The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-15
NOW DOING SOME WORK
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON crvrr.
 SERVICE REFORM.
Usually It Has Little to Do. Rut This Session It is Making . Notable Show of Industry.
Advertiser Bureau,
 Colorado Building, Wa ahinCfnr1 Eah

Colorado Building. Washington. Feb. H. The House Committee on Reform in tho CIVIL Service, which usually finds not much to do, has in this Congress been making notable show of industry, and IS dignifying it's claim for existence by giving hearings on plans for improving the civil service of the Federal Govern ment. The committee consists of Repre- sentatives Gillett of Massachusetts, Lacey or Iowa, Fowler of New Jersey. Bower 1 sock Of Kansas, Mann of Illinois, Smith of Pennsylvania. Allen of Maine, and Beidier of Ohio-eight Republicans; and Pou of North Carolina, Zenor of Indiana. Bassett of New York. Southall of vir- ginia. and Page of North Carolinia-five Democrats.
 It was Chairman Gillett who incurred the everlasting wrath of the thousanls or clerks in the departments here by the movement which resulted in the addition or half an hour to the days work of the clerks, So that, instead of being dismiss. ed at p. m.. every day, they do not get out until half past 1. In consequence of l tnls political enterprise the vengeful Gil- letted clerks are talking about raising a fat campaign fund to beat the Massachu. setts member for reelection.
 Pension Commissioner Ware has been before the committee and told them that something ought to be done to get rid of the old clerks; that one young clerk could do in a given time manyfold the work of the aged veterans, who were kept in of- flee solely because they were veterans. This deliverance deeply excited the old- soldier clerks and they are ferventlx wishing Mir Ware would hurry up with the execution of his promise to resign, which he gave some weeks ago. Pertinent to Commissioner Wares par- ticipation in the reform movement the following conundrum is being passed around among his more venerable cleri- cal staff:
 If 100 young clerks can do the work of 800 old clerks in the Pension Office, what fraction of a Commissioner, working full time can do Wares work, allowing the latter to be absent from his desk five months in the year?
 One of the most interesting hearings yet had by the Civil Service Committee was that on Friday. at which General Fred erick c. Ainsworth. chief of the Records and Pension Division of the War Depart ment. appeared and read carefully pre- pared paper setting forth some new ideas for the advancement of the efficiency of the service.
 General Ainsworth somewhat startled members of the committee by advocating | the establishment of an academy similar | to the academies at West Point and An- napolis for the training of young men | and naval establishments.
 1 Appointments, said General Ainsworth, could be made to the civil service acad- emy by both Senators and Representa- tives the same as appointments are made to West Point and Annapolis. Such plan. 1t Is argued, would do away with | the Civil Service Commission and aN it's paraphernalia. and would fit men for the needs of the Government and enable the most proficient to enter the higher branches as the most proficient at West Point, for instance, now enter the en" gineer corps.
 They would be classified in the service according to record and adaptability It might be an iridescent dream, said Gem eral Ainsworth, but he believed the plan had merit. and he hoped it would be given consideration.
 General Alnsworths said the tendency of the present condition was toward a civil pending bills to sreate a civil retirement fund by the assessment plan. which, he declared, would eventually result in a provision for a pension fund for the Gov erment. He criticised the Commission on account of it's promotion system. He showed that out of nearly Il, 900 eTE1- ployes, only little more than 6 6.per cent were above 65 years years of age. Their retirement on 75 per cent of present pay would cost only about per cent of the present amount paid to these HOO enl- ployes; on 50 per cent of the present sal- ary 1t would cost only about per cent of the pay of the active list. Retirement at 70 years would cost still less, as deaths between 60 and 70 are very great. l The increase of the expenditure under such a plan of civil retirement, he said. would be more than compensated for by the increased efficiency of the civil ser- | vice.
 General Ainsworth said he would not advocate the creation of a civil retire. ment list until the civil service is placed upon an equal footing with the army and navy in respect of tenure of office and In other respects.
 He advocated retirement in the civil service for age and length of service. not fin the interest of clerks. but in the inter est of the Government. which, under pres ent methods, is not getting the efficient service 1t should get. Retirement would improve the service.
 R. H. Watkins.