Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-21
NOT DEBT COLLECTOR
SECRETARY TAFT DECLINES TO
GIVE AID TO CREDITORS.
States, However, That He Will Dis
miss Employees Who Prove to
Be Dishonest.

Secretary Taft has taken decided steps
against the use of the War Department as
a collecting agency for private debts con-
tracted by its employees in this city or else
where. lawyer recently wrote to the
Secretary inviting attention to the claim
of a client of his against an employe of
the department for medical services and to
the circular letter received in response from
Mr.. Scofield, chief clerk of the department,
stating that the department takes no cog
nizance of debts against Its employees, I'M
der circular dated April 2, 1902.
In answering this letter Secretary Taft
expressed his views on the subject as fol-
lows:
II am quite clear as to the wisdom of
the circular. The department cannot make
itself a collecting agency for the debts
which its employees contract. The persons
who furnish credits to employees must ad-
wise themselves as to the character of the
employees, their honesty and their prompt
ness in meeting their obligations. The only
action which the department can take, and
which it certainly will take, is that. where
an employe brings the public service into
diScredit by knowingly contracting a debt
which he cannot pay, and thus showing
himself to be a dishonest man, he will be
discharged. That, however is matter
between the department and the employe
and is not a matter with respect to which
the creditors of the employees have any
thing to do
Of Interest to Business Men.
Nearly every merchant and business man
in Washington is interested in this policy
of the War Department. as each and every
one has more or less business dealings with
employees of the government Heretofore
the government employees have been gen.
orally treated as desirable creditors with
the government their financial sponsors.
but under the new policy the Washington
hliSnecS world iS tn understand that
eminent employees are to be treated in busi-
ness relations the same as private citizens
and that credit given them is at the risk OF
the person giving it, without any obllga-
ton on the part of the government officials
to assist in the payment of the indebted
ness.
The circular, which Secretary Taft in
dorses in his letter. follows:
thereafter the War Department will take
no cognizance of a debt complaint against
an employee, so far as the creditor is con-
cerned, beyond acknowledging receipt OF
his communication. Creditors and collect
ors will be denied access to employees for
the purpose of presenting or collecting
claims during the hours set apart for the
transaction of public business.
But while the department will not permit
itself to be used a collection agency, 1t
will not harbor any one who contracts
debt on the strength of his official position
and then, without sufficient excuse, neglectS
to make payments, and upon receipt of
debt complaint it will be referred to the
proper chief of bureau for a report in writ
ing from the employe concerned, which, to-
gether with a notation of the conclusions
reached by the department in the matter
will be made part of the official record in
his case.
IAN employe who contracts Indebtedness
on the strength of his official position and
elects or avoids payment thereon will be
discharged