BUREAU OF FISHERIES 141 



by the Division of Administration in the Bureau of the 

 Biological Survey. Like the latter division, it has sections 

 dealing with accounts, mails, and files, and property, and 

 clerks who act as contract agents upon matter of personnel 

 and the budget. But in addition there is a librarian, a sec- 

 tion devoted to the drawing of contracts and leases, another 

 to the maintenance of vessels in the service of the bureau 

 and a third to drafting and engineering. 



For the sections similar to those of the Biological Survey 

 little time need be taken for description. The budget is 

 handled in much the same manner in every bureau as are 

 accounts and property. A word, however, can be said in 

 regard to personnel. The employees of the bureau located 

 in Washington, D. C. are given an efficiency rating accord- 

 ing to the method developed by the Bureau of Efficiency 5 * 

 and used for all federal employees in Washington. The 

 field personnel of the national government until the long- 

 awaited reclassification act goes through are not under any 

 uniform system of efficiency rating. The Bureau of Fish- 

 eries on its own initiative has evolved a simple method 

 which has proved to be of considerable value in determining 

 promotions. Each superintendent or agent in the field is 

 required to grade the employees under him quarterly upon 

 a form prepared by the Division of Administration. 



The form provided for name, title of position, and a 

 numerical grade upon the basis of i-ioo for conduct, effi- 

 ciency, and health. Its defects are fairly obvious inasmuch 

 as opinions will differ on what constitutes conduct and what 

 efficiency. Equally defective is the numerical method of 

 grading. Yet even with these defects, which the bureau 

 administrators are the first to recognize, the ratings are of 



54 The Bureau of Efficiency was abolished by Act of March 3, 1933, 

 47 Stat. L. 519, but the Bureau of Fisheries continues to use the same 

 method of efficiency ratings. 



