US Congressman. He was elected to represent Georgia's 5th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, having won a special election held to fill the seat vacated by the death of Congressman Leslie J. Steele. He served from October 2, 1929 until December 31, 1945, when he resigned his seat to become the Chairman of the United States Civil Service Commission.
Robert C. Word Ramspeck
Background
Robert C. Word Ramspeck was born on September 5, 1890 in Decatur, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, the son of Theodore Rosalva Ramspeck and Ida Gertrude Word, owners of a general mercantile, real estate, building and building supplies business. Ramspeck was one of five children.
Education
He attended local public schools and completed his secondary education at the Donald Fraser School for Boys in Decatur. He received an LL. B. degree from the Atlanta Law School in 1920.
Career
From 1907 to 1911 Ramspeck served as deputy clerk at the De Kalb County Court House, a branch of the Superior Court of Georgia. In 1911, at age twenty-one, Ramspeck went to Washington, D. C. , to work as chief clerk in the post office of the House of Representatives.
The following year he served as secretary to Congressman William Schley Howard of Georgia. In 1914, Ramspeck was appointed a deputy U. S. marshal for the Northern Georgia District and in 1917 he was promoted to chief deputy marshal.
Ramspeck was not called for World War I service because he was married and already engaged in public service.
In 1919, Ramspeck resigned his marshal's appointment to complete his law degree, for which he had been studying at night.
He was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1920. During the early years of his career, Ramspeck made his living by selling insurance and real estate; by managing and editing a weekly newspaper, the De Kalb New Era; and by the private practice of law. He also served as solicitor of the city court of Decatur from 1923 to 1927 and as city attorney from 1927 to 1929. Ramspeck was elected to serve in the Georgia Assembly during the 1929 session, where he introduced legislation to define and regulate the practice of law.
The bill passed the Georgia house but failed in the senate. Elected to the U. S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in October 1929 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Leslie J. Steele, Ramspeck served Georgia's Fifth District in Congress until he resigned sixteen years later in December 1945.
Ramspeck's efforts to extend the reach of the civil service system and to bring more professionalism to government employment challenged the well-entrenched patronage system in which public appointments were seen as rewards to be distributed by political parties. Among Ramspeck's legacies is the 1938 bill that placed postmasters under the civil service system. Another is his bill that empowered the president to bring more than 200, 000 jobs in twenty-six federal agencies into the civil service system; this bill became law in 1940, after a year-and-a-half of debate and delay tactics on the part of its opponents. Time described the final debate this way: "Gentle Bob Ramspeck, victory in sight, got tough. He took to the floor for 18 explosive minutes, with his Georgia drawl grown corrosive, laid about him with two years' pent-up wrath. When he was through, spoilsmen's bodies were figuratively heaped about him. " President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the bill with Ramspeck's fountain pen. In 1942, Ramspeck championed legislation to provide pensions for members of Congress. The provision was approved but rescinded after Congress was subjected to what Ramspeck later called "a wild and scurrilous storm of abuse. " He remained convinced that the bill was misunderstood by the public.
A congressional pensions bill was finally approved in 1946. Ramspeck served on the House Committee on Civil Service throughout his sixteen years in Congress and was its chairman from 1935 to 1945. He was secretary of the Democratic Caucus from 1937 to 1942 and was the House Democratic whip from 1942 to 1945. At the time of his resignation, he was a member of several committees, including Labor, of which he was ranking Democratic member.
When Ramspeck resigned from Congress, he explained that he did so with "deep regrets but no apologies. " Then in his fifties, he had been in public office more than thirty years.
When Ramspeck left Congress he became executive vice-president of the Air Transport Association of America, a trade group representing domestic and American-owned international airlines. President Harry S Truman named Ramspeck chairman of the U. S. Civil Service Commission in March 1951. At Ramspeck's request, Truman ordered more rigorous loyalty standards in government employment, making "reasonable doubt" of loyalty grounds for dismissal. While head of the commission, Ramspeck defended federal workers against charges of inefficiency and corruption.
In 1953, Ramspeck reported to the president on the progress of the Civil Service Commission in the previous fifteen years. He noted that in 1937 only 63 percent of federal positions were within the Civil Service System; that had grown to 92 percent by the time of his report.
He was a vice-president of Eastern Air Lines from 1953 to 1961 and remained a consultant for Eastern until 1966. He also remained active in public service. In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Ramspeck to a committee to develop a career executive program for civil servants.
In 1965, Ramspeck was appointed chairman of an advisory committee to the postmaster general, and four years later he was named chairman of a special committee to advise on government use of data processing equipment. Ramspeck died while on a visit to Castor, Louisiana. He was buried in Decatur, Georgia.
Achievements
Truman credited Ramspeck with improving morale among government workers and increasing public esteem for their service.
Politics
Ramspeck argued for a "middle ground" in labor relations, for a code of labor relations written jointly by management, labor, and the public that would protect the right of labor to organize and bargain collectively.
Personality
Ramspeck was described as "a mild, quiet man, " a "conscientious worker, " and even "fervent. " While in Congress he won a reputation as a vigorous and outspoken opponent of spoils politics and as an advocate of civil service reform and fair labor legislation.
Quotes from others about the person
In 1945, the New York Times lauded Ramspeck, saying he had "introduced or inspired more legislation of benefit to Federal employees than any other member of Congress in history. "
Connections
Ramspeck married Nobie Estelle Clay, a teacher of dramatics, on October 18, 1916; they had two children.
Father:
Theodore Rosalva Ramspeck
Mother:
Ida Gertrude Word
Spouse:
Nobie Estelle Clay
Born
September 5, 1890
Decatur, Georgia, United States
Died
September 10, 1972 (aged 82)
Castor, Louisiana, United States
Resting place
Decatur City Cemetery, Decatur, Georgia, United States
Nationality
American
Political Party
Democrat
Source 2022: Prabook is a registered trademark of World Biographical Encyclopedia, Inc.
Robert Ramspeck (September 5, 1890 — September 10, 1972), American Businessman, politician | World Biographical Encyclopedia (prabook.com)
https://prabook.com/web/robert.ramspeck/937323
Robert C. Word Ramspeck
Background
Robert C. Word Ramspeck was born on September 5, 1890 in Decatur, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, the son of Theodore Rosalva Ramspeck and Ida Gertrude Word, owners of a general mercantile, real estate, building and building supplies business. Ramspeck was one of five children.
Education
He attended local public schools and completed his secondary education at the Donald Fraser School for Boys in Decatur. He received an LL. B. degree from the Atlanta Law School in 1920.
Career
From 1907 to 1911 Ramspeck served as deputy clerk at the De Kalb County Court House, a branch of the Superior Court of Georgia. In 1911, at age twenty-one, Ramspeck went to Washington, D. C. , to work as chief clerk in the post office of the House of Representatives.
The following year he served as secretary to Congressman William Schley Howard of Georgia. In 1914, Ramspeck was appointed a deputy U. S. marshal for the Northern Georgia District and in 1917 he was promoted to chief deputy marshal.
Ramspeck was not called for World War I service because he was married and already engaged in public service.
In 1919, Ramspeck resigned his marshal's appointment to complete his law degree, for which he had been studying at night.
He was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1920. During the early years of his career, Ramspeck made his living by selling insurance and real estate; by managing and editing a weekly newspaper, the De Kalb New Era; and by the private practice of law. He also served as solicitor of the city court of Decatur from 1923 to 1927 and as city attorney from 1927 to 1929. Ramspeck was elected to serve in the Georgia Assembly during the 1929 session, where he introduced legislation to define and regulate the practice of law.
The bill passed the Georgia house but failed in the senate. Elected to the U. S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in October 1929 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Leslie J. Steele, Ramspeck served Georgia's Fifth District in Congress until he resigned sixteen years later in December 1945.
Ramspeck's efforts to extend the reach of the civil service system and to bring more professionalism to government employment challenged the well-entrenched patronage system in which public appointments were seen as rewards to be distributed by political parties. Among Ramspeck's legacies is the 1938 bill that placed postmasters under the civil service system. Another is his bill that empowered the president to bring more than 200, 000 jobs in twenty-six federal agencies into the civil service system; this bill became law in 1940, after a year-and-a-half of debate and delay tactics on the part of its opponents. Time described the final debate this way: "Gentle Bob Ramspeck, victory in sight, got tough. He took to the floor for 18 explosive minutes, with his Georgia drawl grown corrosive, laid about him with two years' pent-up wrath. When he was through, spoilsmen's bodies were figuratively heaped about him. " President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the bill with Ramspeck's fountain pen. In 1942, Ramspeck championed legislation to provide pensions for members of Congress. The provision was approved but rescinded after Congress was subjected to what Ramspeck later called "a wild and scurrilous storm of abuse. " He remained convinced that the bill was misunderstood by the public.
A congressional pensions bill was finally approved in 1946. Ramspeck served on the House Committee on Civil Service throughout his sixteen years in Congress and was its chairman from 1935 to 1945. He was secretary of the Democratic Caucus from 1937 to 1942 and was the House Democratic whip from 1942 to 1945. At the time of his resignation, he was a member of several committees, including Labor, of which he was ranking Democratic member.
When Ramspeck resigned from Congress, he explained that he did so with "deep regrets but no apologies. " Then in his fifties, he had been in public office more than thirty years.
When Ramspeck left Congress he became executive vice-president of the Air Transport Association of America, a trade group representing domestic and American-owned international airlines. President Harry S Truman named Ramspeck chairman of the U. S. Civil Service Commission in March 1951. At Ramspeck's request, Truman ordered more rigorous loyalty standards in government employment, making "reasonable doubt" of loyalty grounds for dismissal. While head of the commission, Ramspeck defended federal workers against charges of inefficiency and corruption.
In 1953, Ramspeck reported to the president on the progress of the Civil Service Commission in the previous fifteen years. He noted that in 1937 only 63 percent of federal positions were within the Civil Service System; that had grown to 92 percent by the time of his report.
He was a vice-president of Eastern Air Lines from 1953 to 1961 and remained a consultant for Eastern until 1966. He also remained active in public service. In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Ramspeck to a committee to develop a career executive program for civil servants.
In 1965, Ramspeck was appointed chairman of an advisory committee to the postmaster general, and four years later he was named chairman of a special committee to advise on government use of data processing equipment. Ramspeck died while on a visit to Castor, Louisiana. He was buried in Decatur, Georgia.
Achievements
Truman credited Ramspeck with improving morale among government workers and increasing public esteem for their service.
Politics
Ramspeck argued for a "middle ground" in labor relations, for a code of labor relations written jointly by management, labor, and the public that would protect the right of labor to organize and bargain collectively.
Personality
Ramspeck was described as "a mild, quiet man, " a "conscientious worker, " and even "fervent. " While in Congress he won a reputation as a vigorous and outspoken opponent of spoils politics and as an advocate of civil service reform and fair labor legislation.
Quotes from others about the person
In 1945, the New York Times lauded Ramspeck, saying he had "introduced or inspired more legislation of benefit to Federal employees than any other member of Congress in history. "
Connections
Ramspeck married Nobie Estelle Clay, a teacher of dramatics, on October 18, 1916; they had two children.
Father:
Theodore Rosalva Ramspeck
Mother:
Ida Gertrude Word
Spouse:
Nobie Estelle Clay
Born
September 5, 1890
Decatur, Georgia, United States
Died
September 10, 1972 (aged 82)
Castor, Louisiana, United States
Resting place
Decatur City Cemetery, Decatur, Georgia, United States
Nationality
American
Political Party
Democrat
Source 2022: Prabook is a registered trademark of World Biographical Encyclopedia, Inc.
Robert Ramspeck (September 5, 1890 — September 10, 1972), American Businessman, politician | World Biographical Encyclopedia (prabook.com)
https://prabook.com/web/robert.ramspeck/937323
US Congressman. He was elected to represent Georgia's 5th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, having won a special election held to fill the seat vacated by the death of Congressman Leslie J. Steele. He served from October 2, 1929 until December 31, 1945, when he resigned his seat to become the Chairman of the United States Civil Service Commission.
Robert C. Word Ramspeck
Background
Robert C. Word Ramspeck was born on September 5, 1890 in Decatur, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, the son of Theodore Rosalva Ramspeck and Ida Gertrude Word, owners of a general mercantile, real estate, building and building supplies business. Ramspeck was one of five children.
Education
He attended local public schools and completed his secondary education at the Donald Fraser School for Boys in Decatur. He received an LL. B. degree from the Atlanta Law School in 1920.
Career
From 1907 to 1911 Ramspeck served as deputy clerk at the De Kalb County Court House, a branch of the Superior Court of Georgia. In 1911, at age twenty-one, Ramspeck went to Washington, D. C. , to work as chief clerk in the post office of the House of Representatives.
The following year he served as secretary to Congressman William Schley Howard of Georgia. In 1914, Ramspeck was appointed a deputy U. S. marshal for the Northern Georgia District and in 1917 he was promoted to chief deputy marshal.
Ramspeck was not called for World War I service because he was married and already engaged in public service.
In 1919, Ramspeck resigned his marshal's appointment to complete his law degree, for which he had been studying at night.
He was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1920. During the early years of his career, Ramspeck made his living by selling insurance and real estate; by managing and editing a weekly newspaper, the De Kalb New Era; and by the private practice of law. He also served as solicitor of the city court of Decatur from 1923 to 1927 and as city attorney from 1927 to 1929. Ramspeck was elected to serve in the Georgia Assembly during the 1929 session, where he introduced legislation to define and regulate the practice of law.
The bill passed the Georgia house but failed in the senate. Elected to the U. S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in October 1929 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Leslie J. Steele, Ramspeck served Georgia's Fifth District in Congress until he resigned sixteen years later in December 1945.
Ramspeck's efforts to extend the reach of the civil service system and to bring more professionalism to government employment challenged the well-entrenched patronage system in which public appointments were seen as rewards to be distributed by political parties. Among Ramspeck's legacies is the 1938 bill that placed postmasters under the civil service system. Another is his bill that empowered the president to bring more than 200, 000 jobs in twenty-six federal agencies into the civil service system; this bill became law in 1940, after a year-and-a-half of debate and delay tactics on the part of its opponents. Time described the final debate this way: "Gentle Bob Ramspeck, victory in sight, got tough. He took to the floor for 18 explosive minutes, with his Georgia drawl grown corrosive, laid about him with two years' pent-up wrath. When he was through, spoilsmen's bodies were figuratively heaped about him. " President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the bill with Ramspeck's fountain pen. In 1942, Ramspeck championed legislation to provide pensions for members of Congress. The provision was approved but rescinded after Congress was subjected to what Ramspeck later called "a wild and scurrilous storm of abuse. " He remained convinced that the bill was misunderstood by the public.
A congressional pensions bill was finally approved in 1946. Ramspeck served on the House Committee on Civil Service throughout his sixteen years in Congress and was its chairman from 1935 to 1945. He was secretary of the Democratic Caucus from 1937 to 1942 and was the House Democratic whip from 1942 to 1945. At the time of his resignation, he was a member of several committees, including Labor, of which he was ranking Democratic member.
When Ramspeck resigned from Congress, he explained that he did so with "deep regrets but no apologies. " Then in his fifties, he had been in public office more than thirty years.
When Ramspeck left Congress he became executive vice-president of the Air Transport Association of America, a trade group representing domestic and American-owned international airlines. President Harry S Truman named Ramspeck chairman of the U. S. Civil Service Commission in March 1951. At Ramspeck's request, Truman ordered more rigorous loyalty standards in government employment, making "reasonable doubt" of loyalty grounds for dismissal. While head of the commission, Ramspeck defended federal workers against charges of inefficiency and corruption.
In 1953, Ramspeck reported to the president on the progress of the Civil Service Commission in the previous fifteen years. He noted that in 1937 only 63 percent of federal positions were within the Civil Service System; that had grown to 92 percent by the time of his report.
He was a vice-president of Eastern Air Lines from 1953 to 1961 and remained a consultant for Eastern until 1966. He also remained active in public service. In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Ramspeck to a committee to develop a career executive program for civil servants.
In 1965, Ramspeck was appointed chairman of an advisory committee to the postmaster general, and four years later he was named chairman of a special committee to advise on government use of data processing equipment. Ramspeck died while on a visit to Castor, Louisiana. He was buried in Decatur, Georgia.
Achievements
Truman credited Ramspeck with improving morale among government workers and increasing public esteem for their service.
Politics
Ramspeck argued for a "middle ground" in labor relations, for a code of labor relations written jointly by management, labor, and the public that would protect the right of labor to organize and bargain collectively.
Personality
Ramspeck was described as "a mild, quiet man, " a "conscientious worker, " and even "fervent. " While in Congress he won a reputation as a vigorous and outspoken opponent of spoils politics and as an advocate of civil service reform and fair labor legislation.
Quotes from others about the person
In 1945, the New York Times lauded Ramspeck, saying he had "introduced or inspired more legislation of benefit to Federal employees than any other member of Congress in history. "
Connections
Ramspeck married Nobie Estelle Clay, a teacher of dramatics, on October 18, 1916; they had two children.
Father:
Theodore Rosalva Ramspeck
Mother:
Ida Gertrude Word
Spouse:
Nobie Estelle Clay
Born
September 5, 1890
Decatur, Georgia, United States
Died
September 10, 1972 (aged 82)
Castor, Louisiana, United States
Resting place
Decatur City Cemetery, Decatur, Georgia, United States
Nationality
American
Political Party
Democrat
Source 2022: Prabook is a registered trademark of World Biographical Encyclopedia, Inc.
Robert Ramspeck (September 5, 1890 — September 10, 1972), American Businessman, politician | World Biographical Encyclopedia (prabook.com)
https://prabook.com/web/robert.ramspeck/937323
Robert C. Word Ramspeck
Background
Robert C. Word Ramspeck was born on September 5, 1890 in Decatur, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, the son of Theodore Rosalva Ramspeck and Ida Gertrude Word, owners of a general mercantile, real estate, building and building supplies business. Ramspeck was one of five children.
Education
He attended local public schools and completed his secondary education at the Donald Fraser School for Boys in Decatur. He received an LL. B. degree from the Atlanta Law School in 1920.
Career
From 1907 to 1911 Ramspeck served as deputy clerk at the De Kalb County Court House, a branch of the Superior Court of Georgia. In 1911, at age twenty-one, Ramspeck went to Washington, D. C. , to work as chief clerk in the post office of the House of Representatives.
The following year he served as secretary to Congressman William Schley Howard of Georgia. In 1914, Ramspeck was appointed a deputy U. S. marshal for the Northern Georgia District and in 1917 he was promoted to chief deputy marshal.
Ramspeck was not called for World War I service because he was married and already engaged in public service.
In 1919, Ramspeck resigned his marshal's appointment to complete his law degree, for which he had been studying at night.
He was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1920. During the early years of his career, Ramspeck made his living by selling insurance and real estate; by managing and editing a weekly newspaper, the De Kalb New Era; and by the private practice of law. He also served as solicitor of the city court of Decatur from 1923 to 1927 and as city attorney from 1927 to 1929. Ramspeck was elected to serve in the Georgia Assembly during the 1929 session, where he introduced legislation to define and regulate the practice of law.
The bill passed the Georgia house but failed in the senate. Elected to the U. S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in October 1929 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Leslie J. Steele, Ramspeck served Georgia's Fifth District in Congress until he resigned sixteen years later in December 1945.
Ramspeck's efforts to extend the reach of the civil service system and to bring more professionalism to government employment challenged the well-entrenched patronage system in which public appointments were seen as rewards to be distributed by political parties. Among Ramspeck's legacies is the 1938 bill that placed postmasters under the civil service system. Another is his bill that empowered the president to bring more than 200, 000 jobs in twenty-six federal agencies into the civil service system; this bill became law in 1940, after a year-and-a-half of debate and delay tactics on the part of its opponents. Time described the final debate this way: "Gentle Bob Ramspeck, victory in sight, got tough. He took to the floor for 18 explosive minutes, with his Georgia drawl grown corrosive, laid about him with two years' pent-up wrath. When he was through, spoilsmen's bodies were figuratively heaped about him. " President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the bill with Ramspeck's fountain pen. In 1942, Ramspeck championed legislation to provide pensions for members of Congress. The provision was approved but rescinded after Congress was subjected to what Ramspeck later called "a wild and scurrilous storm of abuse. " He remained convinced that the bill was misunderstood by the public.
A congressional pensions bill was finally approved in 1946. Ramspeck served on the House Committee on Civil Service throughout his sixteen years in Congress and was its chairman from 1935 to 1945. He was secretary of the Democratic Caucus from 1937 to 1942 and was the House Democratic whip from 1942 to 1945. At the time of his resignation, he was a member of several committees, including Labor, of which he was ranking Democratic member.
When Ramspeck resigned from Congress, he explained that he did so with "deep regrets but no apologies. " Then in his fifties, he had been in public office more than thirty years.
When Ramspeck left Congress he became executive vice-president of the Air Transport Association of America, a trade group representing domestic and American-owned international airlines. President Harry S Truman named Ramspeck chairman of the U. S. Civil Service Commission in March 1951. At Ramspeck's request, Truman ordered more rigorous loyalty standards in government employment, making "reasonable doubt" of loyalty grounds for dismissal. While head of the commission, Ramspeck defended federal workers against charges of inefficiency and corruption.
In 1953, Ramspeck reported to the president on the progress of the Civil Service Commission in the previous fifteen years. He noted that in 1937 only 63 percent of federal positions were within the Civil Service System; that had grown to 92 percent by the time of his report.
He was a vice-president of Eastern Air Lines from 1953 to 1961 and remained a consultant for Eastern until 1966. He also remained active in public service. In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Ramspeck to a committee to develop a career executive program for civil servants.
In 1965, Ramspeck was appointed chairman of an advisory committee to the postmaster general, and four years later he was named chairman of a special committee to advise on government use of data processing equipment. Ramspeck died while on a visit to Castor, Louisiana. He was buried in Decatur, Georgia.
Achievements
Truman credited Ramspeck with improving morale among government workers and increasing public esteem for their service.
Politics
Ramspeck argued for a "middle ground" in labor relations, for a code of labor relations written jointly by management, labor, and the public that would protect the right of labor to organize and bargain collectively.
Personality
Ramspeck was described as "a mild, quiet man, " a "conscientious worker, " and even "fervent. " While in Congress he won a reputation as a vigorous and outspoken opponent of spoils politics and as an advocate of civil service reform and fair labor legislation.
Quotes from others about the person
In 1945, the New York Times lauded Ramspeck, saying he had "introduced or inspired more legislation of benefit to Federal employees than any other member of Congress in history. "
Connections
Ramspeck married Nobie Estelle Clay, a teacher of dramatics, on October 18, 1916; they had two children.
Father:
Theodore Rosalva Ramspeck
Mother:
Ida Gertrude Word
Spouse:
Nobie Estelle Clay
Born
September 5, 1890
Decatur, Georgia, United States
Died
September 10, 1972 (aged 82)
Castor, Louisiana, United States
Resting place
Decatur City Cemetery, Decatur, Georgia, United States
Nationality
American
Political Party
Democrat
Source 2022: Prabook is a registered trademark of World Biographical Encyclopedia, Inc.
Robert Ramspeck (September 5, 1890 — September 10, 1972), American Businessman, politician | World Biographical Encyclopedia (prabook.com)
https://prabook.com/web/robert.ramspeck/937323
Bio by: RPD2
Family Members
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