The Washington times., 1910-12-10
Additional Half Hour for
Clerks to Be Discussed
Next Week.
BUREAU CHIEFS
TO BE CONSULTED
If Efficiency Can Be Maintained
With Extra Work, Order viii
Go Into Effect.

In the coming week the Cabinet viii
discuss with the bureau and division
chiefs the question OF lengtheninE the
hours Of work in the departments until
. O'Clock, and viii next Friday deter
mine whether such an order shah be
issued
1t is purely a matter Of efficiency. one
Of the members Of the Cabinet said to-
Gay II It can be shown that a greater
degree Of efficiency can be obtained
from longer hours, the President viii
issue the order
The question is, after all. I'd TO the
heads OF she bureaus and chiefs o- tb.
divisions They are in closer touch with
the clerks than are the members Of the
CABINET or the assistants 10 the Cabi-
net members, and the advice OF the
( bureau heads will very largely prevail
( "Heh the JIne comes for action
Opinion Widely Differs.
As tie matter stands today there IS 2
wide difference Of opinion between tie
members Of the Cabinet themselves as
70 the advisability Of compelling the
Government clerks 20 work half an hour
later Those who oppose the idea are
convinced that the year-around half
holiday on Saturdays will not couueu-
safe the clerks for the loss Of their time
IN the afternoons.
II IS pointed out that only a few years
ago the work day was heightened 10 40
clock BY Executive order, and that the
thousands Of Government clerks affect
ed BY II have never become reconcIIed
10 the idea They feel that they are
Imposed upon and taken advantage OF
N q matter IN which they cannot pro-
tecJ themselves.
Be fo- the Praef7erfs- ,@fs+.,ys, - -.
matter, Il has become known that he
= open 10 conviction He wants the
highest degree OF efficiency from the
departments, but he IS willing TO leave
the settlement OF the matter entirely
TO the Judgment Of the members OF his
Cabinet II they decide that II VIII not
improve the situation or increase the
output, n work ne IS willing that the
whole agitation should drop.
Matter Up n Earnest.
Not until yesterday did the Cabinet Of
dcers actually take the question I'd
seriously. It had been mentioned inter
mittentIy at Cabinet meetings during
this Administration, but no suggestion
OF action was made
Yesterday afternoon, however, the
matter was laid before the meeting bv
the President and was discussed for
and no division Of the sentiment In the
Cabinet made.
It was simply suggested that the
Cabinet officers take the matter I'D with
their subordinate chiefs and determine
in their own minds whether it would
be wise
It was learned today that should the
ordeT 20 forth requiring the clerks in
Washington TO work until : O'cI0-lz
instead Of 4-3O, the Government en-
ployes in all the Federal Offices OF the
country VIII be required TO do the same.
There viii be no discrimination
Thomas Grant, secretary of the Cham
Der Of Commerce, today is in communi-
cation with the White House to make
an appointment with the President for
the committee appointed by President
Guide to protest against the change in
hours for the Government employees.
The committee consists OF W r
Guide, s W Woodward, A Lisner,
Isaac Cans, and Thomas Grant.