official rank or compensation of, any other person
therein because of his political or religious opinions or affiliations.

4. No question in any examination or form of application shall be so
framed as to elicit information concerning, nor shall any inquiry be
made concerning, nor any other attempt be made to ascertain, the
political or religious opinions or affiliations of any applicant,
competitor, or eligible; and all disclosures thereof shall be
discountenanced, and no discrimination shall be exercised, threatened,
or promised against or in favor of any applicant, competitor, or
eligible because of his political or religious opinions or affiliations.

5. No recommendation of an applicant, competitor, or eligible involving
any disclosure of his political or religious opinions or affiliations
shall be received, filed, or considered by the Commission, by any board
of examiners, or by any nominating or appointing officer.

6. In making removals or reductions or in imposing punishment for
delinquency or misconduct penalties like in character shall be imposed
for like offenses, and action thereupon shall be taken irrespective of
the political or religious opinions or affiliations of the offenders.

7. A person holding a position on the date said position is classified
under the civil-service act shall be entitled to all the rights and
benefits possessed by persons of the same class or grade appointed upon
examination under the provisions of said act.

RULE III.

1. All that part of the executive civil service of the United States
which has been or may hereafter be classified under the civil-service
act shall be arranged in branches as follows: The departmental service,
the custom-house service, the post-office service, the Government
printing service, and the internal-revenue service.

2. The departmental service shall include officers and employees as
follows, except those in the service of the Government Printing Office
and in the service of the several custom-houses, post-offices, and
internal-revenue districts:

(_a_) All officers and employees, of whatever designation, except
persons merely employed as laborers or workmen and persons who have been
nominated for confirmation by the Senate, however or for whatever
purpose employed, whether compensated by a fixed salary or otherwise,
who are serving in or on detail from--

The severa