19
ers from the public service. The bur
den of proof as to his right to keep his
place, based upon efficient work, must
always be placed upon the employee.
Third, it is held that the merit system
is expensive to administer. It requires
a special group of personnel, examina
tion costs, etc. This is a difficult ob
jection to rebut. O f course, the ad
ministration of "spoils” personnel pro
cedures is not without cost. Somebody
in this type of organization must do
the "hiring and firing.” It is possible,
if responsibilities for personnel matters
were integrated in the merit system,
that the costs might be considerably
reduced by economies effected. The
increasing emphasis on standardized
personnel practices in private industrial
firms would seem to testify that they
have found them to be financially ad
vantageous.
Finally, it is said that the present
time with the absence of millions of
our young men and women in mili
tary service, is not opportune for the
installation of a merit system in the
state government. Perhaps no time is
ever entirely opportune for the estab
lishment of such a system. However,
in Oregon the merit system could be
established only after an extended pe
riod of preparation. The next regular
session of the Legislature will convene
in January 1945. If the appropriate
legislation were passed then, several
months would elapse before the merit
system organization could be set up,
the classification plan completed, and
the examination program carried out.
It is unlikely that a merit system
could be put into effect in Oregon be
fore January 1946. It is hoped that
that date will see a happier and more
normal situation.
It is a truism to say that government
is asuming more and greater responsi?
bilities. These result in an expanded
personnel and increased cocts. No one
need assume the role of a seer to antici
pate the increasing emphasis upon effi
ciency and economy in governmental
administration. This will inevitable
result in an insistence upon the estab
lishment and maintenance of the merit
principle in governmental personnel ad
ministration. The Oregon state govern
ment will be no exception to this
trend.
Pre General Council Meeting of the
Board of Directors
A Pre General Council Meeting of
the Board of Directors was held in the
Chamber of Commerce Rooms, Salem,
Oregon, February 12, 1944. The meet-
Ocean Dock Terminal
& Supply Co.
Building M aterial
Marshfield, Ore.
ing was called to order by President
W. W. Stiffler at 10 a. m. with the
following directors present:
W. W. Stiffler, President
Forrest Cooper, Vice President
I. A. DeFrance, Secretary-Treasurer
A. J. Ford, District Director
Tom Edwards, District Director
E. F. Chidsey, District Director.
R. M. Smith, District Director for
Dist No. 2, was absent.