Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-08

duties as an alternative to dismissal
But prefer to put the matter on other
and more selfish grounds. The govern
ment simply cannot afford not to retire
these employees with due and honorable
provision for their old age, and this
for two reasons.
I'm the first place. many able and
energetic men serve the government
at salaries far below the commercial
standard for like services. They
choose to- do SO because the public
service satisfies their best and highest
ideals of personal integrity and profess
sional achievement Such men are con-
tinually forced out of the service by
the necessity Of making due provision
for themselves and their families be-
fore old age comes upon them II the
government would insure them against
this peril it could continue to employ
them at salaries far less than a private
corporation would be compelled to pay.
Every consideration Of economy and
sound business policy requires that
their services should be retained on
terms so favorable to the government
. An Irreparable Loss.
'The loss. taken in the mass, is ire
parable. for the system operates as a
survival Of the unfittest by continually
OF tho moe energetic ID ADLER
men, leaving a larger and larger proper
ton Of the inefficient in the public seKv-
ice. In the second place. the govern
ment is paying much, If not most, Of the
cost Of proper retirement system
through the inevitable relative inefiiciency
Of the present plan. Not only are super.
employees dropped to and re-
tanned in the lower grades because of
sympathy yielding to personal or polit-
ical pressure. but in the higher grades,
from which the rank and file Of the serv-
ice inevitably derives its spirit and tone,
there is tendency to retain men who
have lost the alertness and enthusiasm
essential to the highest eficiency Of their
own work, and still more essential for in
spring in and requiring of their srTbordi-
mates such alertness and enthusiasm.
Not only do they thus fail to make the
positive contribution to the general EN-
cheney Of the service which Is due from
men in their position, but they have a
negative effect in the same direction by
the avenues of promotion and
legitimate ambition. The men below
them not only fail to receive the proper
at the same time deprived Of the hope OF
promotion which ought to be the reward
of efficient service.
Effects Of Present System.
This condition is now becoming ap-
parent. It has been delayed by the fact
that the widespread application Of the
principle Of permanency in the public
service goes back less than one genera
ton. and by the further fact that the
industrial and social problems OF recent
years have forced the government into
new fields Of activity and thus compelled
the organization Of new bureaus and de-
These new administrative
iAal VNV
young men who are still in the prime of
life. Many OF the ol0er bureaus and de-
partments have from similar causes
largely increased their personnel. recruit
ing them chiefly from young men. This
sudden expansion OF governmental aotv-
worst evils inherent in the present sys-
tenn; but sudden expansion cannot con-
tfnue indefinitely We must face and
provide for normal conditions OF growth.
Under such conditions general emclency
IN the public service is impossible with
put due provision for the retirement OF
aged employeS. This is attested by the
experience and practice or foreign gov
ernments, which have long had per-
manent civil service. and by that OF
large railroad and commercial corpora
lions in our own country.
improvements Needed.
In addition to declaring that the patent
office should have building. and he
earnestly desires that Congress may deem
It wise to set aside at least a part Of
the surplus Of millions Of dollars which
the office has for this greatly desired
building It is declared that the general
land once needs Fundamental reorsani-
cation"
In this connection he says:
''The mass Of administrative work
which the general land Office is called
upon to. handle requires the very highest
deeree OF efficiency in its organization
and personnel. The present system fails
10 take into consideration either the
quantity Of the work or the importance
81 the interests intrusted to its employees.
This is especially true in the higher
grades of the service. which now are
clearly underpaid for work requiring the
highest degree Of technical skill and per-
sonal integrity. Men are paid compare
lively small clerical salaries for work in
yolving property interests Of immense
value and also matters Of smaller finan-
ciaI Importance but of the most serious
to individual claimants.