Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-11
Early Opening or Late Closinge

1t is evident that as long as the depart
mental chiefs base their decision to require
their clerks to remain at work until 4:3O
upon the statute which calls for. seven
hours work from each government empIoye
the situation created by that action can not
he relieved merely by agitation of the case.
short of repeal of the law In question
That is unless the clerks can persuade
the government authorities that they
are wrong in their Interpretation which
does not count the half hour given for
lunch as part of the working day. That the
clerks will continue, at least for time. to
| discuss the question earnestly is assured
The change involved is too radical and revo-
| lutionary to warrant the expectation that it
will be calmly and passively accepted 1t
| touches too many individuals directly and
indirectly, and affects too many interests
outside of the department circles AS The
| Star pointed out Saturday. it necessitates
a change in railroad schedules in the hours
| for lectures, for entertainments and for
business 1t aims a perhaps fatal blow at
the national game of base ball in Washing
ton 1t more or less disturbs social and
business relations at the capital
The suggestion has been made that the
clerks would prefer to go to work at $50
instead of clock, if an additional half
hour Is to be required. The government
might institute a referendum on this ques-
uon Doubtless the higher officials would
not care whether the great body of the
clerks responded for duty at $50 or at O. SO
long as the full seven hours were given to
the public duty by each. They do not them
selves reach their desks by 9 O'clock, save
in exceptional instances, and an earlier
rising by thirty minutes on the part of
their subordinates would not impose any
special matutinal burden on them
The relative merits-or demerits-of the
$50 and the 4:30 propositions may be gen
orally summarized thus: The earlier morn
ing hour involves a serious derangement of
the household routine and strain on the
individual system; the extra afternoon half
hour Interferes with business, social and
amusement interests; either will require a
change in the transportation schedules.
Which. then. will be the more endurable
evil of the two? That is the issue which
would underlie any reference of the matter
to the clerks themselves.
The business interests of Washington
hope to see the change, If such should con-
tinue to be regarded as necessary for the
good of the public service. effected with a
minimum of disturbance They take no
part in the case between the clerks and
their superiors. while deploring the fact
that thus suddenly has the discovery been
made that the departmental force Is not
worked to the full limit of the law and that
the countrys veal demands a longer official
day Their sympathies are naturally with
the clerks. for these men and women con-
sutute large fraction of the city's popu-
iation and contribute heavily to its prosperi-
ty. They are as a class an exceptionally
capable, conscientious body of people
worthy of the protection given to them by
the prevalent merit system of selection and
retention in Office and entitled to the kindly.
equitable consideration of Congress and the
executive officials of the government