The Washington times., 1894-07-22
THE DEPARTMENT MOMEN;
HER VEAL AND HER NOE.

The present administration has done many
queer things In contraventiop Of the princi-
pies of practical politics. It Is not always
easy to tell just what the order was year
ago and what is going to happen next week.
There was time when the rule was to. ex-
alude 'exes" from ever more filling politi-
cal assignment, there was sudden reversal
of the pension policy, and there have been
numerous other hew and startling departures
from established customs which came and
went like sunbeams on an April day without
leaving more than a lingering thought. Now
| the policy Of reducing the force Of tho War
Department and the Printing Office is going
to be followed, SO report has it, by dis
| charge OF female clerks and a narrow-sauged
campaign on women in the departments.
made up my mind to investigate the re-
ports. called on the Secretary Of the In
terror 1 called at the Pension Office, where
women are chiefly employed, and visited
women clerks at their homes. Wherever
there was chance to, find out something
| about the woman question went. ! asked
Secretary Smith point blank:
| "Is it true that you are going to reduce the
force Of women in the Interior Department."
"Is it true that you said, as charged. that
| 81 200 was as much as any woman in the de-
partment ought to receive?'
| 'ls It true that women are not as COM
| petent as men to do the work Of the de-
| partments?'
| Have you ever seen the Secretary? Then
| you will know how sorry felt that l had
mentally abused him. He looked so kind and
gentle-like. He praised the women SO. No
1 L.1 l--~ l. l.
clared. The Secretary held the view that in
every case where a lady was capable, by her
physical and mental qualifications, to I'LL a
| position rs competently as a man. that she
should receive the same compensation.
| Now you will say that was grand platitude.
ask, what could seem more just? However,
| some time ago repora was received from the
Pension Bureau which recommended the pro-
motion Of many lady clerks from s., 200 to
| 81 400, and as high as 81 900. Many cases,
| as the Secretary said. mere matter Of
| favor. However the increase was allowed
The service was not benefited. The govern
ment was paying an increased amount for the
same class OF work and the same result.
| The work is OF a mere clerical nature, mere
| copying. and for that reason IN his opinion
more than 81 200 is an excessive amount for
tine government to paw. Now there are some
cases, said he. where woman is justly get
ting II 400, 81 600 and s1,s00, and in these
much and as high grade work as any man.
but as IL rule, men,. said he, '.by their
special training in colleges and law schools
are more competent to flll the offices of this
department. They are physically able to do
greater quantity of work. II wanted any
work done out of office hours would not hesi-
tate TO have man work till midnight If need
be. but delicate woman could not do it, and
l would hesitate to ask her.
'.In every instance" said he, "where a
woman can I'LL the position as well rs man
l am in favor OF giving her equal wages for
il"
The question of promotion is vital one to
an office holder. / have known the $500
clerk to do exactly the same work as the
81 400 clerk. She chafes under the injustice
when she sees Miss So-and-so with a beauti-
full face and winning ways being promoted
above her. overheard a young woman who
had been in the departments less than year
say:
4 must have promotion by fair means or
foul''
l have interviewed refined gentlemen who
have seen long years in the service Of the
government and young ladies' who have just
entered, and find that the only abuse and
the greatest aggraSation which disturbs
their equanimity Of soul is the question OF
promotion.
Congressional influence is not of much avail
in getting women into the departments, but
the promotion OF clerk, in a measure de-
pends upon her Congressional influence and
her influence with the chief Of her division
A daily record Of efficiency is kept by each
chief. The attendance. effective industry, and
department is recorded and upon this record
the true proficiency of each clerk is supposed
to be determined. There is another basis
upon which promotions are based. and that is
upon information gathered by the chief
oh, hx,r
1t is expressly understood that promotion
shall be based purely upon merit, and that il
a director of bureau has reason to believe
that a clerk has resorted to outside influence
to secure his advancement, it shall be noted
to his discredit.
1 called at the Pension Bureau. Nobody
cared to be interviewed on the subject. But
J found one man who holds responsible su-
pervising position who allowed me to trap
him.
1 asked him il the force Of women in that
department was to be reduced. He lodged
the question. but said:
Men are more competent than women to |
do the work required of them in this bureau"
'.Well, why?" asked abruptly.
1.-The work is revolving for one thing. 1t
differs from the work in other departments. |
Women can adjudicate cases, brief letters, |
etc.. but here they are compelled TO look into |
decent women blush. The archives are full |
of the statistics OF revolving realisms and hor-
rible diseases
But" I objected, "there are women physi- |
clans who devote themselves to the study of |
these things without a thought Of the inde-
cent features of the case."
'Ah, but they are physicians, and all |
women are not physicians. 1t is unnatural |
for women to look into these cases, in the |
course of our daily routine without a shud- |
DER
but cannot women clerks view these |
cases." suggested, las women painters view |
the nude in art?'
II will just give you an example Of an oc- |
currence that happened a few days ago. One |
Of the lady clerks went up to the desk Of the |
chief of her division and threw the docu- |
ments in pension case on his desk with the |
emphatic protest, i refuse to consider this |
case in all its revolving details So you see |
that it is not as fine-spun sentiment in the
breast of chivalrous bureau Chiefs but has its |
source i'll the action of many women them
selves. Yet to do justice to both sides of the |
question I could introduce you to division |
chief who has 116 under his charge 20 OF |
whom are women. and he wishes he had |
more Of them. He finds they do just as much |
work as men and are in every way as
Efficient
There was a spirit OF compromise In the |
closing statement, but it did not remove my
impression that the other reasons advanced
will ultimately preponderate over the courte-
GUS division chief.
Now, Representative -, than whom no
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