NATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE REFORM LEAGUE Organized 1881 The National Civil Service Reform League was organized in 1881, with George William Curtis as its first President. Since then the Presidents have been, in succession, Carl Schurz, Daniel C. Gilman, Joseph H. Choate, Charles W. Eliot, Richard Henry Dana, William Dudley Foulke, Robert Catherwood, Thomas W. Swan and George McAneny. PROCEEDINGS-46th ANNUAL MEETING of the NATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE REFORM LEAGUE New York City, May 11, 1927. The first session of the forty-sixth annual meeting of the National Civil Service Reform League was held at the City Club, 55 West 44th Street, New York City, on Wednesday, May 11, at 9:30 a. m. The annual report of the Council of the League, printed in full elsewhere, was unanimously adopted. Thomas W. Swan, retiring President of the League, was unable to be present, owing to his duties on the bench of the United States Circuit Court of Appeals. The address of Judge Swan was read by the Secretary of the League. The following minute concerning Judge Swan's retirement as President was unanimously adopted: The National Civil Service Reform League, at its annual meeting, heartily congratulates its late President, Thomas W. Swan, upon his appointment to the bench as Circuit Judge of the United States, and also the Government upon having secured for this position so eminent and capable a jurist. At the same time, it expresses its regret that, as a consequence, it has lost his services as its President. It records its appreciation of what he has done for the League in that capacity. He brought to the Council those qualities of fineness of judgment, understanding of problems, and effective cooperation which are so necessary in guiding its work— qualities which are certain to make his judicial work of great value. It thanks him for his devotion, extends to him its best wishes, and assumes that it will continue to have his sympathetic, if not immediately active interest in its continued efforts to better the public service. Statements were made by representatives of local Associations as follows: 1. By Miss Marian C. Nichols in behalf of the Women's Auxiliary of the Massachusetts Civil Service Reform Association. 2. By Mrs. Murry Nelson in behalf of the Civil Service Association of Chicago. 3. By Mr. Albert Smith Faught in behalf of the Pennsylvania Civil Service Association. 4. By Mr. Charles G. Morris in behalf of the Connecticut Civic Association. 5. By Samuel H. Ordway in behalf of the New York Civil Service Reform Association. Other statements were received from the following local Associations: Mrs. F. H. Cole, Nebraska; Mr. Walter H. Buck, Maryland; Mr. Arthur H. Brooks, Massachusetts. The Secretary submitted a report on behalf of the Committee on Nominations for the election of President, Vice-Presidents and members of the Council. On motion, the Secretary was authorized to cast one ballot for the election of the persons nominated. The Secretary reported one ballot cast and the persons were declared elected. The list in full is printed elsewhere. The Secretary presented for the consideration of the meeting the resolution adopted by the Council at its meeting on March 10, to amend the constitution of the League, as follows: Resolved, That the second paragraph of Article VIII of the Constitution of the National Civil Service Reform League be amended by adding to it the sentence: "Three members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum, but in a meeting of the Committee at which less than five members shall be present one of them shall be either the President of the League or the Chairman of the Council." And also by changing the word "their" to "its" in the second sentence of the second paragraph of Article VIII, so that the entire paragraph as amended shall read: "There shall be an Executive Committee of nine members consisting of seven members of the Council appointed by the President, and the President and the Chairman of the Council. It shall meet at regular periods, or on notice to all by any of its own members, or on notice from the Secretary. Subject to the control of the Council it shall have authority to exercise all the powers of the Council on all matters requiring, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, immediate action whenever the Council be not in session, and shall report its proceedings at each meeting of the Council. Three members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum, but in a meeting of the Commitee at which less than five members shall be present one of them shall be either the President of the League or the Chairman of the Council." After discussion, the proposed amendment to the constitution was adopted, Miss Nichols wishing to be recorded as voting in the negative. The meeting then adjourned to the Hotel Roosevelt. The second session of the League's annual meeting was held at luncheon in conjunction with the New York Civil Service Reform Association, in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the local Association. After the business of the New York Association was disposed of, Mr. George McAneny, the newly elected President of the League, made his first annual address. The address in full is printed elsewhere. The third session of the League's annual meeting was held at the City Club at 3:30 p. m. Addresses were offered by Hon. William Drennan, Civil Service Commissioner of the City of New York, and Albert de Roode, Chairman of the Law Committee of the New York Civil Service Reform Association and member of the Council of the League. On behalf of the Committee on Resolutions, the Secretary offered a draft of resolutions of the League which were unanimously adopted. REPORT OF THE COUNCIL May 11, 1927 Bills in Congress The number of bills introduced and the debates in both the House and the Senate respecting civil service matters in the 69th Congress indicate a degree of interest in the subject on the part of the members of Congress greater than in many years. Two bills passed by the Congress and signed by the President are directed against and will undoubtedly do much to abolish the practice of bartering government offices which is so prevalent in certain sections of the country. One of the bills, introduced by Representative Wurzbach of Texas, provides that each person appointed to a federal office must file with the Comptroller General an affidavit stating "that neither he nor anyone acting in his behalf has given, transferred, promised or paid any consideration for or in the expectation or hope of receiving assistance in securing such appointment." The act prohibits the Comptroller General from authorizing payment of salary until such affidavit has been filed. The other bill, introduced by Representative Stevenson of South Carolina, prohibits the payment, solicitation or receipt of any sum of money or "thing of value" for the purpose of procuring an appointment to an appointive office in the federal government and makes anyone convicted of violation of the act subject to imprisonment or fine or both such imprisonment and fine. Throughout its existence the League has sought to abolish the practice of buying and selling public offices. In spite of its efforts and in spite of the generally strict provisions of the United States civil service law, the vicious practice has persisted, particularly in the |