Evening star., 1902-02-07
Proposed Transfer Of Censu. Force.

Proposed Transfer of Census Force.
To the Edito: Of The Evening Star:
In an interview with me upon the sub
Ject of the proposed transfer OF the census
force to the classified civil service, printed
IN the New York Evening Post of the Sd
instant, l was quoted in part as follows:
But there is another phase Of this ques-
tfon to which believe public attention has
not before been called. There Is In the
census office very large proportion OF
women. It is well-known fact among
department people that the woman clerk is
fixture, that she seldom resigns and that
she lives longer and is far less useful in
OLD age than the man clerk. Certain bu-
reaus of the departments are already be-
coming greatly hampered by the number Of
old-lady clerks, and the proportion of
women is increasing with ominous rapidity
To inject into the classified service the
large number Of women clerks now in the
census office would greatly disturb the ball
ance that should exist between the sexes
and result in deplorable condition of af-
fairs twenty or thirty years hence. Thus
the spoismen are digging, without knowing
1t, the grave of their own hopes. Almost
all emergency clerical forces contain
largely disproportionate number of women.
II the census transfer occurs and the prece-
dent is thus established, doubtless many
similar forces will be transferred to the
classified service within the next few years
the spoils system becomes dominant, loud
will be the wailfng of the faithful on find
ing almost all the places occupied by
women, whom the leaders will not have
the temerity to disturb
The report Of the Treasury Department
to Congress showing the absence of clerks
and employees during the calendar year 1901
on account of all kinds of leave comes
very opportunely to support my argument
made in the above quotation. The Treas
ury Department was the first one to en-
ploy women clerks in considerable num-
bers, and 1t now has by far the largest
proportion Of old-lady clerks: they were
first employed In the treasurer's office,
believe, by General Spinner, and many OF
those first employees are still In service.
This report shows that among males in the
Treasury Department the total average leave
taken was 1871 days. while with females it
was 1915 days, considerably higher than the
total average of both sexes in any other
department. This disparity Is very strik-
ing in the treasurers office, where the gen.
eral average for both sexes reaches the
startling figure Of 1913 days. while the aver
age for the Navy Department is only 299
days and for all departments 1873 days.
Another alarming feature Of the ten
'dency to disproportionately increase the
number Of women clerks is the injustice
often resulting to the younger men clerks
in the departmental service. When 1 was
in the service frequently saw bright young
men clerks at $500 and 81 600 a year COM
PEELED to do the work devolving upon them
by the incapacity Of their associate old
lady clerks who were receiving $1,2OO and
81 400 year. 1t is always annoying to
capable young man to have to do the work
Of an old-man clerk. while the latter gets
the pay, but to have to do the work Of
an old-lady clerk. who gets the pay and
cuts off all promotion, is really calling.
There is every prospect that all these evils
and many more would become public
nuisance twenty years hence If the present
census force were taken into the classified
service. HENRY A. HAYWARD.