Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-26
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And In GREAT BRITAIN
II ! !.

granted an annual increment OF EGO
until his salary reaches E6J0-that Is to
say, in seven years and half he has
risen from the minimum to the maximum
pay of his position, drawing for the re-
mainder of his career ESQ, or about
So, $50. His assistant Is started at ESQ
per year and raised by e1o per year until
he reaches ESQ, which will be in six and
two-third years. The minor staff clerk
draws ESQ per year at the outset and
rises by an annual increment of &1O
until he gets $780, ten years later. In
the class called second division clerks In
the home Office there are two>grades, one
drawing ESQ per year at the outset and
rising by E10 annually to ESQ, and the
other class starting at go per year and
rising by increments varying from 81 to
E10 until reaching the maximum of ESQ.
In the higher grades of the clerical d.
visions some Of the annual increments run
as high as $50 per year $3.50. For
instance, in the home office there are four
principal clerks starting at 990O and ris-
ing by ESQ increments to maximum OF
Ell 600. which they reach in two years.
Then: there are five senior clerks who
draw f7OO each and rise by four f2o
promotions to reach ES00. Generally
larger the increment and the shorter the
time in which the maximum is reached.
The theory on which the annual incre-
ment system is founded is that 1t keeps
the clerical force stable. There
Stable Is. in truth, strong desire
r. On the part Of the officials In
charge Of the governmental
work to hold men in service when they
have proved their efficiency. They give
the appointee every chance in the world
to make good, having surrounded his Sc
lection with severe tests calculated to
procure for the government the best
available people. 1t is required. for in
stance. that he take an examination at
an early age, most of the competitions
being limited to persons in their twenties.
All candidates are also examined as to
their physical condition and must give
proof Of character satisfactory to the ex-
aiming officers. Having qualified for ap-
pointment and obtaining a certificate OF
qualification, the new clerk goes on Pc
Rod of probation of from one to two
years, to be fixed by the head of his de-
partment. During that time his conduct
and capacity are subjected to tests, and
should he meet these tests satisfactorily
he is at the end Of his probation period
permanently appointed to position. AS
result of this probatfonal period few
unfit aspirants for public place are an
nually weeded out, but the percentage OF
such elimination is small. On the other
hand, when once a man has obtained his
permanent appointment he Is held In or
flee until his compulsory retirement on
reaching the age Of sixty-five, pending
good behavior.
"For what causes are men dismissed
from the government service?" I asked
the civil service official who was explain
ing the system to me.
For the usual causes which cover in
all cases of dismissal in any line of work
continued misbehavior,
Causes Of intemperance. gross in
n.,s competence. scandalous
OIsAnissda' conduct outside of Office
that reflects upon the government. or, in
fact, anything that initiates against his
usefulness"
Are many men dismissed?" asked.
81 could not tell you exactly. but l
think that the annual disInissals in the
whole government service are less than a
Dozen" was the reply.
When a man Is suspected of having
violated the written or unwritten laws OF
appear before his immediate chief and
confronted with charges II he is able to
make a satisfactory explanation he is
allowed to go his way without dlscredit.
His chances OF annual promotion are not
affected unless the charges should be Sc
rious and his escape narrow. II, on the
contrary, he cannot satisfy his chief OF
the faisity of the charges he is dismissed
at once. But his dismissal Is accom-
plished quietly. No scandal results unless
the cause has already become public or
unless it leads to parliamentary IN
quiry, which is extremely rare.
It may be set down as an absolute rule
that men are not dismissed from the gov
eminent service for polit-
No Political ical reasons. The clerk
may be a. pronounced
TdctoIS. liberal and hold his Of
flee uninterruptedly throughout a success
sion of unionist governments. The theory
is that the examining officers have no
knowledge whatever of the political lean
ings of the men to whom they issue GER
tificates. I asked In the civil service Of
fee If this theory held good in effect, and
was given an emphatic answer in the
affirmative.
1.-THE whole object Of our Office is to OBJ
tain a service of the best available men, -
1 was told, land 1t would be folly to ask
a candidate his political opinions or to al
low such considerations to have the
slightest weight In making selections"
l suggested that possibly men might be
denied permanent appointments after
serving their one or two years on proba-
ton, because of the discovery of political
opinions at variance with those of the
pending officer. This thought was mega
lived with equal emphasis, and was as
sured that liberals and tories, socialists
and unionists, were alike taken into the
permanent service without the slightest
regard to their partisanship. 1t is. now
ever, expected that a man In government
Office shall never play the part OF a par
tisan while he is in service. That some
do play politics is admitted, and occa-
sionally the parliamentary questions point
to such cases of improperly. with the
result usually that the responsible official
admonishes his overzealous assistant to
abstain from campaign activity. Practi-
cally. man entering the public service
himself off from political life.
q. A. LYON, JR.
M0RCAA'S MlSSTEP.