Evening star., 1909-06-27
EMPLOYEES FOUND
NOT UP TO MARK
Ak Threatens Many Clerks in
Department of Commerce
and Labor.
FULLY 10 PER CENT
MARKED AS DEFICIENT
Result of Reports Made by Chiefs
to Secretary Nagel.
MANY WILL BE REDUCED
Every Case to Be Passed Upon on
Its Merits. With Dismissal the
Penalty Unless Work
Improves.
Result of Reports Made by Chiefs
to Secretary Nagel.
MANY WILL BE REDUCED

Approximately 10 per cent OF the en-
pIoyes of the Department of Commerce
and Labor in and out of Washington. are
involved unfavorably in the reports made
10 Secretary Nagel by tho bureau chiefs
OF the department. In brief. this means
that the employees reported upon uufavor-
ably will be either dismissed from the
service or reduced in rank from the posi-
tions which they now occupy.
Some time ago Secretary Nagel called
upon the bureau chiefs of his department
for reports on the efficiency of the en-
ployes in their several departments. These
reports show, in some instances, a serious
discrepancy from the work that reason
ably ought to be accomplished In the bu-
reaus. Curiously enough, since the eff
cheney reports were called for the work
accomplished by the various bureaus has
increased, according to the statement
made by an important official of the de-
partment, fully 80 per cent. This indi-
Gates to the executive officials of the de-
partment that fair amount of work
employees of the various bureaus.
1t is not the purpose of Secretary Nagel
and Assistant Secretary McHarg to use
the ak indiscriminately, but they have ex-
pressed determination to obtain for the
government fair days labor for the sal
aries paid.
All Are Liable.
While 10 per cent of the employees Of the
department will not be dismissed from
the service at the beginning Qf the new
-<-ffscai year July [; very one Of the 10
per cent who are unfavorably mentioned
in the reports o. the bureau chiefs will
be liable to dismissal unless his work i'm
proves to the satisfaction of the depart
ment authorities. Every case, 1t may be
said, will be passed upon on its merits.
although in ninety-nine cases out of
every hundred the recommendations Of
the bureau chiefs will be accepted as
final.
Secretary Nagel and Assistant Secretary
McHarg had conference yesterday at
which the matter was discussed at length.
No announcement of the action of the
officials will be made prior to the begin
ming of the new fiscal year, when the
dismissals or reductions will be promul-
gated in the ordinary way.
DIR. Charles y. Neil, Commissioner OF
Labor said that the percentage of In
efficient clerks in his bureau would prob
the cause was chiefly old age. There
were, lie said, some employees whose
habits prevented their giving the service
that the department required, but that
their number was neither greater nor less
than the average In the other depart
ments generally. He said his report had
not yet been rendered to the secretary,
AID that Ii had just about been COM
pleted. He was not as yet familiar with
its details because he had not yet had
a chance TO carefully examine the report.
In the Census Bureau.
Director OF the Census f. Dana Du-
rand, who was found at the Cosmos Club
last night. told Star reporter that he
had been SO busy at the Capitol in con-
nection with the census bill that he had
not really had the time to look carefully
into the details of the report from his
bureau He doubted that so high as ~
per cent of the clerks had been found de-
ticient Snd believed that from his brief
knowledge of the situation the clerks at
the census office were no better nor no
worse on an average than those or the
other bureaus There were douDtiess
some who had outlived their usefulness
and were more or less disqualified by age.
others whose habits were open to ques-
tion and still others who for one reason
or another did not do their fair share OF
work. These would all be dealt with in a
manner appropriate TO each case.
Director purand said the inquiry as 10
the efficiency of the clerks. he thought,
had been made two months ago, at the
instance of Assistant Secretary McHarg
but he could not speak as To the reports
made by the several bureau chiefs.
No Special. Commission.
There had been no special commission
assigned TO investigate the clerks. he
thousht. but an inquiry had been ad-
dressed 10 each bureau head to make
the investigation and report himself. That
for the census Office had either been
made by MIR. North or Mr.. Rosster but
he could not speak 10 details. He
was somewhat familiar with conditions
in the bureau of corporations and
thought that the clerical force in that
bureau was far ahead of the average
due to the fact that men had been Sc
lected for appointment in IL because OF
their peculiar fitness for the work. He
thought the average of those who We're
considered below the standard was ex-
Ceedingly small, If. indeed any were
deemed TO be such in that bureau.
Statement by Assistant Secretary.
Ormsby McHarg assistant secretary OF
Commerce and Labor, declared last night
that the report that many clerks in the
department found 10 be inefficient is
true and predicted that July / there will
De IL large number OF UlSHllsSalS, many
others denoted and others told they will
be dismissed unless their work during
the next sixty days proves them worth
keeping.
MIR. Mci rig declared that he initiated
the investigation as 10 inefiiciency in the
department. because he had noticed tina,
many OF the clerks did their work in q
perfunctory manner. and did not give
proper attention TO their duties. The IN
efficient ones, he declares, are not the
mn those
thirty years OF age
The inefficiency, he declared, has beer
found chiefly in the census bureau anc
In the Department of Labor.
The plan, he said. is to introduce goot
business methods into the department. Ii
the future, he declared. bureau chief: