The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-08-04
PARTIAL CHIEFS
GREAT HINDRANCE
TO CLERKS RISE
Private DalzeII Says They
Will Prevent Just Grad
ing of Employees.
BY LIKES AND DISLIKES
Suggests Appointment of
Committee to Regulate
Salaries.

Salaries.
To the Editor OF The Washington Times:
Secretary Shaw's recent order indi-
eating that real merit, the value OF a
clerks services as compared with that
of other clerks doing the same kind
OF work. at higher salaries, shall de-
termine promotions. IS a step in the
right direction. In other words. equal
work to get equal pay IS rule of
righteousness and equity long ignored
in the departments.
For instance. there is a desk where
four men do the work. each quite as &C
curately. neatly. and rapidly as the
other. One OF them receives a salary
OF Sl60O. one $1,000. and two 1900 per
annum. Is this right? They viii all
receive $1,000 OF $l,200. or Sl.6Oo per an
mum. and continue 10 perform similar
services at equal pay, if The resent or
der is 10 have force and effect. They
viii be men judged by their worth. and
not driven cattle whose future rests in
the capricious scales Of chance
But If 1 read correctly, the relative
value of service is 20 be determined
and reported by the head Of the bureau
before the Secretary will proceed TO the
adjustment of these inequalities, which
oriously exist in ali the departments
length OF service. unjustly. having
more influence In securing promotions
than ability. So seems 10 read the or
der
How About Facts?
beg TO inquire. how are the facts
as they really exist ever 10 reach the
Secretary for final consideration and
Adjustment 1t IS clearly made the
duty Of the heads or bureaus 10 furnish
this information In detail 90 the Score
tary, but when, where. and how are not
so clear. The details are rot yet made
public How is the head of a bureau
TO ascertain and determine. and so re-
port. irregularities OF salary, where en-
ployes perform exactly similar work IN
his Office? ale cannot personally know
the value Of every individual clerk be-
yond those employed in his own room,
and 1 suppose must depend, as last
resort. on the reports made at stated
times by his subordinates, the chiefs Of
divisions. who. Of course. can easily
inform themselves clearly and ac-
curately as 20 the kind OF work done,
and the efficiency of each and every
one of their clerks regardless OF the
length Of time they have been 50 eTn-
course. not be considered
Suppose, for instance that some clerk
who has been in the public service but
year or so. feels aggrieved because he
is called upon 20 do as much and as
good work as other CLERKS In his room
who receive much more salary.
We all know that under the rules he
dare not complain or ask Tor promotion,
for that Is clearly a violation or the
civil service law, rules and regulations,
and he must bear tho hardships as best
L. ell Fa p
10 toll on at $500 or 81. coo per annum
alongside OF men who receive Sl,2J9 70
sl6tl, performing precisely the same
kind Of work they do, until some sweet
dav hv and by when the eve Of his
chief is drawn TO his merits. or a sense
of justice or equity moves that chief 10
bureau, and a like sense OF propriety
impels the head OF the bureau 70 report
the name TO the Secretary?
Partially Possible.
Men are not marble nor are they
built Of pure righteousness yet, so let
us suppose "a chief notes a disparity Of
this sort and likes the clerk, he very
quickly reports the casei but suppose
ON the other hand. he Is Indifferent or
even dislikss the clerk, what is the
chance that ttts Secretary will ever
know that he IS toiling on hopelessly at
the lowest salary, and doing the highest
class Of work in the office?
II IS clear that the Secretary Is right
sees and acknowledges the existence of
these monstrous inequalities of salaries
based more on the feeling, passion, and
caprice OF chiefs than on the relative
value Of services, and that the SeCre-
Tary is determined on complete re-
form and revolution in all these mat
tiers no one who knows his sense Of a
square deal can for a moment doubt
No doubt the change so suggested Will
be made, but when. how. and by whom
are the questions of many Of the ag-
grieved who for years have been toll
ing hOpelessly as galley slaves at star
walton salaries. while other clerks. no
better In any way, but more favored
petted, or liked, are constantly promot-
ed over their heads from year TO year
a matter OF fact Is one thing, but an
opinion based on that fact is quite an
other story! AS a matter OF fact. two
clerks. side by side, may be doing the
same sort OF work, each quite as well
as the other, and both II given a chance
10 say so would so acknowledge the fact
10 be, yet one Of them receives 81 600 and
the other $1,000, and the lips Of both are
closed. as they who best know the fact
are not permitted 20 say a word about
II 10 any one In authority, and should
they presume 10 ask the reason of such
inequality they receive an answer which
gives them plainly TO understand I'VE
can tend 10 this business without any
Of your suggestions, and when YOU are
wanted you will be called upon"
Thoughtlessness Enters.
Both, together with their work, are
under the eye Of their chief from day to
day in a sort Of way. but he never gives
the matter a thought; IN fact. cares
nothing about who does the work, or
what the pay, so that the work is com
pleted within the proper time and in the
prescribed manner II required, how
ever. 10 express an opinion about this
glaring injustice he may happen TO like
the one or dislike the other for those
reasons that no one can describe, but
which constitute all the elements of a
pull or promotion.
II wOuld be expecting too much OF
poor frail, human nature TO anticipate
that under such circumstances-and they
are as numerous as the clerks-he should
express an opinion favorable 70 the man
he dislikes. He won't do 1.-THE never
Cld, and never will. SO in the end u
comes 70 this, unless some method or
other, and Tar better methods OF rating
the STANDING Of employees than any sug-
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