The Washington times., 1909-07-27
MACYEAGH PROBING
FOR MORE ECONOMY
Committee to Investigate
and Insure Permanent
Improvement.
Continued from First Page


showing OF economy: but that he did
expect reforms to be effected that would
be permanent IN their nature, and result
both in economy and improved work.
The responses from the officers. pub
licly and privately expressed. make il
plain that the words OF the Secretary
we're taken III earnest and that the
work of the committee is to be a seri-
Gus one"
Committees Work.
The work which c0nfronts the com
mittee assumes almost tremendous
proportions. The instructions given the
three assistant secretaries are that they
are to devote every minute possible TO
the task and that they are 10 carry the
probe into every office. Their report is
expected 10 show every possible means
OF cutting down the expenditures of
money In so far as that Is compatible
with preserving an efficient corps Of
clerks for the dispatch OF work.
The deductions and recommendation
Of the committee will, It Is believed, re-
duce the estimates for the fiscal year of
1911. AS mentioned in the Secretary-s
statement he has had submitted 10 MIN
liminaTy estimates These have not
appealed to him as being sufficiently
low in spite of the warning sent to all
heads of bureaus and chiefs or divisions
to keep them as low as possible.
Obviously. the task Of the committee
is 10 put them lower and at the same
time improve the efficiency Of the de-
paTtments work.
Mr.. MacVeagh is particularly insist
ent that there shall be no fiash-in-the-
pan results of the inquiry. no sporadic
or temporary effects. He IS trying TO
bring about what has never happened
in the entire history OF the Treasury
Departments thorough. minute lnVes-
LEGATION of every office. bringing into
the limelight of official notice the work
of every emplOye. ranging from me
messengers TO the highest paid clerks
on the pay rolls.
Guilty to Suffer
As a result Of this. no competent
j clerk may be In the least uneasy. But
the loafers and the incompetents might
as we'll begin now to pack their trunks
| and make all arrangements necessary
| for separating themselves from the ser
! vice
Secretary Nagel. in his Investigation
of his department. an inquiry which is
| still in progress, found that the leaf
ers and the inco.npetents were more
/ often found in the ranks of the youth
] fuk It is more than possible that this
} experience may be repeated IN the probe
Of the Treasury Department. If the re-
mark made by the chief yesterday az
| ternoon can be taken as an indication,
such will be the case.
What Mr. McVeagh wants is what Mr.
| Nagel wants, department Iull OF
clerks who give the Government full
days work FOR a full days pay. II IS
in line with the Taft policy OF econ
on:izing wherever possible in the
use of the pUblic's money Il IS
the same thing that is being done in
the Department Of Commerce and La
Dor. the Department OF the Interior
and the other departments
Will Take Time.
The committee appointed by Mr. Mac
Veagh estimates that the work they
have to do will require six weeks at
the earliest, and that it may take two
months. 1t will be done by reports
from the chiefs and assistant chiefs, in
vestiga1ions by the heads Of bureaus
and by frequent meetings OF groups Of
these officials to determine what re
forms shall be instituted, what clerks
retained in their present positions, and
where the demoEons and dismlssals are
TO fall.
Tie charge has been made in Con-
gress that the Treasury Department has
more than its share Of superannuatea
clerks. This however, has been held as
q mistake by officials of the depart
ment. Moreover, there are many VINO
! say that the old Clerks are the hardest
workers, surprising in industry and re
suits the younger men and women whose
only concern is 70 draw their money
and sidestep hard work.
| Mr. MacVeagh's committee is charged
with the job OF getting at the loafers
| and incompetents, whether they be old
or in the flower of their ineffective
youth. And the statement at the de
part this afternoon is that this brand
of flower is about 10 feel the sharp
caress of the official snickersnee.