Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-07
PLEA FOR MORE PAY
Gen. Cr0zier Asks That Clerks
Salaries Be Increased.
BASED ON Merit SYSTEM
Close Watch Kept on Work Of All
Employees.
HIGHER GRADE MEN SUFFER
Compensation Not In Proportion to
Their Services as Compared
With Lower Grades.
HIGHER GRADE MEN SUFFER

Gen. Crozier, chief of the army bureau
Of ordnance, and Rear Admiral Mason.
chief Of the naval bureau Of ordnance,
have put themselves on record as favor
ing increased compensation for the clerks
in their establishments.
There are sometimes heard expressions
of Doubt says Gen. Crozier, "as to the
efficiency with which the clerical work
returns which the government gets for
the expenses Of the force. the question
raising the doubt being whether the work
is done with such energy as is found In
private employment. There are in prac-
tice in this department two principles
which are believed to make strongly for
the efficiency of any organization to which
they are applied. namely, promotion by
selection for merit, and reduction or dis
charge for cause.
Based on Work Performed.
Very great pains are taken to see that
the relative merits Of the clerical force
employed shall be accurately appreciated.
and the result. when arrived at, are
taken as an invariable guide in making
promotions and reductions.
promotions are Of frequent occurrence.
while reductions also actually take place
from time to time.
There Is rarely occasion for discharge
from the service, but this also actually
occurs. The clerical force Of the de-
partment Is efficient and devoted to duty.
and the work which is turned out by the
force is believed to be equal in quantity
and superior In quality to that which is
done by the same number of people SIM
ilarly employed out OF government serv-
Ice. The compensation of the lower grades
Is thought to be sufficient for the capacity
and experience which are required; but
for the upper grades the pay is not COM
mensurate with the work and RESPONSE
bility. when the increase In the cost OF
living Is considered. 1t certainly Is not
commensurate now, il 1t was SO at the
time when 1t was established.
This department regulates the pay of
clerks at its establishments with refer
ence to that Of those who are employed
in this Office. and hopes that an improve
ment In the latter will be effected at the
coming session of Congress, which will
then be extended over the whole depart
ment.
Admiral Mason's Plea.
In his recent annual report Rear Adj
miral Mason also expressed the hope
that this year Congress would be prevail
ed upon to place the civil employees in
this department on an equal footing with
those in other departments as regards
grades and salaries.
1.-THE bureau" he continues ''has re-
peatedly called attention to Its need of
more office room. There IL not enough
room to properly handle the business OF
the bureau. to say nothing of the insan-
itary conditions existing caused by the
crowding Of the Office and employees No
private business concern Of any preten-
sions whatever would permit such condi-
tions to exist. and the bureau earnestly
hopes that something may be done At an
early date to provide additional room.
For lack of room the bureau has been
compelled to send over fifty large boxes
of valuable records to the naval gun fac
tory and magazine at Bellevue. d. c..
and. although only the oldest and least
used were selected, it Is necessary at in
tervals to open these boxes to look up
cases. causing much Inconvenience and
delay. One OF the bureaus Clerks IL
Obliged to do his work standing because
there is no place to put desk for him. "