In regard to the position of Civil servants in relation
to politics, the Commissioners content themselves with some general recommendations of a tentative character, and advise the institution of a special inquiry to deal with the whole subject. To sum up, the Commissioners uphold the competitive system and would extend it. It is pointed out that, of the sixty thousand persons concerned, only twenty thousand are appointed by open competition and two thousand more by limited competition. While admitting that University education and life produce the best type of publics servant, they express a desire to see the Scottish, Irish, and the young English and Welsh Univer- sities assert more vigorously their claim to share in Civil Service appointments. The Minority Report, signed by Sir Henry Primrose, Mr. A. A. Booth, and Sir Guy Granet, recommends a somewhat different reorganization of the lower grades, is opposed to transference from one department to another, and advocates more decisive limitation of the civil rights of Civil servants. But in the main it is in substantial agreement with the Majority Report. The virtual unanimity of the very moderate recommendations made is all the more remarkable in view of the fact that the Commission included, besides the Duke of Devonshire, the Bishop of Southwark, and some Civil servants of high rank, two Liberal and two Conservative M.P.'s, two Labour Members, and a Fabian.
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