‘Am I being fair—or don’t I
care???

The decision is up to you, Mr.
Non-member. But, if you read
the plain, simple facts—you’ll
make the correct decision to join.

Salaries Are Important—
Aren’t They?

Many millions of dollars of
increased salaries were received
by State and other public ser-
vants as a-result of the work of
the Association to establish ade-
quate salaries. For instance, the
emergency adjustments accord-
ed State employees in 1948, 1946,
1945 and 1943, the overtime pay

.law in 1947. Hard work—not
non-support—achieved these. As
it did adjustments accorded local
government employees. The As-
sociation drafted the Feld-Hamil-
ton Career Law, enacted in 1937.
From this State workers re-
ceived annual increments within
salary ranges for the first time—
and since. Several progressive
local governments patterned
their compensation plans from
it.

Just recently the Association
secured the ‘‘freeze-in’’ of emerg-
eney pay into basic salaries of
State employees—it is assisting
the employees of local govern-
ments to do likewise: This is

10

IMPORTANT!

When you have finished
reading this article PLEASE
remove this center spread and
give it to any State or public
employee who is not a member
of the Association—if neces-
sary read it to him or her—
just so the message gets across.

particularly important in peri-
ods of declining living costs.
And the DeMarco case, you
heard of that,—how the Associa-
tion fought to the highest court
of the State to attain justice for
several thousand employees to
the tune of several million dol-
lars.

It secured the establishment
of title classification and salary
allocation machinery, and stead-
ily improved it—even again this
year. During the depression it
protected employees from unjust
salary cuts.

Retirement Is Important—Too!

The early founders of the As-
sociation got the Retirement Sys-
tem started in 1921. Since then
our organization has secured
many improvements—to men-
tion a few—the death benefit,
loan service, disability retire-
ment, inclusion of emergency
and overtime pay for retirement
purposes, reduction of loan in-
terest rates, insurance of loans,
retirement after discontinued
service and many others. In 1938
it won a constitutional amend-
ment providing that retirement
benefits constitute a contractual
relationship’ that cannot be di-
minished or impaired. It sup-
ported retirement credit for mili-
tary service.

This year the Association se-
cured the right for retirement
fund members to purchase addi-
tional annuity as well as several
minor improvements. It secured
the extension of the retirement
to several local public employee
groups. It tried its best to win
enactment of the 55-year Bill—
but lost out this year—but we'll
keep trying and hope for success
next year.

_Hours, Vacations, Leaves

After arduous efforts the As-
sociation reduced working hours,
established decent sick leave
rules and _health-giving -vaca-
tion periods in the State and
many local groups. State in-
stitution workers who in 1934
worked 72 hours per week now
work 40 or receive overtime pay.
The work week has been reduced
to 5 days in most cases. After
much effort sick leave rules were
set up in State service in 19383—
have been since liberalized and
extended—and copied by many
local units of government on re-
quest.

Civil Service Generally

As the champion of the merit
system the Association success-
fully led the fight for the Mitch-
ell Constitutional Amendment
to correct abuse of Veterans
Preference. The approval of two
successive legislatures has been
attained—it is now working for
approval by the voters in No-
vember.

The Association’s efforts suc-
cessfully protected the veteran
as to salary, retirement, rein-
statement and other rights. It
drafted and had enacted many
legislative measures to assure
seniority rights, tenure protec-
tion, promotional opportunities,
transfer procedures and other
refinements necessary to good
government personnel practices.

These accomplishments have
benefited both state and local
employees,

It secured the establishment
of the Merit Award Board—won
increases in mileage and subsis-

Spring Issue

tence allowances for field em-
ployees—gained unemployment
insurance coverage for many
workers— advocated in-service
training courses—and was active
in many, many lines.

It has tried thru legislation
and otherwise to obtain good
public employee relations ma-
chinery in government. Just re-
cently Governor Dewey promised
that within a short time such ma-
chinery would be set up by ex-
ecutive order after consultation
with Association representatives.
This should assist employees
greatly.

COULD YOU DO ALL
THESE THINGS ALONE? —
NO?—YOU COULD THRU
THE ASSOCIATION.

Does the Association Serve You?

The answer? — We'll list just
a few services just to give you an
idea.

... Its officers, committees
and those of its 135 chapters
throughout the State, all of
whom serve without pay, and its
headquarters staff, legal staff
and field staff serve members
every day—every minute.

...It constantly represents
members before the Executive,
Legislative and Administrative
branches of government. This
year it sponsored 78 legislative
bills—38 got thru the legislature.
It examined hundreds of bills af-
fecting public employees—sup-
ported the good—opposed the
bad.

. Field representatives as-

sist groups throughout the State
to organize, negotiating on their
behalf with local administrators
and assist in individual or group
problems.
Group Insurances—Life
ae “Accident and Sickness —
broader protection at lower rates
than obtainable elsewhere — is
made available to members. Over
$5,000,000.00 has been paid in
claims to members or their bene-
ficiaries. Payment of premiums
is by payroll deductions. Savings
to members exceeds many times
their membership dues.

. A. weekly newspaper—
CIVIL SERVICE LEADER—
and quarterly magazine —
MERIT, the official publication

Merit

of the Association, are mailed di-
rect to each member. These pub-
lications supply members with
current information on Associa-
tion work and activity and the
facts on laws, rules, regulations
and their rights and privileges as
public employees. You can’t be
informed or up-to-date without
them.

. Help on Individual or
group personnel problems is fur-
nished personally or thru cor-
respondence by headquarters
staff, by our legal staff, by field
representatives and chapters.

. Many other services ‘too
numerous to mention in the
space available.

What Is Your Decision?
Is the work and the many ser-
vices outlined worthy of YOUR

support? Have YOU benefited?
Are you willing to let your fel-
low employees who are members
carry YOU along? Or are YOU
going to do YOUR share?

Prorated Dues

If you join now as a NEW
member you need only to pay
one-half the regular annual dues
for membership until September
30, 1949, or $2.50 in the State
Division—$3.00 in the County
Division.

Join Today

Get an application for mem-
bership from your local chapter
or representative or from Head-
quarters, 8 Elk Street, Albany,
N. Y. Fill it out—attach to it
your remittance for dues~and
give it to your local chapter or
representative—or send ‘it to
Headquarters, address above.

SYATEMENT OF THE OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, CIRCULATION, RTC., REQUIRED BY THE
ACTS OF CONGRESS OF AUGUST 24, 1912, AND MARCH 3, 1933

__—-——in and for the Stato and county aforemid, personally appeared
bo, having been duly eworn according to law, deposes and mys that he ie

Merit ougasine

‘sforesaid ia
1012, as amend by the Act of Mareh 3, 1093, embodied fa action 537, Posi! Laws and

of this form, to wit: on the reverse
1. That the namenand of the , editor, managing editor, and aie:
Name of— Post office adress
Publisher The Civil Services Employees Ase'n. ___Ra. 156, State Capitol, Albany, NY
Editor Thomas Co Stoel) 28. 8. Dowe Ste, Albany, MeYs
Ms Editor. 7
‘Business Managem Joseph D, Lechner —Ra.16, State Capitol, Albany, #Y

2. That the owner ia: (1 owned by a corporation, ite namo and addrom must be tated and also immediately therounder the
amied and ailromes of stockholder owning or holding one per ceat ot more of total amount of wock. If not owned by a corporation,
the names und addres of the individual owner must be given. If owned by » firm, company, of otber unincorporated concer,
‘ta name and addrew, as well as those of each individual member, must be given.)

~The Civil Service’ Employees Association, Inc.

3. That tho knows bouioldem werigagee and eer security holder owning or heldng 1 parent or more of total amount ol
bonds, mortgages, or other wecurtion are: (IC there are n0n0, «0 wtate,)

The Civil ‘Rarvice Laplayees ——
_ MO STOCKHOLDIRS

“Tisch two pargrphe net shove, ving ho names ofthe ovum ihboldos nd wry been any, co ly
the list of wockholders and security holder as they appear upon the books of the company but alm, fn cans where te sacle of

stated by him.

[5 That the average number of copies of each inoue of thie or distributed, whrough 378
ee eae oe rvnnding the data howe obove in
(Thia information is required from daily publications only.)

Association Victory

“‘The Association’’—your As-
sociation—The Civil Service Em-
ployees Association, Inc., has
won another great victory for
public employees of New York
State.

The DeMarco case is an out-
standing example of service by
the Association to its members.

It. was an appeal to the Courts to.

determine the meaning of a com-
plex salary law where the em-
ployees and certain high State
officers, charged with the admini-
stration of the law, disagreed.
It was a logical presentation by
legal process of the employees’
interpretation of law as against
the State’s interpretation. The
courts held the employees were
right. An error—a costly error
to the employees—has been or-
dered corrected by the courts.
What a single employee could
not attempt—46,000 employees
in their own Association could
and did carry through to suc-
cessful conclusion. No one knows
as yet exactly how many em-
ployees will benefit and exactly
how much back salary will be
paid to them. Estimates as to the
number of employees affected
vary from 6,000 to 9,000, and es-
timates of the two-year costs
vary from $1,500,000 to $4,000,-
000. ‘The payments that are to be
made will be retroactive to April
1, 1947. Whatever amount is
paid for this two-year period

will be approximately doubled
by reason of the fact that em-
ployees will reach their maxi-
mum salary at an earlier date.

A Brief Outline of the Case

Back in 1946, the Salary

Board undertook a survey to re-
view the existing State salary
structure and to recommend such
changes as might be required to
put State salaries in line with
those paid for similar jobs in pri-
vate and public employment.
When the new Feld-Hamilton
schedules went into effect on
April 1, 1947, the Salary Board
had completed its survey but did
not have time enough to make
all the necessary reallocations so
that they would become effective
on April 1, 1947. The law, there-
fore. provided:

“Any reallocations made by
the salary standardization
board on and after April first,
nineteen hundred forty-seven,
and prior to October first,
nineteen hundred forty-seven,
and approved by the director
of the budget, shall become ef-
fective as of April first, nine-
teen hundred forty-seven.’’

The controversy
around this clause.

centered
The Asso-

ciation claimed that any em-
ployee reallocated upward
should get the benefit of the
higher grade on April 1, 1947.
The Civil Seryice Department

ruled otherwise, holding that
employees would get no substan-
tial benefit from the reallocated
grade until they reached the
maximum of the new grade.

The Association appealed
from this interpretation of the
law through its Counsel, John T.
DeGraff, to the Supreme Court
and, on November 26, 1947, Jus-
tice Francis Bergen upheld the
Association’s contention.

The Staté, through the At-
torney General’s Office, carried
the case to the Appellate Divi-
sion, where the Association again
won. ‘

The State then carried its ap-
peal to the Court of Appeals,
and the decision of the highest
court of the state on March 3,
1949 was unanimously in favor
of the Association.

_ Detailed information concern-
ing the positions affected by the
DeMareo decision, adjustments
due thereunder and the method
of submitting claims has been
forwarded to all Association
Chapter presidents who will al-

low any member to examine
same.

Each member of the Associa-
tion has had a real part in the
DeMarco case victory. A goodly
number of civil service employees
do not yet belong to ‘‘The Asso-
ciation.’’ They too gain by this
and every other benefit and in
the greater prestige won by pub-
lie employees through their As-
sociation.

If you are not a member, do
you not think you owe it to your-
self and all other public workers
to join the Association? If you
are a menrber, will you not inter-
est someone else in membership?
DO IT NOW!

John T. DeGroff, Association Counsel,
el DeMarco, Laboratory Worker in
vision of

Ith Department's
id

550 , examin-
ing the first brief on the DeMarco Case.

Onondaga Chapter’s Story

By Vernon A. Tapper
President, Onondaga Chapter

For considerable time, prior
to the organization of Onondaga
Chapter, the employees of the
city of Syracuse who, not being
affiliated with any employees’
organization, felt that they need-
ed such an organization to repre-
sent them as a bargaining agent
with the city officials.

When The Civil Service Em-
ployees Association, Inc., amend-
ed its By-Laws to permit politi-
eal sub-divisions in the State to
organize chapters, I felt that this

was the organization that would.

best fit the needs of the em-
ployees of the city of Syracuse,
and began making inquiries
about the possibility of chapter
organization and affiliation with
the Association. At the same
time, three employees of the City
Assessor’s office ; Harry Kimmey,
William MeArdle and Norbert
Hornung, has the same idea and
they were planning to become
part of the Civil Service Em-
ployees Association’s member-
ship. As soon as we found that
both myself and the other city
employees were working for the
same purpose, we pooled our in-
formation and interest and in
February 1947, a meeting was
called of representatives of the
various departments of the city,
and at this meeting a committee
was appointed to draw up a Con-
stitution and By-Laws for a per-
manent organization, and also
appointed a nominating commit-
tee to select and name a slate of
temporary officers. In March
1947, an open meeting was held
at which all city employees were
invited. John Holt - Harris,
Jr., Assistant Counsel of The
Civil Service Employees Asso-
ciation, Inc., was present and ex-
plained the aims and purposes of
the Association. There was much
interest at this meeting about the
organization and what benefits
the city employees might derive
through membership. A consti-
tution and By-Laws was adopt-
ed, and an election of temporary

Merit

officers was held and these of-
ficers were elected to serve until
October of 1947 when perma-
nent officers were selected to
serve for the ensuing year.

Now as to what these actions
meant in membership can be
clearly stated. In July 1947, our

membership was about 100; in ~

July 1948, the number had in-
creased to 300, and at the time
that this issue of Merit is going
to press,*the membership is ap-
proximately 650, This surely is
a concrete example of, not only
the effectiveness of organization,
but the real necessity of organ-
ization for the benefit of civil
employees.

As President of Onondaga
Chapter, I can report many im-
provements in the working con-
ditions of our membership. and
many concessions have been re-
ceived from the City Admini-
stration since our organization.
On the salary question, which is
always important to all Muni-
cipal employees, the early $300
cost of living bonus has been fro-
zen into the base pay of the city
salary structure, and in addition
salary increases on a permanent
basis have amounted to $450 an
employee, so that since Onon-
daga Chapter has been active on
behalf of the city employees,
actually their pay seales have
been increased on a permanent
basis $750.

Onondaga Chapter has also
been. instrumental in securing
passage of a local law closing the
City Hall offices on Saturdays
during June, July and August,
and negotiations are now in
progress to secure an amendment
to this local law to permit the
closing of the city offices on
Saturdays the year around.

Many problems have come be-
fore the officers and the Grie-
vance Committee of Onondaga
Chapter, and I am happy to say
that in most every instance satis-
factory adjustments were made
for the benefit of the members
involved.

The chapter has taken a very

active part in the legislative ses-
sion which has concluded in Al-
bany. Whenever called upon to
show interest in any bills affect-
ing the members of the Associa-
tion, prompt attention has been
taken, not only by mail and the
use of the telegram, but also by
personal contacts with the legis-
lators, both in the Senate and
Assembly from this district. I
believe that considerable good-
will has been built up in the mak-
ing of these contacts, and F am
sure that when another’ year
comes around and the legisla-
tive program of the Association
comes into action, that what we
have learned this last year can be
put to good advantage in press-
ing for our recommendations in
the succeeding sessions of the
Legislature. I can truthfully say
that the members of our chapter,
in their dealings with the City
Administration, have been fair
in their attitudes and approach,
and I believe that the success of
their negotiating meetings is the
answer to our method of ap-
proach,

Onondaga Chapter operates
with an Executive Committee
composed of 5 officers and 6
board members which meets
monthly. The chapter, as a
whole, meets quarterly. At these
quarterly meetings, the officers
endeavor to have a prominent
speaker or provide entertain-
ment, and usually a Buffet Sup-
per. I believe that with a large
group of members, that this is
the most satisfactory means of
doing the business of the chap-
ter.

I was very happy to be able
to successfully obtain permission
from the City Administration to
install the Association’s Sickness
and Accident Insurance group
plan, and this is in effect for all
city employees who wish to take
this insurance which is offered to
them through no other source.

While at the present time On-
ondaga Chapter is composed of
employees of the city of Syra-

(Continued on page 17)
Statistics for the Layman

By Irvine Conen
Salary Research Consultant

Nowadays, statistics has at-
tained new heights of respect-
ability. Arguments, buttressed
by statistical contentions, carry
an air of conviction. Indefatig-
able and apparently intermin-
able series of statistical data are
prepared and rushed into print
by multiplying agencies. The
mass manufacture of statistics
seems to threaten the very com-
prehension it is designed to pro-
vide. Sometimes, statisticians
appear to be more concerned
with the esoteric thrills of their

technique than with enlighten-
ment.

Ah, pity the layman, lost in
this maze! How he must despair
of ever achieving a working
understanding of the elongated
tables thrust upon him!

One path through this wilder-
ness was clearly charted by Pro-
fessor Wesley C. Mitchell when
he stated: ‘‘The impetus toward
the collection of statisties came
from practical activities . . .
Most of the ever-shifting issues
in the political life of modern
nations have had their economic
aspects . . . the history of sta-
tistics in every country bears

the impress of its social strug-
gles’? (Business Cycles, 1928
edition, page 197).

If government employees,
therefore, are to protect and ad-
vance their Social and economic
well-being, they must, of neces-
sity, deal with and analyze. the
various statistical measures in-
fluencing their situation.

All that can be done in this
very brief article is introduce
some of the more important
guideposts. These are listed in
the accompanying table. This
tabulation is, by no means, ex-
haustive. In many ways, these

(Continued on page 16)

Measure

PURCHASING POWER OF
THE DOLLAR‘

DO)
As measured Mi wholesale prices
Consumer

ty
feeonal, USE
Total Wages and Salaries,
Government Civilian Com
Savings Deposits, N.
Personal, Consumptio
EMPLOYME)

‘Expenditures!

AND
UNEMPLOYMENT

Total Estimated Employment, US®

Total Estimated Unemployment, US®.

PRODUCTION, CONSTRUCTION,

DOMESTIC TRADE

Index of Industrial Production adjusted,

Construction Contracts Awarded 37
States®
Construction Cost Index, av. 30 cities®
Department Store Sales Adjusted, UST
Manufacturers Sales Total!
Manufacturers Inventories, Book Value?
BANKING AND FINANCE
Total Consumer Short Term Credit’
Bank Debits?
Velocity GS pena Deposits, N.Y.C.7

Pot ad eiod only. This index number was exceeded during a number of the war years.
. (J)—January 1949. (F) 949.

1U.S. eeeeoaly of Commerce; 2U.S. Bureau of Labor ‘Stat
4Federal Reserve Bank of New York; ®Savings Banks Association of the State of New York; SU.S,

(D)—December

Base Year
‘oF unit

(F) 158.5

(J) 197
(J) 174

(D)10.26

Billions of dollars ‘D) 181.0

Thousands

(F)57,168
‘Thousands

(F)3,221

00
=10

Millions of dollars
Millions of dollars
Annual rate of turnover

(D) 15,957
(D) 109,908
(D) 286

February

Percent Latest
decline figure
Record from. converted
high record 10
figure and high to 1935-39—=
date latent 100
49.6
58.3
48.8
(Ag48) 174.5 3.2 169
(Jy48) 216.8 79 199.7
(Ag48) 196.3 19 192.5
(Jn48) 307 16.0 241
(Ag48) 251 24 191
(Oct46) 133 :
(Ag48) 169.5 65 196.7
(Jan49) 197 — 197
(Jan49) 174 - 14
(D48) 139.6 — 331
(D48) 16.2 - 221
(D48) 10,326 _ 195
(D48) 181.0 = 285
(Jy48) 61,615 12 102.3*
(F49) 3,221 - 60.4
(048) 198** 55, 189
(My48) 37,282 35.2 169
(048) 504, 0.6 291
(Jy48) 316 22 309
(S48) 367 69 342
((D48) 296 — 296
(D48) 15,957 _- 249
D48) 109,908 ae 329
(D48) 28.6 — 167

SUS. Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Dept of Agriculture:

. Bureau of Census, Dept. of

Commerce; 7Board of Governors of Federal Reserve Bank; 8F. W. Dodge Corporation; American " Appraisal Co.

14

Spring Issue
Se State of New York invites the

readers of Merit to send for its new

official 196-page, full-color vacation

guide.

You can obtain this handsome

free book—the most complete ever

published by any state—by mailing

the coupon below.

THOMAS E, DEWEY

HAROLD KELLER
Commissioner of Commerce

NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Dept. M-1, 112, State Street, Albany 7, New York

Please send me your free official guide book “New York State Vacationlands.”
(If you are particularly interested in any of the fifteen New York State vaca-
tion regions listed below, please check.)

C Niagra Frontier

(CO Chautauqua-Allegany
CO Genesee Valley

O Finger Lakes

C1 Southern Tier

Name.

CO. Capital District
O Hudson-Taconic
2 Long Island

C2 1000 Istands-St. Lawrence () Catskills
O Central New York

D Adirondacks
OO Mohawk Valley
() Saratoga-Lake George

CO New York City

Address.

(PLEASE PRINT)

City

Merit

15

~ LEGISLATIVE
REPORT

(Continued from page 7)

none, as yet, have been vetoed,
although it is not unlikely that a
few may meet this fate before
the end of the month. Six of the
bills passed in one house or the
other, leaving 31 bills which
failed to pass either house.

Among the most important of
the bills that have passed both
houses are the following:

The Erwin-Wilcox bill, which
extends the present ‘‘Lupton
Law’’ to April 1, 1950. This bill
affects some 8,000 employees and
provides that increment credit
earned for service as a temp-
orary or provisional employee
shall be retained upon appoint-
ment to the same or similar posi-
tion, It has already been signed
by the Governor and is now
Chapter 353,

The Erwin-Wilcox bill, which
liberalizes the Feld-Hamilton
Law, by providing that the ef-
fective date for the granting of
increments is changed from ‘‘be-
fore October 1, to ‘‘on or before
October 1’’, has already been
signed and is now Chapter 130.

The Graves-Barrett bill liber-
alizes the present law which re-
quires termination of employ-
ment for an inadvertent failure
to file an oath of office. This bill,
sponsored by the Association,
which has been signed by the
Governor, is Chapter 420 of the
Laws of 1949. It provides that
employment shall be terminated
only for a ‘‘refusal or willful’’
failure to file the oath.

A number of bills are still
awaiting action by the Governor,
including the Halpern-Barrett

bill which extends unemploy-
ment insurance to per diem em-
ployees and those who have been
employed. for less than one year;
the Hammond-Tifft bill which
authorizes transfer of local em-
ployees within the limits of a
county; the Campbell-Bennison
bill authorizing municipalities to
pay for overtime work; the
Seanlon-Martini bill, providing
that a Civil Service employee,
serving as a juror in a court of
record, is entitled to retain the
jury fees received-for such jury
duty.

A number of other bills will
be summarized in the final Legis-
lative Report in the next issue of
Merit.

Get A New Member
TODAY !

Give pages 10 and 11 to any
non-member.

Then give the non-member
an Application for Membership.

HONEYMOON LODGE

or Eorl Woodward's Villoge, Lake

George, N.Y., $56 week up includes

board, motorboat, sailboat, aluminum
canoes, tennis, etc. Booklet C.

COUNTRY CLUB
DUDE RANCH

Lake Luzerne, N.Y. special Spring

Booklet C.

SPECIAL LOW RATES

FOR JUNE
$9.00 and up per person per day
including 3 delicious meals

BROWN SWAN CLUB

SCHROON LAKE, N.Y., In the Adirondack State Park
A PINE AND BALSAM SCENTED PARADISE

OPENS MAY 27

for another gay vacation season

For Reservations or Information, Write or Telephone Schroon Lake 16
‘Until May Ist Tel. Warrensburg 4151

PRIVATE COTTAGES
FOR HONEYMOONERS

Sandy Bathing Beach - Golf
All Resort Activities

STATISTICS
(Continued from page 14)

measures duplicate arid influence
each other. Each individual
measure is, in itself, a summary
of a large, complex number of
factors. Equally competent an-
alysis differ on the relative sig-
nificance of these data. This
table, however, brings together
most of the accepted basic meas-
ures of salary, economic and
business activity in relationship
and in one field of view.

A study of the measures,
shown in this table, should sup-
ply a factual basis for the an-
alysis of current economic de-
velopments, The latest available
figures at the time of publication
(March 1949) and the change in
these figures from pre-war and
record peaks are shown. Turning
points were experienced in most.
of these series in the last months
of 1948. Movements within these
data, therefore, take on added
significance,

A series of articles is now be-
ing planned for publication in
The Civil Service Leader ex-
plaining and clarifying these in-
dexes and measures so that the
layman can make full use of the
valuable data available to him.
oo

THE CAPITOL
RESTAURANT

IN THE STATE CAPITOL

Splendid Food
Pleasant Atmosphere

Open Daily from 7 A.M, to 7 P.M.
Saturdays from 7 A.M. to 3 P.M.

Under the management of

| PETER GIFTOS

CONSULT AN OCCULIST
FOR YOUR EYES
FREDETTE’S
Dispensing
Opticians
Complete Optical Service
DIAL 42754

63-A Columbia St, Albany, N. ¥.

16

Spring Issue
ONONDAGA
(Continued from page 13) |
cuse, we hope, in the near future,
to interest the employees of On-
ondaga County to become mem-
bers of the Association and a
part of Onondaga Chapter. I
firmly believe that the affiliation
and membership of Onondaga
County employees will have a
most satisfactory effect at both
city and county levels of employ-
ment.

The members of Onondaga
Chapter are very well satisfied
with the choice of The Civil Ser-
vice Employees Association, Inc.,
as their employee organization.

BE CAREFUL

The State Division of the
Treasury is having another at-
tack of pay check mutilation.

In spite of repeated pleas that
the State punch ecard salary
checks ‘‘should not be folded,
perforated, stapled or otherwise
mutilated,’’ Taxation and Fi-
nance Commissioner Spencer E.
Bates said today that careless
handling of checks has again seri-
ously complicated Treasury
bookkeeping operations.

Checks which have been mu-
tilated cannot be machine pro-
cessed in the Treasury bookkeep-
ing and reconciliation opera-
tions.

When the punch card check
system was initiated some two
years ago, 14% of the cancelled
checks could not be processed
through tabulating machines be-
cause of folding or multilation.
In response to Treasury pleas for
greater care in handling, this
percentage was quickly reduced
to 4%. However, during the past
few months, the percentage of
mutilation has jumped to 22%.

“‘The cooperation of every
State employee in eliminating
this condition will be deeply ap-
preciated,’’ Commissioner Bates
declared.

ESTABLISHED 1898

STATE EMPLOYES!

Do ALL Your Banking

Conveniently
at BANK of
COMMERCE

It's easy and economical to do
business with Bank of Commerce
—by phone or by mail. For
instance: You can arrange a loan
by phone, at low bank rates,
which you can repay by mail.
There's no need to come to the Bank. Just phone 3-2268
and ask for Mail Loan Service. No red tape — no embar-
rassing questions.

Here are a few of Bank of Commerce modern services
that may be of help to you:

PERSONAL LOANS PERSONAL CHECKING

CO-MAKER LOANS SCEGUNTS
CHRISTMAS AND
AUTOMOBILE LOANS VACATION ACCOUNTS

2% THRIFT ACCOUNTS * MAIL LOAN SERVICE

4

Ze

50 STATE STREET
Open 9to4 Phone 3-2268

Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Authorized <B> Member

“Our Business Is Growing”

UNUSUAL FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS
We Grow Our Own

Merit

FLORIST

7
You are invited to inspect
our “famous fifty” patterns
of sterling silver place settings
priced from $21.38 to $91.50

CHARLES HEISLER

SILVER CRAFTSMAN GEM CONSULTANT
109 STATE ST.— ALBANY 7, N.Y.

Near State Office Bidg. Phone 5-2568

BE SURE TO SEE OUR
. display of
LIVING, DINING, BEDROOM AND
SUN ROOM SUITES

Budget Plan Available
HARRY SIMMONS CoO.., INC.

DEPENDABLE FURNITURE SINCE 1865
59-61 State Street

OPEN THURSDAYS UNTIL 9 P.M.

Albany, N.Y.

18

th

‘DINNER 6 to 9

James G. Tebbutt

Marshall W. Tebbutt. Jr.

Cebbutt

Fuueral Service
Since 1850 ~

176 STATE ST., ALBANY

00-LA-LA

OPP. STATE CAPITOL

tn the De Witt Clinton
MAIN DINING ROOM,

Savor... . Flavor ... . Our
chefs go.all: out to make
you food-happy!
You'll like the service
You'll like the prices...
You'll like the FOOD!
What more would you ask?

LUNCHEON 12 to 2°

GOVERNOR DEWEY AT

ANNUAL | DINNER
(Continued from page 4)

“Tt may not be perfect but I
am very hopeful that it will
work. I heartily assure you in
this respect—if it does not work,
‘we will sit down as we always do
with your officers to find a way
to make it work.

“One of the things which
came to me in the six years that
I have been in Albany is the
growing feeling of the friend-
ship and mutual confidence and
respect that has developed be-
tween members of the Executive
Staff of the Government and the
Officers of your Association. I
don’t believe that I have ever
seen a relationship grow more
speedily and on a firmer founda-
tion. It was apparently a new
idea at the time and a great
many of the people said it
wouldn’t work, that ‘You can-
not deal with people in Gov-
ernment!’ But the answer is:
You can! when you sit around
the table with anybody who has
good will, high purpose and
loyalty to the people of the State,
you can work out any problem
you might have. You can do it!

““As citizens of the State, we
have not always wholly agreed.
If we did, it would not be human,
but the nice thing about it is, as
all the facts come out and each
side learn something about the
problems of the other, there
emerges a high area of agree-
ment, and a professional rela-
tionship with what I suppose is
the largest Association of pro-
fessional people that I know of
represented in a_ professional
way, with dignity and with very
great skill.

“*T want to pay tribute to your
officers and all the chapters of
the Association — to the 75,000
people who carry out the job of
running the greatest State in the
Nation. The people you repre-
sent have carried high the idea
that Government service is loy-
alty to a tradition— to an ideal
— that a free government means
serving the people.

“You have made it work —I
salute you and I am delighted to
be with you tonight.”’

Spring Issue

OF THE ASSOCIATION’S GROUP PLAN OF INSURANCE
WITH ANY OTHER ACCIDENT AND HEALTH POLICY

LOW COST - EASY PAYMENTS » BROAD COVERAGE » PREGNANCY COVERED «+ FIVE YEAR

ACCIDENT COVERAGE - MENTAL DISEASES COVERED + NO INDIVIDUAL CANCELLATIONS

INO MUTUAL ASSESSMENTS « NO CHANGE IN RATE UP TO AGE 70 + ALL WOMEN’S AND
MEN’S DISEASES COVERED

Every PUBLIC EMPLOYEE whose application is accepted will be issued his or her own policy and
have the right of renewing it, up to age 70, so long as he or she is employed as a public employee
and a paid-up member in the State or County Division of The Civil Service Employee Association
and as long as premiums are paid and the group remains in force.

Rates will not increase nor will benefits diminish, with advancing age.

Most important of all is the fact that after a claim is paid your policy cannot be endorsed, ridered,
or cancelled except as explained in the first paragraph above.

This Group Plan of Accident and Sickness Insurance was made available to members, after a great
effort on the part of your Association. This one Association service saves you each year many times
the amount of your membership dues. Keep your protection in force—it is valuable. Remember you
must join the Association if you are not already a member and then you must maintain your member-
ship, or the Company can refuse to renew your insurance.

$2,000,000.00 PAID OUT IN

CLAIMS TO DATE

LOOK AT THESE LOW SEMI-MONTHLY RATES!

PRINCIPAL SUM $500.00 PLAN 1

Classification Regular Coverage Occupational’ Gaveroge
Employees with Annual Monthly See Note Below? Non-Clerical Employees
Salary of Benefit Males Females Moles Females
Less than $600. $ 30. $ 45 65 $ 75 $1.05
$ 600. but less than $1,000. $ 50. $ 75 $1.05 $1.20 $1.70
$1,000. but less than $1,200. $ 60. $ .90 $1.25 $1.45 $2.00
$1,200. but less than $1,600. | $ 75. $1.10 $1.55 $1.85 $2.50
$1,600. but less than $3,500. $100. $1.45 $2.05 $2.35 $3.30
$3,500. but less than $5,000. $125. $1.80 $2.60 $2.95 $4.15
$5,000, and over $150. $2.20 $3.10 $3.50 $4.90

(Select your salary classification, then select any monthly benefit equal to that classification or any
lesser amount).

Note: Employees engaged in Office or Clerical Work exclusively, shall be insured against sickness or
injuries sustained both on and off the job, at Plan | rates.

Write Today for Full Details

TER BUSH & POWELL, Inc.

148 CLINTON STREET SCHENECTADY, N.Y.

Your Sp

H |
rer Wacation
Plan It NOW!

Whether your holiday takes you to EUROPE, FLORIDA, CALIFORNIA, NATIONAL PARKS,
SAGUENAY GREAT LAKES . . . BANFF and LAKE LOUISE in the lovely Canadian
Rockies . . . southward cruising to the colorful BERMUDA, WEST INDIES, SOUTH AMER-
ICA, PANAMA CANAL, MEXICO, or HONOLULU.

B [ R M [ ] D A TRAVEL HEADQUARTERS
SEA - AIR - HOTELS

STEAMER, AIR, RAIL or MOTOR COACH space goes quickly. Whether you join a care-
fully planned Conducted Tour or travel independently, hotel reservations, sightseeing and
Travelers’ Cheques must be secured in ADVANCE.

S

Wherever you go you can
of services through this off
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@ welcome and expec!

jin complete travel information ond an invaluable combination

The Cruises and Conducted Tours of this world-wide travel

and the Independent Traveler under our quidance becomes
guest. Our staff aids you in making your journey
pleasant and care-free.

TWO OUTSTANDING TRAVEL BARGAINS FOR 1949

TWO-WEEKS ALL EXPENSE TOUR

California Grand Canyon - Los Angeles - San Diego - San Francisco
Riverside - Muer Woods

$299.50 inc. tax
Every Expense Albany to Albany
NINE DAY WONDER TOUR
‘ellowstone Park Visiting - Old Faithful Canyon Hotel

$244.50 inc. tax
Every Expense Albany to Albany

FOLDER FREE ON REQUEST

NSING’S TRAVEL BUREAU

WE TAKE RAVEL OUT OF TRAVEL :
HOWARD J. CURTIS WILLIAM J. HACKER\<
Telephone 3-1253

507 BROADWAY, ALBANY 7, N. Y.