The Washington times., 1908-06-20

! District Building. IL
State Department.
One-half Of the Government clerks
IN Washington are delighted bv the
order putting into effect the Saturday
half-holiday today They will get one
more halliday of than the other half
Of the Government clerks. whose de- |
partments do not put the order into
effect until July /.
All the clerks were primed for the /
half-holiday order 10 come today. Tie
women had planned outings. The men
had fishing bees hUmmlng under their
Panamas. and everybody who draws a
salary from Uncle Sam twice month
wore the smile Of sweet content. Some
are stfll wearing II. There are others
VINO are spending this nice, warm AFT
ernoon at their desks. counting the
hours on their finger tips,
II all came about through the indivld-
ual opinions OF the various heads OF
departments as 10 whether this season
or the last two weeks in September
would be the more oppressive. Some
thought that yesterdays heat was sufl-
clenJ 70 warrant an immediate suspen-
sion OF work on Saturday afternoons.
So the order went forth that the FIRST
half-hOliday Of the summer would De
given today. The departments which |
were included in this list were the !
War Department Treasury. Depart |
ment Of Justice, Department Of Agri- |
culture and the Department Of Com /
merce and Labor.
Total Of Fourteen.
According 10 the calendar, the clerks |
IN these departments viii get two Sat /
4 4- r.-T- a.
August. and three in September. max /
ing a total OF fourteen
This weather is all right" they said /
at the Interior Department this mora /
ing, "and We'll get our half-hoHdays |
until the first Of October. We would /
rather get ours on the other end"
Careful sJdy OF the calendar, how |
ever. shows that the departments which /
60 not elise on Saturday afternoons /
until July ] viii have only one holiday 1
after the other clerks, as the latter /
will have September lg. ana the last 1
Saturday IN the month is September % 1
The departments which viii not be- |
gin their summer schedule until July 1 4
are the Navy Department, the Interior /
Department the PosJoLuce, printing /
Office. Bureau Of Engraving and Print /
ing. the Navy Yard. and District Build /
Appeal to Chiefs.
There is only one way in which the /
clerks Of the latter departments can I
square up with their associates who 7
are spending the afternoon resting to- /
day, and that is 10 urge the chiefs of |
their bureaus TO issue the order next /
Saturday instead of July I, and I'm that /
way the game viii be even. Otherwise. /
the clerks of the departments which do 4
not close on Saturdays until July ] Will /
get thirteen half-hOlldays instead OF /
fourteen.
All morning Navy Department clerks |
talked of delegation 10 wait upon /
Acting Secretary NewberrN, but there |
was scarcity of those willing 10 serve. |
There is, however, widespread dissatis- |
faction The clerks feel that II the |
ether departments can close the Navy /
Department can 10 so also
Secretary NeWbCrTy however. SAYS |
that he knows nothing OF the oThc~ de- !
parJmCnJs, that he IS not responsible /
Tor Jnem and the early closing order, |
as received al the Navy Department. |
named the months Of july, August, and |
September. He said that he would not |
scJ without insJTu rtlOns from the Exec !
Etive office; that he did nat regulate |
the hours of labor.
Saturday haIf-hoHdays in the District |
government begin next week and end 1
with the last Saturday in September |
The order of the Commissioners OF |
January Is, 1904. fixing the hours Of /
closing the District Offices on Satur- /
days during the months of July Au- |
gust, and September at 1890 o'clock 4
was today amended to this effect.
Choate Lauds Half Holiday.
Chief Clerk Warren r. Choatc of the,I
Bureau OF Corporations, IN comment 1
ing this morning on the advantages |
OF the half holiday, said:
''No holiday is more appreciated, II /
% following the custom Of modern com /
Esercial life in occupations having a |
force working along clerical lines. such |
as banks, real estate Offices insurance
Offices, wholesale houses, etc. 1t IS a
common impression that the Govern
inent clerk is an oVerpaidr bat not over
the details and circumstances surround /
ing the labor of the majority of CLERKS |
in the Government service nothing can
be farther from che truth. Few things
are more wearing than the confinement |
and close application. attending clerical
work. a large part OF II having no FaT,-
ableness nor shadow OF turning.
1.-THE employc in stores, offices, AMI /
business housas is seeing new faces,
meeting new situations. has certain
freedom OF motion and change of loCa-
zion but the Government CLERK Is re-
CURED 10 stick t. his task and his desk,
quarters he sees no new faces nor does
he mingle with his fellow-men outside
Of associates in his work.
The Saturday half holiday Is more
than appreciated. lt enables him TO do
many little things that IL is impossible
10 do after 4.30 in the afternoon and
n he is a suburbanite the Saturday ha.t
holidays are the moss welcome Of the
year.
by the granting OF This vacation period.
and the economies 81 the situation are
doubIy beneficial, stl5 service and the
smploye ALIKE prohlng.'