The sun., 1910-05-07
The GOvernment Clerk.

In the Atlantic MoHthiy for May an
"Ex-Ohicial' whose name h not given
comments in a highly interesting man
ner and evidently with a thorough knOwl-
edge Of his subject on the desirability
Of clerical posts in the service Of the
Government. Scores Of thousands Of
men and women already occupy posi-
tons and other thousands are eager 20
secure places on The Federal pay rolls
The article refers particularly 10 clerical
positions in the departments in Washing
ton. where employment h given 70 about
1900 people. The Interior Department
leads with a fore Of SOS. followed
by the Treasury Department with $50.
tho Department of Agriculture with
2.sop, and - on down to the Depart
ment Of Justice with 30 and the State
Department with isO
For women tho writer Of the article
regards these positions a. particularly
desirable for the reason that the ser
vice offers work which is reasonably
easy and agreeable. considsratS treat
ment, gsnero''s vacations, sick leave
allowance aud a living salary. The
girls in department stores in the great
cities often receive no more pay than
DO the floor scr'ibbeFS in tho department
buildings in Washington CONSIDERING
the desirability Of the service for young
men the writer bass his view on
the individual temperament, ambition
and ability. For the Young man who
II easy going. indOlent and Of mod
erate ability, possibly the Government
service NAV be a welcome haven Of
refuge from failure and actual want.
n, however the wOuld-be servant Of
the United States is alert, energetic.
resourceful and ambitious let him be-
ware OF the Government service" Il 10
clear that the writer sees mcdiOcrity
rather than excellence at a premium
in the departments. Good behavior
and moderate ability to perform rou-
tine work. he says, are nowadays
likely 10 he rewarded by lifelong en-
ployment, whereas promotion means
increasing uncertainty of tenure This
he admits Is paradoxicai.
The explanation IL that a man n
special ability after dozen or twenty
years of aervice and after reaching
the highest clerical grade in Class 4.
which carries a salary Of 81 $40. may ba
regarded a. eligible for promotion 10
the post of a minor official. to the head
Of a bureau or division. n he acoepts
such post he loses the security, such as
Il IA. Of the civil servioe system and NAV
az any time lose his position through a
change in the Cabinet or a change Of
administration. The writer refers 10 a
man who three times refused the leader
ship Of the bureau in which he was en-
ploycd, the ground for refusal being that
-oficial position IA a luxury which AZ
n poor man hs could not afford 20 arcspt
with the risk that Il might a. any time be
taken from him, leaving him the choice
between dsmOtion and loss Of employ
ment at an age when other work would
not easily he found. The plain Infer
cnoe from his article IL that tho writer
rnEards the force Of male clerks In the
departments in Washington a. consist
ing largely Of those who are lndOlent
or otherwise inefficient and those whose
energies have been sapped and whose
ambitions have been crushed by the con-
difiOns Of the service.
There are m some Of the departments
opportunities for technical training in
sTlecial lines. and alert and enterprising
Young men not infreqncntly find In
fhoss positions an excellent stepping |
sions ~ highly paid employment out- |
aids ths service; but, says this cOmmen-
laioT. there are certainly few Govern /
ment clerks and minor officials who do |