Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09
QUARTERS FOR THE CLERKS
HOUSE COMMITTEE SHOULD BE
INFLUENCED.
How to Obtain Practical Results in the
Movement to Improve the Condi-
ton of Employees.

| The practical results aCCruing from the
| operations of the newly formed national
committee on the welfare of government
employees and the improvement and anelio-
ration of their condition. will be awaited
with decided interest by the army OF clerks
| in this city" said an Official to a Star re-
p-rter and there is one practical sug-
gestion which should be offered to the COM
| mittee at the outset
| The main problem which presents IL
self on this important local question is that
| or providing more ROOM or more properly
| speaking. additional buildings for the trans
action or the governments very heavily
| increasing business. and additional buildings
mean further and large appropriations from
Congress.
| The question Immediately resolves itself
| therefore into one of determining what in
nuence this committee may exert upon tho
| House appropriations committee, and any
| number OF resolutions and other acts which
| usually follow these Investigations are des-
tined to meet the fate of those which have
| gone before unless this autocratic and usu-
| ally arbitrary committee may be induced to
| recommend suitable appropriations toward
| the laudabie end sought to be accomplished.
| The amelioration committee should not
| consequently lose sight of this fact for a
! moment In the preparation of data to be
iaid before the appropriation committee at
| that this body. which, with a single in
| stance. that of the building for the
| Department of Agriculture, has steadily
| and persistently refused to meet a condi-
| ton in this city which is patent to all
| and which should be met ty the law
making and money providing body without
| unreasonable objection and delay.
New Buildings Are Needed.
| Those who have studied the subject and
| noted the action of the different Congresses
| In the past decade and more on the ques-
| ton of providing new buildings for the
| accommodation of the official and clerical
| forces in this city have at all times been
| struck with the positive refusal OF these
| bodies to vote money for new buildings OF
| suitable size and dignity. though they have
| gone on session after session creating new
| bureaus and even a new department and
| homes
This has been the history of the govern
| ment on this question since the time when
| Benjamin Franklin, Postmaster General
| kept the books of his department written
in mis- own hand. in hired quarters OF a pri-
waite dwelling. and 1t is the same on mag
| mined scale today a century later. Although
| history fails to record a single instance in
| which Congress has evinced tie least re-
luctance In voting appropriations for its
| own use and for structures, accommodate
| lions and privileges for its members its
diltorlnesS and penuriouSness In providing
| adequate buildings for Its working force
has been in just the opposite ratio.
| III the amelioration committee conse-
quently can bring this question squareIy
| before Congress at an early date and
| wiring from that body an appropriation OF
| $lO,UD.OU for the erection of two new pub
| lie office buildings in this city, to accom-
| modate the scattered bureaus and divisions
| and house the two homeless departments
| that are pleading for shelters which they
| may call their own, this committee will
| indeed have accomplished much a I'd would
go down In local history famous for having
| performed an achievement.
The Allied Problems.
THE allied problems Of overcrowded
| rooms. close basement quarters, ventila-
ton and the general health OF the clerical
force are all encompassed In the main de-
sidefation of new buildings. since all nat
urally cease to be problems when the main
object Is accomplished. Although certain
conditions In isolated Instances may be
corrected to the betterment of the working
forces therein, and II cannot be doubted
| that the proposed inquiry will accomplish
| much good along these lines, yet just
long as the governments working forces.
! in some cases, are housed In buildings I'M
suitable for the transaction of clerical and
| official work, the general conditions sur
| rounding these Instances must of neces-
| Sity remain the same.
. There Is point, however which
| should be adverted to in this inquiry, and
| that is that while the contested condition
| in two of the bureaus is such as to
| demand relief as Immediately the slow
| moving wheels of the government will adj
| nit, in the larger and more modern OF
! the public buildings conditions aside from
the pressure for space and file room, are as
good as circumstances permit And there
are favorable present aspects and future
prospects which should not be overlooked
/ lest a misleading impression may be
| created abroad as to the situation in this
| city. go
Some Improvements Under Way.
| 1.-The new Department of Agriculture
| Building will shortly be completed and
ready for occupancy. and the scattered bu-
| reaus and divisions of this department will
| be collected under one roof and the prob
| lens concerning one department at least
| VIII have been solved
| although the contested condition of the
| bureau of engraving and printing was fully
| laid before Congress at the recent session.
| and the arguments and proof were such
| that that body should have forthwith re-
! sponded by untying the nations purse
| strings to the extent of a S1,OOO,0OO appro-
| priation to become Immediately available
| for the erection of new quarters for this
| very much overcrowded bureau, yet a step
| in the right direction was taken with
| preliminary appropriation providing for the
| selection Of a site and the determination
! o. the character of the proposed building.
| the future general appropriation of which
| is sure to come And when it is forthcom-
ing this problem. too. will be solved.
so far the government printing Of
| flee is concerned. If inadequate emergency
| conditions affecting the working force have
| been found to exist. they are certainly
| remedial for. so far the building is con-
| cerned. more satisfactory habitation for
| the transaction of the work assigned to 1t
| could not be desired
officials Are Responsible.
| "As regards the undesirable basement
conditions complained of in some of the de-
| partments and bureaus. these, too, are SUBJ
| tect to correction by the official heads
| thereof laying the matter properly before
| the subcommittee of the committee ap-
| preparations, to the end that additional
| temporary quarters might be acquired else
| where, a proposition that the subcommittee
| has been known to frequently entertain ia
| vorably, even though the main appropria-
| ton committee frowns upon the larger ap-
| propriations needed for new buildings.
| 1T will be seen. therefore. that in many
| of these isolated and comparatively minor
| instances of complaint the power OF APP
| plying the remedy. temporarily at least,
| lies In the hands of the higher officials nat
! urally charged with the function of at
| tending to such matters. Hence, If the in