Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-15

81
out of employment. without any means
of livelihood, the men and women who
have spent many years in the employ
ment of the government and in times
past have rendered good service.
Nothing Is Added.
Il disapprove of section because l do
not think it will accomplish its proposed
purpose. and l do not think it adds any,
thing in efficiency to the provisions of
section f. If section 4 is carried out then
the superannuated will have to go when
their inefficiency is properly determined,
and this whether section = is on the stat
ute book or not: and if section is not
enforced, then section adds little or
nothing in the way Of getting rid of
superannuated and ineffective clerks.
If section / is loosely enforced so that
the rate of efficiency of the superannu-
ated clerk is charitabIy maintained by
his superior at or above the minimum
standard. there will be the same pressure
to retain the clerk at the end of his
seven years as there was to maintain his
minimum rate. and the same reluctance
as In the present system to turn him out
at an advanced age without means of a
livelihood after long years OF service
Il DO not share in the objection to a
civil pension system. / am strongly in
favor of it, provided it involves features
OF compulsory insurance of employees, Sc
cured by an application of part of the
salary of each toward the maintenance
OF the necessary funds. Such system
has already been embodied in the Gillett
bill, and l know of no reason why it
should not be adopted.
Reasons for Objection.
AS to the present measure, 7 object
to it, first, because for the reasons
stated it will prove ineffective, as the
present system has. in the matter of
superannuated clerks, and, second, be-
cause it impairs that feature of the
civil service which / regard most
valuable one, to wit. the permanence
of tenure on the one hand. balanced
by wide and almost absolute power of
removal in the department head on the
other
IF at the end of each seven years it
becomes necessary for one who has spent
the best years of his life in the public
service to ascertain whether he is to con-
tinue. it is certain that he will bring
pressure to bear in every direction upon
the appointing power to continue him in
office. / am perfectly aware that the
motive for not reappointing him will be
much reduced by the fact that his success |
sor must be appointed from the eigibles
of the civil service commission, but the |
play which this will give for prejudice
1
power will constitute a serious injury to
the present tenure of Office.
Much has been said in the way OF |
criticising the present service to the |
overpayment of the civil servants. 1t Is |,
true that in the departments there are
many at salaries between 500 and $1,000 !
who are overpaid, but it is also true that |
there are many within those limits and |
than $1,000 who are underpaid The eff (
fciency and wonderfully loyal service |
rendered by many of the employees of the !
government, who have concluded to de- |
vote their lives to the public service. to |
be content with only moderate salaries, |
because of the permanence of the tenure. !
can only be known to those who have had |
large experience in the character of the |
service rendered by the civil servants In |
the District of Columbia.
Avoids Any Risks.
jury to the tone and efficiency of that |
service to accomplish something that !
in my judgment will not be accom- |
plished by a change which will rob |
those who in the service of a peace |
of mind that makes up in some de- |
gree for the sacrifice they have been |
Obliged to undergo in devoting their |
lives at small pay to the government |
l am sure that there are malingers |
and others in the service who con- |
tribute but little to it's efficiency. They |
would be disposed of by the proper |
enforcement of section 4.
But there is a large part Of the civil |
servant body which consists of hard |
working, loyal and efficient persons. who |
render to the government more than they |
receive and who give character to the |
service: 1t is their permanence of tenure |
that led them to seek the service and |
keeps them in it. OF course. 1t will be
said that such clerks are likely to be re-
tanned. Probably. But the difference be-
tween mere PROBABLE of continuance
and permanent tenure is the difference
between worry and active solicitation Of
every influence in the seventh year. and |
that contentment of mind that is alone |
consistent with undivided attention to
public duty.
Second. The Commerce Court was
created by the amendment to the inter-
state commerce act passed June 1S 1910 |
Prior TO that time. whenever an order of |
the interstate commerce commission was
made against a railroad company over
which the interstate commerce commits
sion was given supervision. and it was
commended that the order was contrary to |