Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-01
MANY GOVERNMENT
| CLERKS MAY LOSE
| THEIR POSITIONS
Deep Cut Proposed in House
in Big Appropriation
Bill.
TEN PER CENT REDUCTION
IN WAR DEPARTMENT
Civil Service Appointments Good for
Five Years Only.
COMMERCE COURT ABOLISHED
Radical Changes Recommended bv
House Appropriations Committee
on Ground of Economy.
Pruning General.
TEN PER CENT REDUCTION
IN WAR DEPARTMENT
Civil Service Appointments Good for
Five Years Only.
COMMERCE COURT ABOLISHED

oos ieuuctlons IN the eNpenS s OF
running the government were recon-
iiehdeu today to the House of Represent
ae'es IN the appropriation committees
report on the legislative executive and
'uuieiai appropriation bill. The reductions
MT the city of Washington a heavy blow
ior most OF the 400 salaried positions thai
VIII be dropped if the bin is enacted ar,
now held by Washinstonfsns Tho hi,
eoNers appropriations amounting to Ss3,-
'i', i'f.o6. and that large sum is ra-
uuetion OF S2.G;s,0 over what is heinz
spent this year in the various depar,-
ments OF the government.
The democrats in power in tho a.
'iohs committee have declared
.heir determination to save money for
.i'e United states Treasury. The change.
'hes recommend are the most radical
eesa oy any legislative act in dozens OF
'eas. "hoie government bureaus are
"ipeu OUT ana the salary list of the
e'e' nhent establishment has been
- "'eu ana cut No salaries are raised
WIN tne almost humorous exception OF
.na' VI Janitor who has been receiving
90" year instead of $40. the drop COM
ing through an error in printing the last
pii' MS pay has been re-establshed at
the higher figure.
nc scope OF the bill is seen in the fact
.iat IL appropriates for 1887 salaries
.'e 'o.ai reduction in amount Of estimates
io' l'io' under the appropriations for 1872.
IS @f'2's624o 10 Department heads asked
ior 5oo more salaried positions for 1913
tnan they received in the year ending
july J. lsl2. and they got 1O6 less the
net decrease being, as stated. Io6
Vacancies Filled Only by Promotion.
! In addition to the specific recommends
.,ois ior reductions in the salary roll Of
the government a general provision il
recommended that will prevent the nllinc-
or vacancies in Washington, EXCEPT bv
promotion, in the fiscal year ending June
~. 1913. There is also recommended a
provision requiring the Secretary of War
to reduce the whole number of his
clerical force not less than 10 per cent.
the salaries of all places embraced in
such reduction to lapse and he covered
into the Treasury.
Inc report, which has been prepared by
the appropriations committee, OF which
chairman. and James {. Courts is clerk,
is so clear that single reading will suf-
flee to show exactly what is proposed 10y
the democratic economists. This report
starts its explanations with the reduc-
tions in the Treasury Department, of
which the following is a sample
1t should be stated in justice to the
Treasury Department, that of the total
decrease Of 406 existing specific employ
ments, proposed by this bill, in all of the
executive departments, 164 of them are
III the Treasury Department alone, and
practically all of that reduction is made
on its initiative in submitting the esti-
mates to Congress at the beginning of
this session. 1t is interesting and i'm
portant also I'm this connection TO state
that during the last Congress. in proSid-
ing for the Treasury Department for the
fiscal years 1911 and 1912, a total reduc-
ton was made of 312 salaried places with
annual compensation amounting to
S%4.l 10: added to the number diminished
in this bill. the total reduction in places
in the Treasury Department for the three
fiscal years. 1911. 1912 and 1913. amounts
to 500 specific employments, with annual
pay amounting to SJU1, $50.
This represents a reduction for tho
three years OF II per cent in the total
number of persons employed in the
Treasury during the fiscal year 1910. and
almost If not quite. as large per cent
OF reduction in the aggregate of salaries
paid that year
LAS a set-off to this large reduction in
annual expenditures for salaries, for the
three years there has been appropriated.
including amounts in this bill, the sum
of $5S97O for labor-saving devices, the
use of which will continue over an in
definite period of years, and for material
and rental of mach mes an annual expense
is provided for of S16. 500. The latter is
wholly for the office of the auditor for
the Post Office Department, in which
office alone there have been and will be
abolished during the three fiscal years 118
places with total annual salaries amount-
ing to SOS, S6o.
Capitol Force Not Exempted.
The report shows that the appropria-
tions committee of the House of Repre-
sentatives went over the salary lists at
the CAPITOL with as much care as in any
other branch of the government. This
is shown by the dropping of five clerks
in the Senate at 5000 each and ten ste.
nographers at 81 100 each. Ten policemen
in the Senate Office building are dropped
from the roll. One lieutenant of police
and thirty -four privates are recommend
ed TO be dropped from the Capitol police
force as whole. This Is in accordance
with House joint resolution passed May
~. 1911.
In accordance with the last apportion-
ment act provision is made for forty-two
additional representatives from states at
81 500 each, and sixty-nine employees OF
the House are recommended to be drop
ped.
The total amount involved in this re-