Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-27
T HE A G. E l. I M I T
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION OBJ
TANNING STATISTICS.

President Roosevelt is determined to be
informed on the age limit question which
Is before Congress and which is churning
I'D the feelings of the government en-
ployes Just how much truth there is in
the statements made by some congressman
and others that the clerk who has reached
the age of sixty-five cannot do his work
efficiently, and therefore ought to have his
salary reduced or to be fired he Is going
to lind out for himself, With this object
in view he has requested the civil service
commission to compile the complete sta
tistics of the records of all of these en-
ployes In the service and arrange the fig-
ures so that it may be seen at glance
just what is what in the matter.
The commission has prepared large print
ed blanks, with places for the writing down
of the age of the clerk and every possible
interesting fact about his or her record
in the particular office or bureau In which
the work of the employe is being done
These blanks in the hands of the chief
clerks of the various divisions for the most
part, and being carefully filled out.
Many of them have already been returned
to the commission completed.
In the preparation of the statistics every
clerk who is sixty-five years of age or
over or is thought to be. is interviewed
personally and asked to reply to certain
questions. Other facts are CLEANED from
done? How much is the remuneration?
How long has the employe been there? Is
the record of attendance good or bad? And
is there anything wrong with the kind or
work done? When these Rnd other ques-
tons are being answered and the whole re-
port has been compild by the Civil Service
Commission both that body and the Presi-
dent will have facts at their finger tips
which are mere matters of speculation at
present
What the Facts Are For.
What is to be done with these facts
when they have been gathered?" Star re-
Porter inquired of Commissioner Cooley
this morning.
"The President and the commission SIM
ply want to be informed" was his reply.
MFR. Roosevelt has asked for the compila-
tion and we will hand it over to him when
1t Is ready"
Mr.. Cooley was not willing to exhibit a
copy OF the questions being asked in regard
to the clerks. saying that is matter for
the President to make public, since the or
der was his.
The general opinion of the chiefs of di-
vision who have been asked to secure these
records of the clerks under them is that the
President desires TO ascertain whether the
question of clerical efficiency in the govern
ment departments cannot be separated en-
tirely from the question of age.
Special civil service examinations for
clerks sixtytve years or over Is even said
to be contemplated in order that the matter
may be lifted out of the realm Of specuIa-
ton.
The order of the President. although II is
not clearly understood as to It's ultimate
purpose, has created considerable interest
in every government bureau. Mr.. Roose-
yelt's deep and one may say enthusiastic,
interest In the conduct of the government
business upon rational business lines
which is his attitude, according to every
employe who attended the meeting of the
assistant committee to the Keep commits
sion at the residence of Clifford Plnchot last
Tuesday and heard the President speak
upon the subject-leads the clerks to be-
lieve that he Is seeking to do the square
thing by the older clerks.
The probable action of the President as
soon as he has the necessary statistics in
his possession Is awaited with the keenest
interest by depar tmental clerks who have
passed the proposed age limit and by every
departmental official