The Washington times., 1911-11-20
THE WAY TO GET RESULTS
PROMPTLY.

employees in Washington than in any
other city; but every large city has a
small army of them.
The nation over, the movement fol
more liberal pay, for retirement, pro.
motion opportunities, and pensions
has taken root and is commanding at.
tention.
A year ago now, when it was making
It's first earnest appeals for the initia
ton OF this very nation wide move
ment, The Times urged that it was
something that could succeed only
through the widest cooperation. The
civil service employees in Washington
must interest and work with those of
the whole country.
+ The Government employees in New
York city have just presented mag
nificent illustration of what may be
done in this direction. Last night the
great Hippodrome was jammed to its
doors by people come to attend a pub.
lie meeting to discuss this very prob.
lem, and thousands were turned away.
The meeting was held under the lead
and initiation of the United States
Civil Service Retirement Association.
On another page in this paper will be
found an account of the gathering, the
addresses, and the enthusiasm that
was aroused.
This is the work, and the only
work, that will bring the right solution
to our civil service problems. Congress
what with the cheap demagoguery tnat
insists there must be no increases in
the appropriations, and what with the
dense ignorance that prevails concern
ing civil service conditions and needs.
is not going to do anything substantial
for the Federal employees until it is
DRIVEN BY FORCE OF AROUSl
PUBLIC OPINION to take action.
There is just one way to make Con.
gress move.> The Times has pointed
out chat way many times. The New
York branch of the Civil Service Re-
tirement Association has "exemplified
the work" 1t consists in making the
cause so popular, so appealing to in
telligent public opinion, that Congress
will not DARE longer to ignore it.
There's no use being mealy -mouthed
any longer. Congress will begin to see
the point when it understands that the
civil service people are going to re.
member their friends and punish their
enemies at the ballot box. The gen
tlemen from New York city will be
profoundly impressed by the tremen-
dous showing of influence, numbers,
and earnestness that was made on be-
half of this movement at the Hippo.
drome meeting last night. That is the
sort of thing that gets action on Con-
gress; in this matter it is the only
thing.
Secretary of the Navy Meyer has
made public his annual report, in which
he points out that there has been no re.
vision of salary schedules for the civil
service since 1854. Mr.. Meyer has
been from the beginning one of the
most earnest advocates for a square.
deal policy toward the Government
workers. But all the other members
of the Cabinet are with him. There is
going to be no division in the execu-
tive branch of the Government this
year.
1t is now merely question of max
ing Congress see the point.
The New York method is the one
that will win. There ought to be
another great mass meeting of civil
service employees in Washington the
first or second week of the session of
Congress. There ought to be gather
ing such az was held at the Hippo
drome last night, in every first and
every second class city in the country.
Make YOUR OWN Congressman,
YOUR OWN Senators, know that YOU
mean business. Make them understand
that VOTES next November depend Oh
VOTES in the meantime.
Make the political leaders under
stand that there are scores of close
districts in the country in which the
election result can be turned as the
civil service people cast their votes and
their influence with their friends.
Don't be worried about executive or
ders and threats of punishment in case
of political activity. Nothing would
do this movement more good right