The Washington times., 1907-01-23
Severe Arraignment of
Conditions and System
Now in Operation.
Clerks in Field Get 500
a Month Extra Paw
for Expenses.
Those Who Are Called
Valuable Remain in Of
fee for Less Wages.

To tie Editor ~ The Washington Times
During a recent conversation with an
empioyo of the C,usus Bureau, whose
name need not be mentioned here. i
learned Of "a condition of affairs, which.
20 my mind, seems beyond comprehen-
sion. and which. il brought 20 the atten-
zion Of the proper authorities. would
doubtless be rcmedied.
I understand. and there is every rea-
son 10 believe that 10 is true. that the
force there is in a badly demorallzed
condition. that Jhe work is much de-
layed and other conditions TO be de-
piored. which are wholly blamable u
the system used "a this bureau fla con-
neetlon with the assignment Of clerks
20 the work IN the field. The system ia
vogue IS such that clerks who can be
easily spared from the routine omce
work are sent 90 the field, while the
clerks who cannot be spared are refused
such assignments
This Geld work pays the men employ d
therein 50 per dag in lieu OF subsistence,
or about SD "a month extra pay. Out Of
This they are required 90 pay living exc
penses only. leaving their original sal-
AIRY practically clear. which places
these field men in "a much better nnau-
cia condition thau those who have C.
remain iu washington. The man on
field work receives on the average II
tne rate OF Sz15 per year. while The
hlIn iH Washington receives $500. Nat
urally. the men who are refused This
extra compensation i=el tie slight and
as Result have become careless and in
u
spared for the work iu the field.
How One Clerk Feels.
one clerk Is quoted as having re-
marked Il set nothing for being "a
good clerk. SO guess I'll get bad and be
paid s. extra G. Cay Tor it, This con
dluoE of mind can bee understood when
lha fact is known that the clerks who
are refused field work are told that
their service Is TOO valuable % be spared
OF. at leaat, worded with the same rs-
suits This plan places "a premium upon
badly performed work. or such work as
can ne considered Of SO little value that
service is not needed i'm the Office. IT
is generally believed by The clerks that
ll- men y no become Falua Die are the
ones who are the worst on financially.
lt is admitted that the necessary work
az Tie oiIlce must be done. but there are
som. a9 clerks who are never permit
TED 90 enjoy the Geld work, who could,
th The help or the men who receive
routine work. There should De- some
system ~ equity used whereby all men
are tr=ated ALIKE and not the p0cr
clerks reOslNe The extra compensation.
hile the valuable men are refused IT,.
Equality Lacking.
There is "a very sad laxity OF equality
shown the male clerks in this bureau
for which a remedy should auon be
found. For example. the clerks in the
agricultural division arc employed on
field work Tor municipal finances three
10 i've months every year, aad IN addi-
ton are assigned To Su other field work
i'm which che bureau MAY be engaged
during the year Clerks in the popula-
ton division are at present employed
gathering data on marriage and divorce
and judicial statistics. together with
whoever OF The AGRICULTURAL division may
have finished their city work. The
clerks OF these TWO divisions have now
been in the field about Eve months.
drawing 8 extra per day, while thirty
,o nfu- OF the clerks in the manufactures
iaE-- The reason given is because they
could not hc spared.
Ia about a month these clerks OF the
viii be assigned TO the
field canvass of transportation by
water which. under ordinary cOndf-
tons, viii last about four Hlouths, after
which they VIII probably be called in
20 prepare the data for publication. IT.
Is possible that they may also secure
about three months IN the field on the
electric inquiry In the meantime the
agriculture ana population clerks are
sun ID The y eid drawing s. per day.
and Ii il predicted that they will be
there uu the spriag OF 1903 Il is
plain, therefore, tSat the men who
could be easily spared from the office
VII be about $500 10 $500 J-c:er of than
the ones who were SO valuable as not
.o be spared. Not a very consistent I
method or treating men no are sup /
posed 10 be valuable.
Other Inconsistencies.