Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-07
Half Holiday I'm the Departments.

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Allow me to fully indorse the valuable
suggestion of "E. VI. s." in yesterdays
Star on the departmental half holiday.
Yes God bless the men that proposed the
amendment giving the clerical force In the
departments an afternoon each week-that
is. four hours out of each one hundred and
ffty-four-to transact outside business in
regard to their homes and domestic mat
tiers. The majority of them have all the
cares of housekeeping besides being bread
winners for a whole family, themselves
being often the only capable or responsible
member of 1t. obliged to see to all the items
Of livelihood. How the daily incidents of
home life are generally attended to is
mystery. but can be set down at shrewd
guess as being scrambled through. by ner-
vous strain or petty deceit. Rents are paid.
agents called on. tradesmen hunted up.
banks visited, doctors consulted by q ire
mendous exercise of ingenuity, IL nothing
worse. Clerks, male and female. are con-
fined 20 their desks during the universal
business hours. They can transact nothing
Of the most ordinary kind before or after
4. To give them the Saturday afternoon,
when every other place is closed, nullines
entirely the use of those hours. The only
place they could visit would be the Con-
gressional ---orary, which is now dead
letter to all the clerical community. And,
ten 10 one, that would be closed, too, II the
Saturday nan monday was voted. The only
remedy is to do they do abroad-alter-
nate the holidays. For instance, museums
there are open Sundays, but closed Mon
days for cleaning purposes on the principle
that it depriyes no one. Those that could
go Mondays can go any other day, and only
one class has the Sunday free. Schools also
have from noon on Thursday. ..4us every
branch of the community can enjoy meeting
at dc
and trade having adopted Saturday, give
the clerical branch some other afternoon
Like drop of oil on a machine things
would run SO much smoother in the de-
partmental wheel. Punctuality would be
greater; for having time once a week no
one would Try TO smuggle an errand in be-
Iore once hours. and get late. The chiefs
would no longer be pestered with requests
for petty leaves OF an hour or so here and
there. ere might be less sickness re-
ported. for in a desperate moment a DAVIS
freedom mas sometimes been taken thus
The SLOUGH hat business would cease
DO you know what that is? Saw q clerk
mas note in uank, perhaps a lien on his
little home: II must be paid between 10 and
3. He hates to ask again for an hours
leave. for yesterday the water pipes hurst
and he had to ask for time to hunt nm a
plumber; so he has a soft felt hat thai
rolls up into his coat pocket. He goes to the
elevator, rings, asks for the lower floor
He is bareheaded, ostensibly hunting nm
some other room for Office purposes When
once out of the car he whips out his felt
nat, shakes II, gives it Fedora cut and
claps ii on; and there he is. ready to 20
out boldly. for the watchmen of course
take IL Tor granted that he is ION leave -
He hustles round town at a nervous
double-quick pace. finds or misses people
returns breathless to the elevator. touches
the button, and as the car descends presto
he rolls the Fedora back into his inside
pocket IT during his absence some one has
asked ror MIN, why. of course. he is some
where in the building, working hard for
Uncle SAM for 10! is not his Derby hat on
ms desk or on the peg behind? Yes four
hours a week would be a boon but let n
he practical one. Bv the fact OF Saturday
afternoon being the half holiday of banks
come a dead letter. He does not need the
time to go to sleep at home or to twirl
MS thumbs sitting in the parks. He wants
to attend TO HE own business, like anv
other human being. Many clerks would be
willing to work one evening from 6 to 10
for the privilege OF the use Of the same
amount of time on some week dav auring
business hours nc