Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-25
TO OVERHAUL BUREAU
Davenport Plans Reorganiza-
ton of Pension Employees.
ABILITY TO BE REWARDED
New Commissioner Proposes to Raise
Standard of Efficiency.
CHANGES NOT TO BE RADICAL
Some Older Men Better Than Their
Juniors. He says-Poor Clerks
to Be Pushed Down.
ABILITY TO BE REWARDED
CHANGES NOT TO BE RADICAL

The pension bureau is to be overhauled.
The efficiency of every employee will be
carefully looked into. Those found want
ing will go down in grade and those more
capable will go toward the top.
James l.. Davenport. first deputy COM
missioner of the bureau for the past
twelve years, and elevated yesterday to
be commissioner of pensions, has this
program in mind.
AS soon as he formally takes up the
Office laid down by Vespasian Warner of
Illinois he will begin to estimate the
work done i'm the various departments of
the bureau with view to arrange the
duties OF employees so the government
will get the maximum of service from
each one.
Will Play No Favorites.
The new commissioner is not going to
play any fayorites. He said SO this
morning.
He added, too, that he has never played
any favorites in his part in the admins
tration of the pension bureau. Now
that he is in supreme charge he does not
intend to alter this policy.
1t is we'll known that for months past
in the various inner circles of the de-
partments the talk has been that the
force at the bureau of pensions was not
up to the standard of efficiency which 1t
could attain The new commissioner pro-
poses to do all in his power to improve
this condition.
Mr. Davenport does not intend to take
any radical action. He has been in the
pension bureau long enough, he says. to
know it's peculiar needs. There are
many outside the bureau. he says. who
may have many notions for its improve
ment, but who know little of its organ
ization.
Knows Inside Secrets.
He knows the pension bureau during
a period beginning with 1881 when he be-
came clerk there. He has made per-
sistent study of it's workings while
clerk and later as first deputy commits
sioner.
In this latter position for the past
twelve years he has earned reputation
of ability Representatives and senators
have known that If one wanted to get
any action through the bureau the thing
to do was to "see Davenport
Commissioners have come and gone.
They have been absent from the post of
duty for long periods during their in
cumbency. But the work of the office
has gone as though they had been on
the job.
The man in charge was James L. Dav-
export. Today. at the beginning of a new
regime in the bureau, he says that no
the least to fear in the reorganization
pending.
Mr.. Davenport took particular pains this
morning to impress the fact upon Star
tcal action. He does not want to be
termed a radical
He does want to make his admnistra-
ton an economical one. To this end he
is brought up to the standard where he
thinks it should be.
Ability to Be Rewarded.
II intend to recognize ability wherever
1 see it, said the new commissioner
Then he recounted that his program would
probably mean lively changing around
of the bureau force.
From time to time in the Office vacancies
are occurring. 1t is Mr.. Davenports res
olution to leave such vacancies untitled
for the present.
He viii thoroughly look over the force
within the next six months. In that time
he believes he will have made all the
changes which will bring up the general
rating of the bureau to where 1t should be.
When next July rolls around the COM
missioner is aware that over 100 of the
force will have to go. He wants to be
fair with every one, but he said today he
wants it distinctly understood that he
only sees the law in the management of
the pension bureau.
1900 clerks in the bureau. OF these
at least 400 are women, while another
400 are old soldiers.
At least 1.10O employees of the bureau
crowded past the new commissioner
desk yesterday afternoon and wished him
much success in his new position. He
knew them all. Some not known to him
by name he knew by sight. He also
knew their records.
Praise for Older Clerks.
Mr.. Davenport does not for one minute
admit that the older clerks are not the
most efficient ones in the bureau. Quite
to the contrary, he declares. Some of the
oldest men in the Office are the best
clerks he has and will give his admins
tration as good service those many
years younger.
This morning the new commissioner
when he discussed this phase of the SUBJ
ject, had in mind one clerk in the de-
partment who Is over eighty years of
best posted men engaged in the work.
From time to time in the past the new
commissioner has regarded this man so
highly that he has consulted him about
the conduct of the Office.
Mr.. Davenport was born in Hins-
dale. n. H., in 1S35. He received his
early education In q district school. and
later attended the famous old Brattleboro
academy.
When the war between the states began
he made several inenectual attempts to
join the Union Army but was rejected
each time. because he was under age.
He went to Wisconsin in 1854, when he
succeeded in eniisting in Company B. 10th
Wisconsin Volunteers. He was later: dis
charged on account of Illness, and re-
turned to his home in New Hampshire.
In 1881 he came to the pension bureau
and served In many grades until 1897
when he was made first deputy commits
sioner. He resides with his family on
Wyoming avenue.