Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-12-14
ENGLISH RED-TAPE."
EVERYTHING GOVERNMENTAL
DONE BY STRICT FORM.

: psrmittsd-Efficiency of the Army Seriously
Impaired at Times by This-ExampIes
Where Exactitude was Demanded at Cost
of Truth.
1t SCENE that Dickens satire on
governmental forms portrayed in the
trials OF going through the "Circum-
location Office has now borne fruit
in reformation, if the following, from
the London Globe, is not overdrawn:
A month or two ago the commando.
ing officer of volunteer corps, desir-
ing to have the services OF a worthy
and respected clergyman as chaplain,
sent in his name to the war Office. In
reply he received form of printed
qualifications. Among them was the
following: HAS the applicant ever
been in prison, and, if so, for what
offence ?" The idea OF crime in con-
nection with his reverend friend
seemed sc absurd to the colone, that
he left the question unanswered. Red
tape, in the person OF a war Office
clerk, looked at it in different light
The blank in the form suggested him
only one thing, and that was official.
ave note that you give no answer to
question No. -" he wrote to the
colonel. 1--WE hope this does not inn
ply that the person you name has been
convicted. We shall be glad OF def
mite answer on this point"
Here detachment from ideas is
merely ludicrous. 1t has, however,
another side. Early in January bat
TALON was ordered to the front which
was short of officers. The colonel,
knowing that the twin battalion in
India was exactly the reverse, wrote
to the War Office explaining the cir
cumstances and urgently requesting
that the full strength of his command
might be made up by an exchange,
the officers being sent direct to Dur
ban. In great anxiety he waited
week without reply. The day before
he left his own letter was returned to
him, and across it a red tape official
had scrawled in blue pencil: "This
application should be sent in durli-
cate" The battalion, therefore, called
from Southampton short of officers.
with perhaps unfortunate conse-
quences in the field. But red tape
knows nothing about actually; its
limits are bounded by form,
Even in South Africa the red tape
tiend is at large. When communica-
ton was first established between KIM
berley and Lord Methuen's column on
the Modder river it fairly outdid itself.
The town. which had already borne
some of the rigors of the siege, was
naturally anxious to hear news OF the
relieving force, or, at any rate, to re-
ceive some acknowledgment that it
was invested by the Beers. Greatly to
its disappointment and indignation,
this was the first message flashed 10
Colonel Kekewich: "Please inform
the remount department, Wynberg,
what is the number marked on the
left hoof OF horse supplied to Sergeant
OGorman." To the depressed gar
rison of Kimberley this message
sounded like mockery of their suffer
ings, but it was merely display OF
red tape.
On the authority of Mr.. Rhodes an
other story is told of officialism in
Kimberley itself. Throughout the
siege the military authorities failed to
record the death OF a single colonial,
though locally raised forces were the
main strength of the garrison.
Nevertheless in the Kimberley gar.
rison orders occurs a notification to
the effect that "Mule Mo-, having
died, is hereby struck off the strength
of the North Lancashire regiment"
To red tape a transport animal of the
regular army is Of more consequence
than many troopers and officers of ir-
regular corps.
An official not so long ago went
some little distance from London on
public business. On his return he
sent in bill of the expenses he in
Cured on the journey. One item was
the small sum of threepence, opposite
which, for want OF a better term, he
wrote "porter." To his astonishment
the bill was returned to him with an
intimation that no allowance was
made for liquors. He explained that
he paid the money, not for a drink,
but to a station porter for carrying his
bag to the train. This was satisfac-
tory; nevertheless, to save further
misunderstanding, he was asked to
fill the item as porterage.
When a peg to hang an overcoat on
is needed in an ordinary Office, either
one of the clerks puts it in or work.
man is asked to do it. Such simple
and direct methods find no favor in o
world ruled by red tape, as the lollow-
ing incident illustrates. The neces-
sity for row of pegs on the door OF a
room in a public building having
arisen, an application to that effect
was sent to the Board of Works. 1t
was returned on the ground that the
wrong department had been consulted.
The Engineering Department at Wool