Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-02
Secretary Meyer Recommends
Higher Salaries for Employees.
FAv0Rs RETIRING CLERKS
Regards It as Along the Lines of
Sound Business Management.
EFFECT OF EIGHT-HoUR LAW
Asks for Two Battleships, and
Points to Need of Battle
ship Cruiser.

Better pay for all departmental en-
ployes is recommended by Secretary of
the Navy Myer in his annual report,
made public today. He also favors the
adoption of some form of civil service re-
tirement
Economics effected by revision Of de-
partmental business methods and the
possibility of further reform: navy yard
conditions and need of improved admin
istration, and the suggested abolition Of
smaller yards; the wider application of
the eight-hour law to warship building,
and the effect on competition for con-
tracts by outside yards; the inadequacy OF
the Navy Department quarters: the pro-
posal to amalgamate the Naval Observa-
tory, the photographic Office and the COM
pass Office are among the topics of in
-terest to employees Of government depart
ments and workshops in Washington.
Higher Salaries and Retirement.
Increased compensation of all depart
ment employees and civil service retire
ment are both favored by the Secretary
of the Navy. who sets forth his opinions
as follows:
1.-The civilian, clerical and technical
force OF the Navy Department has not
received the recognition that the in
creased activities Of the service and con-
dftiOns in other executive departments
and in private employ warrant.
by reason of opportunities for more
desirable private employment and better
chances for advancement in other de-
partments of the government. in which
the scale of salaries for similar service
appears to be appreciably higher. the loss
of competent employees by reason of res
ignatfon and transfer has been source
of embarrassment to the department and
has seriously affected the stability of the
force.
THE total number of officers and en-
listed me Unauthorized for the Navy and
Marine Corps has increased from 81, 49,
in 1899 to eO.O74 in 1911, an increase of ia
per cent. In the same period the CLASH
fled civilian force in the department
proper at Washington has increased from
JO1 to 700 an increase of So per cent.
Ranks Lowest in Pay.
1.-THE census bureau prepared state
ment. as of date July l, 1907, giving sta
tistics3 of employees in the executive civil
service of the United States Comparing
the civilian force of the departments
proper in Washington, the navy ranked
lowest as to average rate of compensa-
ton, the Department of Agriculture not
being included. as the figures for that
department were based on the total num-
ington.
THE conditions, so far as the Navy
Department is concerned, have not been
materially bettered since the statement
referred to was prepared Eliminating
the technical, messenger, laboring and
watch force. the discrepancy between the
Navy Department and the executive de-
partments is still more pronounced. Con-
crete examples can be cited Of positions
involving duties of high character
where the discrepancy is unusually large.
A provision of law In the legislative
act approved June %. 1906. prevents the
transfer of an employe from one executive
department to another until such employee
has had at least three years service.
This provision has worked to the advan-
tage Of the Navy Department so far as
employees in the lower grades are con-
cerned but the loss by transfer is still
felt and is due. in large measure, to the
universal impression that the chances for
advancement i'm the Navy Department are
much less than In other departments Of
the government. owing to the low rate
of compensation for positions requiring a
high order Of clerical or technical ability.
Pay Revised Downward.
During the past few years great stress
has been laid. by heads Of departments
anu othCiS. upOii Tic lhCk tudt Tie SCIcu-
ule of salaries for clerical employees in
the executive departments in Washington
has not been revised since the passage of
the act of April -, 1854.
''As a matter of fact. the schedule of
1854 has been revised downward. OF the
employees engaged in clerical and tech
ington, approximately 25 per cent now re-
ceive less than $1,000 per ann,im. the
minimum salary prescribed for clerical
services in the act of 1854. and in the
Navy Department this percentage is 33.
Il am of the opinion that existing con-
ditions as to cost of living warrant q
general increase in compensation for all
departments of the government; but II
Congress is not ready to make a general
increase 1t should at least q Iualize the
com en- sation of positions of :he highe.
grades.
Civil Service Retirement.
Not only should increased compensa-
ton be provided for the clerks. but legis-
lation should be enacted at the earliest
practicable date looking to the establish
ment Of some form Of civil service retire.
ment am not prepared at this time to
advocate any particular system. believing
that this is a matter which should be
determined by Congress after careful con-
sideration: but unless some provision be
made for the pensioning or retiring Of SUE
perannuated civil employees the govern
ment can never hope to secure the most
efficient and satisfactory service
There is no class Of employees who are
more deserving of increased cOmpensa-
ton and retirement with reasonable pay
than the employees Of the government.
Very few of them are able to accumulate
much. IL anything. during their long
years of service, and when Old-age dis
ability does come to them they must
either be carried as q burden on the gov
ernment's rolls or thrown out on the
WORLD NTH No suitable nrnYiSion for. their