Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-24

IitoSs dIter b little fea0JuSIments the WSA
could be accomplished by them with ease
and without delay. In times Of particular
stress that proviso for 100 days maxi
mum duty could be brought In, wholly
or IN part. The old veterans returning
to duty. refreshed by q long period OF
hum OF business. would not be q clog. but
would enter into the spirit Of the game.
ana would rush along with the regular
force. Yet. II 1t be found that the force
we may remember the difference between
the salary to be fixed by Congress for
veteran clerks and the salaries drawn at
present by the superannuated clerks. This
moiety can easily be made into a fund
for the hire Of temporary clerks when
necessary. These two schemes for Sc
curing additional help in times Of stress
drafting into duty the veteran clerks
and appointing temporary clerks-make
the system SO elastic that the force can
always be maintained adequate to the
varying influx OF work
Another advantage In the occasional
employment of temporary force is this:
In present practice new appointees are
usually strangers. But if temporary
force is occasionally employed, new per-
the temporary roll. This gives the au-
thorities opportunity to select the best
from among those who have already been
tested in the service. This is much bet
Advantages to the Government.
To sum up. the advantages to the gov
eminent of this plan will be:
First. It involves no extra outlay from
the Treasury. Possibly there may be a
saving to the government.
Second 1t will remove the superannuated
clerks who are now useless and in the
way. or nearly so.
Third. With the old men and women
gone much better discipline and morale
will be found possible.
Fourth. The system is elastic. The
amount of clerical force may be gradu-
ated to the influx Of work.
Fifth. New permanent, appointments
could be made from the temporary roll,
these clerks having already become IA
miliar with the work.
Sixth. The old veteran clerks, gifted
with ripe experience and good judgment,
and fully acquainted with the history
and traditions of the work, could at any
time be drawn upon for opinions or con-
sultation or intricate points.
Seventh. The plan can be tried tenta-
lively at first on a small scale by estab-
fishing 1t In only one department, or even
i'm one bureau. and observing its work.
ings for year or more before more
general adoption. Or it. may be started
by making the proportion of veteran
clerkships to regular clerkships at first
very small. Then. If the plan be found
to work well on a small scale, the pro-
adequate provision is made for all the
clerks who have passed their period Of
usefulness.
Advantages to the Old Clerks.
The advantages to the older clerks are
these:
At present the tenure of Office Of the
old clerk is precarious at best. He re-
alizes that he has Outiived his useful
ness and that consequently any sudden
spasm of economy on the part of Con-
gress or of the heads of the executive
departments may turn him out He is
conscious that he is incapacitated for
outside work. At least, should he lose
great difficulty in finding other work.
Often he is likely to feel uneasy at heart
about drawing his salary. seeing that
other younger men beside him can do
more and better work and are doing it
at an equal and even a smaller salary.
But if he be -relegated to a veteran
clerkship. he can descend down the valley
of life in good cheer, knowing that his
comfort is provided for to the last hour.
Then he will be able to hold his head
erect in manly self-respect as he feels
that in consideration of the moderate
salary he is drawing he is keeping him
self in readiness for duty. Then, also. as
his active duties are composed within a
maximum of 50 or 100 days, he can prob
ably arrange so as to provide for long
absences from the capital. This will en-
able him to spend most of his declining
days at his old home among his old
friends Of by-gone years, or out in
the country amid pleasant and .healthful
surroundings.
AS to the old clerks personal prefer
enee. there is no doubt that most of them
would be glad to take $50 per month. or
even less, with leisure, and freedom,
and on a safe life tenure. rather than de-
pend upon a precarious tenure Of $50 per
month, and with the old daily treadmill
grind.
The old chaps who have devoted the
prime of life TO the public service well
deserve the comfort of a care-free old
age, even though it would cost the gov
eminent million a year to provide it.
But as by the plan here suggested there is
no extra expense, the veteran clerkship is
a reward that cannot come too soon to
the old and faithful public servants.