Many of the people concerning whom we are now talking are required to take care of insane men on a 12-hour shift. This is dangerous and never-wracking work and if anything these people should have a shorter period of duty than the ordinary Government employee. The reverse, however, is true. There are thousands of attendants who work in excess of 8 hours a day. In fact, there are very few attendants in the Veterans' Administration in comparison to the total number who do work an 8-hour day. In February 1935, a survey made by the Veterans' Administration showed that the sum of $475,000 would be necessary to hire enough attendants so as to provide an 8-hour shift for day ward attendants and that $300,000 would be necessary to provide enough additional mess attendants so that the mess attendants might go on an 8-hour shift. This $775,000 would not provide for alleviating the working hours of night attendants. It is believed, however, that a comparatively smaller sum would be necessary to relieve the night attendants, first, because mess attendants are not involved, and, secondly, because the proportion of attendants necessary in the nighttime in veterans' hospitals is much smaller than the number required in the day time since the day force does the cleaning and the night force for the most part only performs a surveillance work and the helpfulness necessary to patients who wake during the night. It seems absurd to present any discussion or argument in favor of the appropriation of the necessary amount to put the attendants in various hospitals on a reasonable working hour basis. Our Federation asks that there be appropriated an additional sum of $1,000,000 specifically allocated to the employing of additional personnel for the express purpose of reducing the hours of duty of attendants in veterans' facilities. The following language is suggested under Veterans' Administration in the appropriate place: "To replace money now charged against attendants in veterans' facilities for quarters, subsistence, and laundry not used by such attendants, and for charges above cost for quarters, subsistence, and laundry, $2,000,000; to employ additional attendants in veterans' facilities for the sole purpose of reducing the working hours of attendants in veterans' facilities, $1,000,000." 3. UNDER CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, APPROPRIATION то MEET NECESSARY RETIREMENT FUND COSTS This Federation again desires to express its petition that the appropriation of Congress to the civil service disability and retirement fund be increased to that amount suggested by the actuaries of the Government. 4. UNDER CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, APPROPRIATION OF SUFFICIENT MONEY TO MAINTAIN EXAMINATION STANDARDS ON HIGH LEVELS The Congress has been liberal with the Civil Service Commission in providing additional money for the purpose of permitting the examination of unduly large classes of applicants for various positions brought about by the depression, but, on the other hand, the press of such applicants has been so enormous that a natural tendency has resulted to so restrict entrance into examinations as to eliminate many persons who would be valuable to the Government. It is not desired to charge that monetary reasons have caused the Commission to lose sight of high standards of examinations, but it is desired to petition that funds be available to the Civil Service Commission such as will permit open competition to those capable of performing the duties of the various positions. Many examinations for positions have very restrictive requirements. It is not desired to state that these requirements have been restrictive because of the nonavailability of money, but certainly the nonavailability of money can only have a tendency in the direction of the elimination from competition of the vast field of reasonably qualified applicants all of whom have the right to compete in the examinations even though they may not succeed in passing. CONCLUSION The American Federation of Government Employees desires to express its appreciation and thanks to the committee for permitting the submission of its views. Economic situation in the United States, review of.. 74 Emergency Relief statistical projects, lack of value of 71 Funds granted to Board by Rockefeller Foundation and other agen- 62 Appropriation requested for fiscal year 1936, supplemental estimate Canal Zone retirement and disability. Civil officers and employees in the regular, new, emergency or relief, Examinations: Pending.. 105 92 119 116 110 111 111 108 98 747 Fee for taking civil-service examinations, advisability of charging__ Civil Service Commission-Continued. Railway postal clerk, examination for position of. Contributions to and withdrawals from_. Temporary jobs, duration of Work of the Commission, growth in Connor, R. D. W., statement of.. Dalby, Z. Lewis, statement of Eastman, Hon. J. B., statement of Page 91 126 132 135 85 133 93 421 371 85 D 136 218 162 394 162 162 218 E Administrative expenses for general work. Civilian Conservation Corps, estimated expenditures for 1937. Civil Works Administration, compensation cost of. Civil Works Administration employees and Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees, amount expended account of.. Employees' compensation fund.. Civil Works.. Emergency Conservation work. Works Progress Administration___ Occupational injury claims, increase in.. Personnel, number and duties of.. Printing and binding___ Refusal of Commission to extend compensation benefits in certain Federal Communication Commission. Charges filed against certain radio broadcasting stations. Education by radio, investigation of plan of. Employees detailed to Commission.. Telephone investigation, report on status of Telephone and telegraph, duties of Commission respecting. Federal Power Commission... Telephone and telegraph, regulation of.. Attorneys, number of, present and proposed. Automobiles, purchase, maintenance, repair, etc., of.. ederal Power Commission-Continued. Page Duties under old act and additional duties under title II of act of 1935 Electricity, etc., studies into cost of, made for Government departments... 181 195 Electric-rate survey 190 Analysis of ....... Activities under.. Estimate reduction effect on work of. Expenditures for 1937, estimated_ Federal Power Act, cost of administering Fees collected from licenses. Government dams, rental of, by private power companies.. Navigation matters, responsibility for, lies with Corps of Engineers. National Power Survey 194 180 208 175 188, 196 174 186 181 188 Public land States, amount accrued to under Federal Water Power Utility companies, survey of by Federal Power Commission and |