New-York tribune., 1909-06-15
PLANS SHAKE-UP
Orders E fciency Tests for Clerks in
His Department.
IF-om The Tribune Bureau. J


Washington. June f4.-secretary >,agsI OF t5s d.
parti1ent OF Commerce and Labor wno Has sT6a-,
a decided tendency TO know all about the thiss.
for which he is responsible as an officer NJ n.
government. has set in motion the machinery f,-
thorough investigation Of every bureau in nis d
partn1ent. He has outlined a plan for svsta-, -
ef11ciency reports on the work Of the employees
, his department. both in Washington and IN tss
country at large This plan will be executed u15s-
the supervision OF Ormsby McHarg Assistant s.c
retary OF Commerce and Labor
In the few months that Mr.. Nagsl has beer
Cabinet officer he has become convinced that thsra
is room for decided Improvement in his dAnar-
ment He has no purpose to work revolution =,
the method OF doing business but hs fsslz +..-
to some extent a system Is being built up which
does not yield the greatest possible results 70 tbs
government. Clerks who are fneficisn. or WIN A.,
not interested IN their work will have TO- reckon
with Mr. NageI. for it is his purpose 70 and our
whether they are giving value received 70 the gov.
eminent.
II explained to-day that Mr. McFIs-v.s IN
vestigations would disclose the fact that the per-
centsge of inefhciency is greater among the Young
er clerks than among the clerks OF more advances
age. Practically all the employees in the Depart
ment OF Commerce and Labor were appointed from
lists furnished by the Civil Service Commission
few OF them being covered into the CLASSIFIED SER
vice while serving under appointments made for
political reasons II is not believed that many %
the older clerks will be discharged for as stated
It has been found that young men and Young
women the chief offenders in watching TIE
clock and performing their duties N a shiftsss
way.
When Il became known that Mr.. NsgeI had or
dered thess tests some Of the bureau chiefs shook
their heads and said they doubted their advisa-
bility. One Of them explained to Mr.. NageI that
there was a young in his bureau who was
not up to the standard but could not e dismissed
because a member Of the Committee on Appro-
priations was greatly interested in him. Mr. NsgsI
said he thought It would be a good plan 10 give
this clerk place No. l the list of those eligible
for dismissal. adding thar he wanted il understood
that political influence would not hold any
who incompetent.
precedent for Mr.. NageTs plan 70 enforcs
economy and efficiency IN his department Is found
in the case OF Secretary Balnger. ot the Interior
Department Mr. BslInger came TO Washington
the request Of Mr.. Roosevelt ard Secretary Gar
field and accepted the once Of Commissioner q
the General Land once for the purpose OF reorgan-
izing that branch Of the public service II was
hard task but Mr. Ballinger succeeded 50 vel
that he able TO raise the efficiency Of some
OF the bureaus threefOld In some cases heroic
measures were required but Mr.. Ballinger ID not
hesitate 10 carry out his plans he had forru-
lated them when he began his wholesale house
cleaning" 1t is related that 50 much political
pressure was brought 10 bear on Secretary Gar
field TO hold certain employees that he tntertsrsd
with the execution OF some OF Mr.. BaIlinser's or
ders Mr.. Bailinzer took his the President
and threatened 10 resign if not permitted carry
out his reforms. Mr. Roosevelt approved Mr.
Ballinger's stand When Mr.. Taft was looking FOR
a Secretary of the Interior he remembered NJ
Ballingers work IN the Land once. and his record
there one of the important factors in his az
pointnisnt a Cabinet place.