(2) We suggest legislation to extend the acts of Congress applying the competitive system of the police and fire services to all the municipal departments of the government of the District of Columbia, as is done in other large cities of the country.

(3) We recommend legislation that the positions of deputy collector of internal revenue and of deputy marshal be restored to the classified service.

We have the honor to be,

Very respectfully,

WILLIAM C. DEMING,

G. R. WALES,
JESSIE DELL,

Commissioners.

The PRESIDENT,

The White House.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHIEF EXAMINER

OCTOBER 6, 1927.

The COMMISSION:

The following table contains the number of persons examined and appointed during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1927:

1 Report showing the results of the examinations of all persons for designation as cadet or midshipman made to the Member of Congress for whom such examinations are held.

2 The work of the commission in connection with examinations for entrance to the Naval Academy is confined to the conduct of examinations, the papers for the examinations being furnished by the Navy Department and returned to that department as soon as received by the commission from the various examination places.

3 Appointments in unclassified services are only partially reported to the commission.

The number of different occupations or kinds of positions for which examinations were held is 949, in addition to those held for mechanical trades and similar occupations. This number is 29 less than that for the fiscal year 1926. There was an increase of 45,682 in the total number of persons examined. For the classified service the increase in number examined was 48,833. The number of persons examined for postmaster (first, second, and third class) under the Executive order of May 10, 1921, decreased 363 from the preceding fiscal year.

For classified positions in the several branches of the Postal Service the following table gives the number examined during the fiscal years 1926 and 1927:

The number of information circulars, application forms, and cards distributed during the year was 4,017,891, as compared with 3,540,815 for the preceding year. The number of visitors at the information office in Washington was 86,503, as against 87,707 for 1926. The number of letters and other communications received in the application division, aside from formal applications, was 376,950, as compared with 311,330 for 1926. The number of formal applications received in the division was 150,199, as compared with 96,498 the preceding year. Preference claims of 54,033 ex-service men were investigated, 17,065 being considered in the commission's Washington office and 36,968 in its district offices.

The number of persons debarred from future examinations was 1,340, of which number 1,145 were barred because of false statements in applications, 140 because of unsuitability, 32 for copying or collusion in examinations, 11 for submitting fraudulent theses or vouchers, etc.

APPEALS AND INVESTIGATIONS

The division of investigation and review considered 5,356 appeals from ratings made by examiners in the examining division. Changes in ratings on appeals numbered 149.

This division supervised 135 field investigations and made investigations in 31 cases in which an Executive order was proposed waiving some provision of the civil-service rules. Decisions were rendered in 7,143 cases as to whether a further examination was required in connection with proposed changes in status of employees in the service. Personal investigations as to the suitability and fitness of 230 applicants for policeman and fireman in the District of Columbia were made, while oral examinations were given to 570 persons who competed for positions of detective or investigator.

I wish to invite special consideration to the report herewith of the director of research. It shows further advance in the direction of improved and more adequate tests for entrance to the service.

In view of the fact that my service as chief examiner began only a little more than three months prior to the close of the fiscal year, I have chosen not to discuss at this time, or to make recommendations concerning, the different activities within the jurisdiction of the chief examiner's office. Among the problems which have pressed for administrative solution the most urgent relate to the varied examinations for the newly organized Bureau of Prohibition. Types of examinations were devised and written tests were held during the closing months of the fiscal year. The rating of the tests and oral examinations and investigations as to the honesty, integrity, and character of competitors are problems for the current fiscal year, and their discussion may well be postponed to the next annual report.

Respectfully submitted.

H. A. EDSON, Chief Examiner.

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH

The COMMISSION (through Chief Examiner):

A major problem of the research division during the past year has been in connection with the selection of employees for the Prohibition Bureau. Selection of these employees has necessitated the use not only of written tests but also of oral tests specially designed to measure certain qualifications which can be best determined through that means. The development of these tests has been complicated by the difficulty of insuring similar opportunities to those who have and those who have not been in the prohibition service.

This selection has also necessitated development of procedure for making thorough investigation of the character of each applicant who passes the written and the oral parts of the examination.

The research division has devoted particular attention to extending its policy of establishing cooperative connections with other departments of the Government. Such cooperation has made possible trials by which the relative difficulty of certain of the examinations could be determined. It has secured for the commission invaluable assistance in the development and establishment of the above-mentioned procedure for investigating the character of each individual applying for any of those positions which require such investigation.

The division has cooperated with the Air Service of the Army in the development of improved methods of selecting men to receive flying training, the object being to select only those whose aptitude for aviation work is sufficient to warrant giving them the thorough training that military aviators need.

The division was preparing to make final trials of the series of general adaptability tests which were discussed at length in last year's report. As a result of legislation in connection with the Prohibition Bureau, however, it became imperative that the selection of the personnel of that bureau receive immediate attention, and the trials were therefore postponed.

The standardized material for use in construction of spelling tests has been reviewed and organized so as to be available for use. The following report includes a discussion of the entire study through which this material has been developed.