The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-08
POLITICS BLAMED
FOR SUGAR FRAUDS
Secretary MacVeagh'S Re-
port Protests - Recon-
mendS Pensions.

IN vigorous language. Franklin Mac
-Feagh. Secretary of the Treasury. dis
cusses in his annual report sent to Con-
'gress today the recently exposed frauds
Of the Sugar trust and other customs
house scandals.
'--'He says that the frauds Of the Ameri-
-ican Sugar Refining Company showed "a
long-contnuing system of corruption"
77Fhe Secretary regards as most dele
ferrous the influence OF local politics
and politicians"
UNLESS the customs service can be
released from the payment of political
debts and exactious," he continues.
and from meeting the supposed ex-
igencies Of political organizations, big
and little, II win be impossible to have
an honest service for any length of
time. Then he also blames returning
american travellers for not only being
willing TO defraud the Government, but
- corrupt Its employees, and importers
20 evade duties through undervaluatlon
o and corrupt combinations.
Efficiency Inquiry.
Regarding the inquiry into the eff
ciency Of Treasury employees Mr.. Mac
Neagh says
The matter of efficiency in the ad-
ministration of the Treasury Depart
ment is also being inquired into.
There should be, of course, i'm every
great executive organization, a constant
and almost automatic efficiency test
with practical results; and in any pros
porous private business this obtains.
Sut even then periodical set investi-
cation is necessary, especially in Gov
eminent offices.
In the inquiries now being made in
the Treasury Department, there is no
further intention than the ordinary one
Of finding out whether the work is done
with reasonable individual efficiency.
Ne~ Pension and Retirement
Any inquiry into the efficiency OF
administration very soon involves a
Consideration of policy Of civil serv-
ice retiring pensions. And it seems 10
me that the conclusion is unavoidable
that really efficient service is out OF
the question without a method Of hon
soraby and justly retiring persons whose
efficiency is seriously impaired.
Just as there are instances where
the younger clerks should be disciplined
or dismissed. so there are many cases
Of the older clerks where, in justice
70 both themselves and the service
they ought to be hOnOrably relieved
The service is blocked in many instances
by the unwillingness Of the officials In
charge to throw out Of place worthy
mon and women who have given me
best of their lives TO the work Of the
Government. So that. in a very imper-
feet and wholly unsatisfactory manner
practically a pension system is and Ions
has been in operation.
The United States is the only ma
ton that has no general legal retiring
pension for the employees of its civil
service. we have this unique position
in the world. along with a reputation
FOR great wealth and fo- otherwise lib
eral expenditures And though as a
government we have halted at a gen.
eFal retiring allowance for civil en-
.plOyeS. the great universities of OuI
country and the EreaL corporations have
been taking immense steps along this
very line: and the Federal Government
is becoming more and more isolated
Il hope that the Congress viii take
up and consider favOrably one Of the
various forms of law that are pro.
posed"
The Permanent Staff
Secretary MacVeagh pays a tribute 70
-the permanent staff OF the Treasury, as
fellows:
81 am greatly impressed by the i'm
'portance TO the Governments service OF
--the permanent staff of the Treasury De
-partment. Secretaries Of the Treasury
and Assistant Secretaries come and go
l,ut the permanent STAFF continues, and
-upon il largely depends the standard Of
its administration. Nothing is more
important than that this permanent stat
should be recruited from the very bes
available ability In the country. At Z
later time 7 may wish to suggest 20 tn,