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THE UNITED AMERICAN
AUGUST 1925
Ninety-two Thousand War Veterans Are Working for Uncle Sam
Of Three Hundred and Fifteen Thousand who Applied Within Five Years, Two Hundred and Twenty-Four;
Thousand Have Qualified for Service in Federal Offices, Benefitted by Preferential Legislation
Favoring the Veterans Who have Seen Service in Foreign Wars
'T'HE UNATTACHED and uninformed veterans of perform the particular work to which appointment is
1 the recent American wars who are going up and made. On this point the government is trying to be
down the country assailing the public, the government absolutely fair.
and the private employer for giving preference, in
However, other things being equal, or approxi
matter of employment, to men who never bore arms in mately so, those who have faced the perils and priva
defense of the country should look up some very perti tions of war should be given preference. An act of
nent official figures from Washington through which we Congress of July 11, 1919, provides:
learn that approximately three hundred and fifteen
That hereafter in making appointments to ' clerical and
thousand claims for preference in appointment to posi other positions in the executive branch of the government in
tions in the classified civil service have been allowed by the District of Columbia or elsewhere, preference shall be
the United States civil service commission under the given to honorably discharged soldiers, sailors and marines,
veteran preference acts of March 3 and July 11, 1919. and widows of such, and to the wives of injured soldiers, sailors
and marines who themselves are not qualified, but whose
Of the three hundred and fifteen thousand veterans wives are qualified to hold such positions.
who entered examinations about two hundred and
Preference regulations promulgated by executive
twenty-four thousand qualified and became eligible for
appointment, and more than ninety-two thousand order under the general provisions of the law allow to
the veteran many advantages.
actually have received appointment.
From March 15, 1923, to June 30, 1924, one
These figures, it is officially said, do not mean
thousand
two hundred and seventeen disabled veterans
that the federal civil force has been increased by
the appointment of veterans. On the other hand the were appointed under the rule allowing the addition of
government maintains that there has been a reduc ten points to the earned rating.
During the year ended June 30, 1924, one thousand
tion of more than three hundred and sixty thousand
employes since the Armistice. But the turnover in nine hundred and twenty-nine appointments were made
a force so large as the federal civil service requires through examinations to positions of rural carrier.
from fifty thousand to seventy-five thousand appoint Ninety-one such appointments were made by reinstate
ments each year to fill vacancies, notwithstanding the ment and three hundred and twenty-one by transfer. Of
the total number of appointees, nine hundred and seven
net reductions.
Veteran preference legislation and regulations are ty-two were ex-service men. When the figures for the
based upon the belief that men who served the nation present fiscal year become available, they doubtless
faithfully with the colors are entitled to a certain will show that the proportion of veterans was equally
preference in appointment to positions in the civil as great.
Positions of postmaster at first, second and third
service. The public has on innumerable occasions
indicated that the American sentiment is back of the class offices are not classified under the civil service
contention that our veterans deserve and should have law. By executive order, however, veterans are given
a certain preference in appointment to these positions.
all possible consideration.
Between May 10, 1921, and July 1, 1024, the posoffice
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department reported twelve thousand five hundred and
A further principle upon which veteran preference
regulations are based is that a veteran is entitled to
receive appointment in preference to a non-veteran
who is equally qualified. The veterans themselves
recognize the justice of the requirements of the civil
service regulations that they shall demonstrate their
ability through examination to hold positions to which
they are appointed. It is safe to assume that the big
majority of the veterans are at least as strongly inter
ested in the welfare of the government as any other
class of persons. They have risked their lives for the
good of the nation and for the maintenance of the
government. They must wish the government to be
conducted in the most efficient manner possible.
The principle of merit is the underlying foundation
for the whole civil service system of the United States.
Under the merit system it would be inconsistent if all
employes were Republicans or Democrats or Progress
ives, if all employes were Protestants or Catholics
or Jews, if all employes were soldiers or sailors or
civilians. The appointees must be drawn from all
classes, and the first consideration must be ability to
twenty-eight nominations for appointment as the result
of examinations for postmasterships at first, second
and third class offices. Of the total number nominated
during this period, two thousand one hundred and
sixty-four were ex-service men.
These typical figures indicate in a definite way the
practical operation of the veteran preference law and
regulations.
SONNET
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments; love is not love.
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove;
0, no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests, and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.
Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickles’ compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error, and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
—Shakespeare