The Washington times., 1906-08-18
Increase of designations
FromDiSSatiSfactiOn
as to Transfers.
HOW NEW LAW WORKS
Mr.. lrelan'S Opinion, Show
ing Inequalities in Sala-
rieS Of Beginners.

The new law regulating the transfer
OF civil service employees from one de-
partment to another still remains a live
topic la Government circles and opinion
on the merits Of tho law continues to
be greatly divided. Many heads Of de-
partments and bureau and division
chiefs maintain that IT already is oper-
ating 10 the benefit of the Government
and employe alike. while most OF the
minor employees, including some Of the
chief clerks, particularly chief clerks OF
bureaus. declare IL Is bound 70 result
in Injustice 20 the more unfortunate
clerks who find themselves forced into
a rut and unable 20 get out into lines
where the work is more attractive and
pay OF greater consequence.
In some departments, II has developed
the law has been misc0nstrued by some
clerks 10 mean that they could not OBJ
tain any transfer until they had been
IN a department three years. In every
instance where the question has arisen
IL has been decided that the recent en-
actment. which went into effect July /.
does not bar a clerk from changing
from one bureau or division To another.
within the same department
Number of designations.
Inquiry at the offices OF the Civil
Service Commission and Of chief clerks
shows that persons who had hoped for
a transfer during the new fiscal year.
but who are barred because OF the law.
are becoming dissatisfied and beginning
10 leave the service. The designations
from the Civu service SO far since July
] have been always double the number
for any similar period OF time previous
ly.
Among the chief clerks who are out
spoken in favor OF the law is Charles
NJ IreIau, OF the Patent Office While
me differs from Secretary Doyle, or the
Civil Service Commission, as TO the mer-
its OF the law. he agrees with him In a
possible solution Of the payment and
treatment Of the Government clerk, A
grading of salaries IS his answer He
even goes farther than the law. how
ever. and declares that IL should be so
amended as to prevent the transfer of "a
clerk from one bureau 10 another, even
ia the same department till he had
served in that one bureau three years.
Cause Of Restlessness.
"The situation can easily De summed
up briefly thus-inequality Of compeusa-
tion," said AIr. Irelan. The cause of
frequent requests for transfer OF clerks
.- the inequality of compensation paid
- the various departments f0- precisely
-Ie same kind OF work For instance, In
some departments typewriters and stem
ugraphers enter the service AT $3.50 and
$500 per annUm while ia others they be
sin at salaries ranging from $40 to $500
per auuum- Messenger boys in several
Gf the departments receive $500, In some
$50, and ir others as much as $3.50 for
doing the same character OF work. Tho
matter of establishing uniform entrance
salaries for those who do the same grade
of work I'm the departmental service is
worthy Of serious consideration by the
committee on department methods. An
equalization Of the entrance salaries OF
classified grades would eliminate the
principal reason which ImpeIs an en-
ployo 20 seek "a transfer.
Could Make Agreement.
"To effect such a change would not re-
uuire absolutely new legislation. but
could be brought about simply by an
agreement among the secretaries Of
the various departments TO submit IN
their estimates OF appropriations for the
next fiscal year and thereafter the same
pay for all general grades embraced
within the classified service. II all mes
seuEer boys entered the service at $500
per annum, all Iaborers at $500 per an
mum, clerks at $40 per annum, type
writer's at s720 per anuum. typewriters
and stenoEraphers at $500 per annum,
bOOkkeepeFs al 800 per annum. etc,
there would be TO good reason. as a rule,
for ar efficient empioye IN the civil
bEanCh of The Government TO apply for
transfer from TfTT-uTT lnnfHDW -
A Natural Result.
Mr.. Irelan takes the view that when
one department pays larger salaries than
another for practically the same grade
of work Il is perfectly natural for those
in the department receiving the smaller
salary 10 try for a transfer 20 the de
partmeut paying the larger amount. The
clerical work of the Government is
practically the same IN the various de-
Iartments. he points out, and IL is all
more or less important. "The competent
clerks, generally speaking do not seek
transfers to positions where the COM
pensation IS the same thev have been
receiving. except for special reasons. "
he said. 1T IS usually the pOOT clerk
who has been crowded 90 the rear by
his more efficient associates who grows
restless and seeks transfer
"A TeadiuStmeuL OF salaries In the de-
paTtmeutal service is imperative and
could be made for the next year n the
committee on department methods would
give the matter immediate attention, or
il the secretaries of the departments
would appoint a general committee
represented by one member from each OF
the bureaus comprising the depart
mental service in Washington. and have
such a committee consider the salary
question and make suitable recOmmen-
dations thereto.