The Washington times., 1911-09-17
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL
AND THE CIVIL EMPLOYEES.

printed an interview with POSTMASTER
General Hitchcock, declaring anew his
purpose to press for civil service re-
forms that would give justice to the
outworn employees of the Government
On the editorial page was printed an
expression of The Times views on the
same question.
Both The Times editorial and the
Postmaster Generals interview were
inspired by an incident in the New
York city postoffce, where two clerks,
both of some sixty years service, had
been dismissed for no reason save their
age, and with absolutely no provision
for their future. The Postmaster Gen
eral and The Times were in complete
agreement. Both had been shocked by
the incident; both had felt the appeal
to human sensibilities that such a
tragic performance necessarily in
wolves.
The coincidence lay in the fact that
the Postmaster Generals interview and
The Times editorial happened to be
printed in the same paper, with abso-
lutely no common inspiration. The
writer of the editorial did not know
of the interview; the Postmaster Cen
eral was not solicited for the inter
view, but it was suggested from his
office to The Times.
Such Incidents as this cannot fail to
enforce attention to the disgraceful
conditions which mark Uncle Sans
service. As former Senator Charles
Dick said SO effectively in his interview
in The Times:
The United States should be the model
employer, not only as to wages and
hours, but as to other conditions. 1t
Is safe to say that an incident such as
this would not occur in the case of any
private corporation employing any con-
siderable number Of persons.
1t is said that corporations are SOUL
less, but 1t is doubtful II any railroad
or industrial corporation, whether main
tanning a general retirement system or
hOA' "Ohlu ITOI1 eIIlplOy, f,
without making any provision whatever
for them. two men who had worked
faithfully for more than half a century.
1t is not to be believed that Con-
gress can longer neglect the plain de-
mand of humanity and good business
sense to reform conditions which make
such tragedies possible in the civil
service. Suppose the greatest employer,
the richest, the best able to pay, in
all this country were great private
corporation, with half million people
on its rolls. Suppose such incidents
were taking place in its employment,
not occasionally and rarely, but almost
every day.
Suppose the service of that corpora
tion were of vital concern to all the
people; and suppose that, by reason of
these demoralizing conditions of its
employment the efficiency of that
service were constantly and progress
sively being impaired.
What would the people of the United
States do to such a private corpora
tion, in such a caseH Is it not per-
fectly apparent that there would be
such an outburst of indignation and
reprobation as would compel prompt
and effective reforms?
Is the Government of the nation to
be the one employer exempt from all
obligation in behalf of common hu-
manity and elemental decencyf
It is impossible that conditions shall
continue as they are now. There must
be recognition of the wrongs inflicted
by present methods, and vigorous steps
for improvement. The Government
cannot secure the kind of employees it
needs because experience has warned
too many people against its service. 1t
cannot develop the most efficient or
ganization because there is no way to
readjust employment conditions short
of driving hundreds, even thousands,
of veteran workers out of their oppor-
tunity to earn livelihood.
Small wonder that, after the long
campaign which The Times has made
to drive home realization of these
conditions, public men are now com
ing to recognize that something must
be done; and without delay.
The question is going to be one of
the most pressing and engrossing be-
fore Congress and the national admin
istration until it is settled, and settled
rightly. There is only one right solu-
tion. That is, first, to readjust salary
schedules to modern conditions; to
pay living, respectable wages; to make
promotion possible; to open the service
to the appeal of ambition; and to
provide for the retirement of super
animated workers on conditions which
shall assure them comfortable living
after their usefulness has ended.