GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION. 31 



violate any provision of the four sections above mentioned shall be fined 

 not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than three years, or both. 

 It is the duty of the Civil Service Commission to see that the civil- 

 service act and rules and the above-mentioned sections of the Criminal 

 Code, which were originally enacted as a part of the civil-service act, 

 are strictly enforced, and it will employ every legitimate and available 

 means to secure the prosecution and punishment of persons who may 

 violate them. The commission requests any persons having knowledge 

 of any such violation to lay the facts before it, that it may at once take 

 action thereon. 



(13) In accordance with an Executive order issued April 8, 1912, petitions 

 and other communications regarding public business addressed to Congress, or 

 either House, or any committee or Member thereof, by officers or employees in 

 the civil service of the United States shall be transmitted through the heads of 

 their respective departments or offices, who shall forward them without delay, 

 with such comment as they may deem requisite in the public interest. Officers 

 and employees are strictly prohibited from attempting, either directly or indi- 

 rectly, to- secure legislation or to influence pending legislation, except in the 

 manner a"bove prescribed. 



Patents. 



Employees of the Department of Agriculture are prohibited from patenting 

 for their exclusive benefit any device, process, or discovery connected with the 

 work of the department, provided such device, process, or discovery is made at 

 the expense of Government time or Government money, or both. When an 

 employee makes any new and useful discovery, or invention in the course of 

 his employment he should make application for a patent through the district 

 assistant to the solicitor. 



The patent will be taken out in the name of the inventor without any expense 

 to him, and will allow to any citizen of the United States the use of the 

 patented article or process without payment of a royalty. 



Disciplinary Measures. 



Action in cases of inefficiency or misconduct are necessary in every organiza- 

 tion. In taking action, however, it should always be kept in mind that the 

 object is the improvement of the Service and not the infliction of punishment 

 or a means of satisfaction for any error, injury, or inefficiency on the part of 

 a subordinate. Generally, severe measures have no greater influence than 

 light ones, and the policy should be to administer only such disciplinary meas- 

 ures as will protect and maintain the standards of the Service. 



It should also be remembered that disciplinary measures will never equal in 

 effectiveness close inspection to prevent misconduct or inefficiency, and that a 

 warning or reprimand administered promptly will, in most cases, render more 

 severe measures unnecessary. 



Transfers. 



When the conduct of a Forest officer has rendered it difficult or impossible 

 for him to give that service which his superior has a right to demand, but 

 which will not destroy his value to the Service in another position or on 

 another Forest, he may be transferred. Forest officers may also be transferred 

 at their own request because of ill health or for other personal reasons. 



Suspensions. 



In case of particularly flagrant misconduct by a member of the Forest force 

 the supervisor may suspend or relieve him from duty immediately, at the same 

 time reporting the circumstances in detail to the District Forester, with definite 

 recommendations for action. Ordinarily, however, when occasion for suspen- 

 sion arises, the supervisor should report the facts to the District Forester, rec- 

 ommending a suspension pending further investigation or the final disposition 

 of the case. 



Demotions. 



In general, an officer will be demoted only as the result of his inability to 

 perform properly the duties of his position. In some cases, however, demotion 

 is administered as a severe penalty for gross negligence or serious misconduct 

 of an officer in a responsible position, where the officer's action does not destroy 

 his usefulness to the Service. 



