The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-15
COLONEL SANGER.S FIRST TASK.
To Revise the Clerical system of the
War Department.

| one of the first subjects which Assistant
| Secretary of War Sanger will take up for
consideration is that of proposed improve
ment of the clerical system of the War
| Department. Secretary Root has already
| had several consultations with his assist
| ant regarding these reforms. For some
time it has been apparent to the Secretary
of War that the Clerical system was not
the best. The temporary clerks and those
on the classified list will be placed on an
equal footing.
The principal reform to be established
relates to the efficiency records of the
clerks. 1t is the purpose of the Secretary
of War to have clerks paid according to
their work, which will be graded and
classified. The work will be graded ac-
cording to its character. Clerks doing ex-
ecutive work will receive salaries com
mensurate with their ability, while stenog-
raphers and typewriters will be paid as
skilled workmen. The most difficult
question involved in changing the system
refers to the marking of the clerks on the
work they perform. AT the present time
the chiefs of bureaus keep n record of the
work performed by the clerks under them
and mark them according to their work,
the time lost, and ability to perform diff
cult work.
1t is admitted that there is nothing to
prevent chief of a room giving good
rating to one clerk and a low rating TO
another. There is nothing to prevent his
giving one clerk work which will show up
better in results than the work given some
other clerk. To simplify this and reduce
the opportunity for unjust discrimination
to a minimum il one of the problems to
he hNr SrV
The conspicuous feature of the new SyS-
tenn will be that each desk will be graded
as worth so much salary, and that the
occupant of it Is to he compensated ac-
cordingly. There have been instances
where upon the death of Sl2OO clerk a
$500 clerk was assigned to his desk and
performed the work. There have also
been cases where $500 clerks performed
work Of a nature entitled to great COM
pensation. 1t is proposed to remedy these
defects in the present system. II has al
ways been customary for the Assistant
Secretary of War to control the appoint
ments to the clerical force of the depart
ment, but Secretary Root will act in con-
junction with Colonel Sanger In institut-
ing the new system
Colonel Sanger will also be given con-
troll of all contracts to be made by the
War Department or the army. As law
yer he will be able to pass upon questions
involving purchases, thus relieving Sec
rotary Root of this work. He will also
have complete charge of the reorganiza-
ton of the artillery corps of the army.
Colonel Sanger has made speciality OF
artillery subjects and spent some time
abroad investigating the artillery system
of the principal European countries. For
several weeks past he has been studying
the artillery organization of the United
States, and when he takes up this sub
ject he will be familiar with all the de-
tails connected with it. To great ex-
tent he will also have charge of the work
of the army war college with particular
reference to the departments in connec-
ton with the militia organizations of the
States.