_Examinations._--Civil service examinations are held at least twice each year in every state and territory, and any citizen of the United States is eligible to take the examination for any position to be filled. The commission keeps a list of eligibles, that is, of persons who have passed an examination, and whenever an appointment is to be made, it certifies to the appointing authority a list of those who are qualified, and from the three standing highest on the list the appointment must be made. But in making the appointments preference must be given to persons honorably discharged from the military or naval service by reason of their disability resulting from wounds or sickness. The examinations are required to be practical in character and of such a nature as to test, as far as possible, the capacity and fitness of the applicants to discharge the duties of the position for which they desire an appointment. No appointment is permanent until after six months of probationary service, during which time the appointee must have demonstrated his capacity for the office. The law also prohibits members of Congress from making recommendations for appointments to positions in the classified service except as to the character and residence of the applicant, and also forbids the levying of assessments on government employees for campaign purposes or the solicitation of contributions from employees.[79] [79] By a law of 1907, employees in the classified service are forbidden to take active part in political campaigns, and this prohibition has been construed to forbid service on political committees, service as delegates to party conventions, publication of newspaper articles of a political nature, membership in political clubs, circulation of petitions of a political character, etc. _How Removals are Made._--When an appointment has been made in pursuance of the civil service rules, the appointee is protected from removal for political reasons. The rules now in force declare that removals from the competitive service can be made only for just cause and for reasons stated in writing, with an opportunity to the employee to be heard. "Just cause" is defined as being any cause not merely political or religious, which will promote the efficiency of the service.