The Washington times., 1906-08-03
STRENUOUS LIFE
IN THE "SURVEY"
Some Applicants Surprised
to Find it Lacking in
Soft BerthS.
BOARD ADJUSTS POSITIONS
Policy Of Retaining Best Material Yet
Keeping Faithful Ones on
the List.

The annual housecIeaning of the Geo
logical Survey has just been completed
and there has been readjustment OF
salaries and positions resulting from
changes made by Congress In the ap-
propriati1us Some items have been re-
duced. while others have been increased.
II has long been the policy of the sur
vey 10 periodically readjUst salaries at
such times. and 10 cut out as effectively
as possible the dead wood or ineffective
material
THE Geological Survey" said one OF
its officials today is one OF the bu-
roaus or the Government i'm which there
are very few fixed salaries. and where
promotions or changes are considered by
a board. or series of boards. seeking
annually TO readjust on the basis Of
ability shown. IL is of course. easy 10
recommend the advancement Of one
man or another. but the most difficult
and at the same time necessary work
of the director is that Of cutting down
from time 90 time The pay OF men who.
because Of one reason OF another. have
shown diminished activity, or who are
accomplishing less results than their
associates.
Pay According TO Work.
There are always a few persons who.
through advancing age, sickness. or
other infrmities. gradually drop out,
and in the interest OF good admins
tration as we'll as equity the director
must study how 10 reduce the pay In
accordance with the 'worz performed.
This is not only difficult but frequently
distressing in that men who have
worked faithfully for years must be
told that they are no longer young and
that they cannot block the way Of the
more eTucleut and aggressive men
those upon whom is laid the response
biliJy OF preserving high standard Of
effectiveness. Many OF these men have
been exceptionally able In their youth,
and In recognition OF this they have
been retained for years az relatively
high salaries Instead of letting them
out entirely 10 seems only fair and
proper 10 retain them al moderate pay
ana 10 permit them 10 continue the
duties which they can effectively per-
form, and IN which they will not OBJ
struct the work of the younger men,
Given Another Chance.
IN other cases men have fallen into
bad habits. and they are given the al
tentative OF reforming. and sometimes
are put on "a per diem basis, with the
understanding that they must each day
perform more effective work than in
the past A little j8rriug of this kind
IS usually very effective. and gu a num-
ber of Instances reduction of afllrv has
not only been beneficial 10 the orgauiza-
tion as a whole but has stimulated the
individual TO increased activity and has
resulted in restoration 10 the higher
grade.
Want to Flop Back
"A number or instances which would
be ludicrous II not pathetic, have arisen
from the attempt II various persons in
other bureaus To get themselves trans
ferred 70 the Geological Survey. under
the belief that the work there is easy
and promotion rapid. Some OF these
persons having energy and strength.
have won out others have deplOred
their rashuess and have tried 10 ger
back 20 the bureaus from which they
came, only TO hud that the responsible
heads of these bureaus. who were glad
10 recommend them for transfers. will
not now take them back under any
consideration, and that their 0us~ re
course Is 10 go into private employ
meuJ- The mancuVers OF these people
when they find that they cannot make
good in the survey and cannot get back
la Na-fF HF r.Ia