Evening star., 1902-09-12
WOMEN IN OFFICE
Reasons Why They Are Not
Preferred.
VIEWS OF OFFICIAL
NOT SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE AS
ARE MEN.
But They Are Still Called for and
Their Number Inereases-Condi-
ton of Service.
VIEWS OF OFFICIAL

The question of the employment of wo-
men in the government service in this city
is one that is receiving large share of at
tention on the part of officials For num-
her Of years there has been very pro-
nOunced inclination shown favoring the
selection of men in preference to women
for positions in which women were equally
favored twenty years ago. This has been
so pronounced at times that the civil ser
vice commission has urged upon heads of
departments that for certain lines of work,
such as stenography and typewriting, they
had available efficient women eligibes for
appointment though the department was
insisting upon having men certified for the
places
In spite of this marked disinclination to
appoint women it is said the aggregate of
women employed by the government is in
CredSing for reasons which seem impossible
for officials to entirely control. 1t is de-
clarej that if this increase continues it
viii become necessary to adopt some heroic
measure for bringing about d change or
the public service will suffer. 1t is said
that a certain percentage of women in the
public service can be utilized with advan-
tage. but that when this percentage gets to
be too large there is a decided disadvantage
in doing the work of the government.
Disadvantages of Women.
Those who take the view that the number
OF women clerks in the departments should
be decreased say their disadvantages in the
service are that they give the government
less time, because. as a rule they regard
the one months sick leave allowed 10 clerks
a right rather than a privilege, in
case il is needed. and that as rule they
have not only their entire annual leave of
month. but their months sick leave as
well. In the case Of men it is sail as a rule
- N tai LEa Sir -
1t Is declared. are not able to give extra
service in times of rush work. not being
able to stand the strain Of staying after
o clock, or returning to thSSofices at night.
as men are frequently required TO do. They
may be willing to give such extra service,
but thelr capacity for doing good work is
said to be lessened when they are called
upon for more than is demanded by the
usual routine of the day
Ihey are said to be less subject to as
clpilne than are men. relying upon the
Courtesles due their sex for privileges that
men would never expect. A man will make
short work of calling another man to aC-
count for any dereliction. while he prefers
u bear inconvenience rather than have any
contention with his assistant if she b. a
woman. These are among the charges
made against women a sex in their ca
Pacll\ OF public servants and judging than
entirely IN relation to the benefit the gov
ernmeHt derives from their CmpIOyment Ii
IS also said that many women presume on
their power to bring influence to bear on
assignment for work and to secure pro-
motion. and that the amount Of influence
eNeFted IL these ways by women to the an
h'yaHce "f ofi1clals is far in excess of that
used by men Officials very ready to
acknowledge that in all these RESPECTS there
are notable exceptions, but that the rule az
10 the comparison between men and women.
as government workers holds good.
Why They Are Called For.
If that is the case" suggested Star re-
porter today referring 10 the charges made
against the efficiency of women. why is it
that they continue to be called for and are
Increasing in numbers
The reason is twO-fOld," reDIied this off
cal, who. while a brave man. declined TO
allow the use Of his name except to be
quoted as complimenting the fair sex In
tne HFSt place, the reduction in the force
OF women employees is less than in the case
OF the men There are only two reasons
lhat cause a woman to leave the govern
Ipent serVlce-death and marriage. Their
death rate Is about the same as that of
men, 50 that no advantage or disadyanta se
one way or the other is shown in that re-
spect-
The men do not resign when they get
married. 50 that is in favor of a greater
reuuctloh IN the women employees. But
men are leaving the government service
constantly TO engage in private business
Despite the time-worn jokes about the way
men cling 10 government job it is a fact
that Young men are leaving it constantly
eminent service to take employment else
whore.
There is also a very strong influence
that causes the appointment of women in
departments in which they would prefer
men. There are many women who be-
come dependent or who start out after
leaving school TO secure employment.
Men or influence are enlisted in their fa-
Nor and bring power to bear on appointing
officers to select them when they are GER
IlIeo pE the civil service commission A
woman peing eligible for certifcation will
get this influence to work to have women
tead of men called for. in order to get
place. and then will often use that same
influence to get her name selected from
among the three at the head of the list
In this way women are constantly receiv-
ing appointments in departments in which
men as clerks are in great demand. Those
Who appoint them In face of the demand
for men assistants say it is only one more.
and then they say: 1t is very worthy
case.
No Reduction Likely.
so far as ever having a reduction in the
total number OF women employees in the de-
partments is concerned" he continued, Il
see no way in which that is apt to be done
The civil service rules provide that dis
nissals from the service shall be made only
Tor Just cause. and that the dismissed one
shall be furnished copies of the charges
against her, and given an opportunity to
reply 10 them. Il does not rsuuire much
Imagination TO fo-esee how that rule would
operate If women were dismissed from the
public service simply because as women
they were not regarded desirable for gov
ernment work. and that men were pre-
ferrei because they were men. They could
be removed.
There is no doubt about that. President
RooseVelt's declaration concerning the mean
ing of this rule in regard to dismssaIs set
ties that matter He declared that lust
cause meant any cause other than one
that was political or religious which would
etnClencV IIt
there are great many things that could
be done that no man endowed with fair
bump OF caution would consider doing
There is no law preventing a man from
making a face at his mother-in- law
but who would do ii? think the condition
that now prevails in regard to women en-
pioyed by the government is apt to con-
urue for some time to come"
Case Nolle Pressed.