Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-31
FALLING INTO DISUBE
OLD CUSTOM OF WELCOMING
HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS.
Considered q Waste Of Time-Routfns
Matters Carried on by the
Clerks.

One OF the old-established customs in
the departments which has been gradually
dropped within recent years and which In
due time will in all probability become a
remembrance. is that OF summoning the
clerical force OF a department to meet a
newly installed official head" remarked
an old clerk to a Star reporter
Old clerks will recall that up to a few
years ago. upon the induction of a cabinet
officer in his duties. the entire clerical
force OF the department would he notified
to hold itself in readiness to respond to the
call to go upstairs and meet the old man.
An hour for this formal introduction would
be fixed. the various chiefs of divisions
would be notified, the clerks would be or
dered to cease work at certain time and
when the Hateful moment arrived would be
marshaled in groups and marched to the
foor upon which the official head had his
offices.
Here they would enter in single file and
be presented by name one by one by their
chief. each shaking the head of the de
partment by the hand and quickly passing
on to permit those behind To have their
turn Usually the retiring official stood
by the side of the incoming man and his
hand was often shaken as we'll. and on
the part of those who knew him a word
of farewell would be exchanged
This ordeal for the incoming official
was by no means an easy and he
usually had a lame hand and wrist at the
end of this formal reception and acqUaint-
ance with the clerical force under him
On the part of the clerks it was also u
disagreeable task and many objected to
it. but, being an official order they were
required to obey. 1t always had de
morazing effect upon the work for the
rest of the day. as the time consumed
from the preparations to attend this formal
official reception until its completion was
considerable. To quickly handle without
confusion thousand and more clerks
was not an easy task and everybody would
be glad when it was over.
Passing of the Custom.
I'm the old days in official Washington
when the departments were tenth or
their present clerical size such a reception
was another matter. The practice
based upon the theories OF respect on the
part of the clerical force to outgoing and
incoming administrations. though some
times during one administration there
would be several changes in the heads
of single department. 1t was also de-
signed to permit the clerical force to see
their great chief, as well for their
great chief to see the workers under
him.
a matter OF fact and 1t is just as well
that 1t is growing into disfavor with the
officials as 1t Is with the clerical force.
1t Is now more usually In effect In a bureau
upon the change of the head thereof than
in department, and even in the instance
of a bureau 1t is thought by many to
bear the same relation to such reception
to the head of a department and in time
will probably fall into disuse I'm bureaus.
The heads of bureaus. and under this
classification | include those administered
by assistant secretaries. frequently change
so often that the clerical forces have hard
time in keeping track OF their actual official
masters. So far the bulk of the clerical
forces are concerned 1t doesn't make much.
,,.IA a.. 4la hoo af
the bureau; the work goes on Just the same
with one man as with another. and the
main thing which concerns the clerical
force who do the work is to know definitely
who is the official head that they can
prepare documents and letters for his
signature or have rubber stamps pre-
pared so that the name Of the retiring Of
fetal can be blotted out and that of the
new man impressed upon the circular mat
ter, which in Washington leaves the
clerks desks by the tone and carload.
while this may seem strange to an out
slider, 1t is well known in official life in
Washington. There have been a dozen
chiefs of the bureau in which l am en-
ployed for they come and go like the
leaves in the fall. Once in a while we meet
the incumbent in the Railways, for
rule the old and the new alike make bee
line for the door of their offices. and once
at their desks stay there until 1t is time to
make Decline for the door of the building
for home-just like the clerks. you see.
OmCldl Zeal.
Sometimes a new bureau chief or as
sstant secretary filed with a zeal which
quickly vanlshes, however. wishes to know
just what goes out of his bureau In the
shape of work and mail which he doesn't
personally see, for in ordinary course of
events he sees only a 1.-THE of It and only
the most important official mail As this
circular and other mail leaves the clerks
desks by the aggregate thousands of pieces
day. the over-Zealous new official has be-
fore the noon hour several wagonloads of
matter piled up in his room for inspection
One lesson of this kind is usually enough
even for the most painstaking, who soon
finds that he has more than enough for one
man to do to look after the weightier mat
tiers which involve his own position leaving
the clerical force to manage their own end
of the official line.
THE new practice of incoming officials
is to receive only the heads of the bu-
reaus. divisions and chief clerks and this
is the more logical and advantageous way
The heads of the departments and usually
heads of the bureaus, seldom If ever come
in contact with the clerical force under
them. except in specific instances hence
the meeting in question is largely a waste
of time. If a case is desired which Is be-
ing handled by clerk 1t is sent for and
presented to the higher official by a sub
ordinate official and not by the clerk
Hence, you see, IL doesn't make much diff
ference to us. as a great class, who is 'up
at the head of the line"