Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-17
GATHERED BY THE sYWAYs G
1000, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TBy Ora Williams. I

oN 'rEtl w
Des Nloines May lift YOU don't
tell that fellow 10 stop smoking Gig
arers in here. VIII"
The speaker was a slip OF girl with
work apron and inky fingers. She
was speaking TO the chief of her de-
partment. mere man. The object OF
her contempt was a slender young man
with suzz on his upper lip. He was
leaning against a desk so located he
could survey the room where the work
ers We're busy. He puffed cigarets.
The cigaret fend was one of the ''ef-
iiciency engineers in the service of the
state of Iowa undertaking 10 tell state
officials of their duties and obligations
under the commission executed 20 them
by the people of the state. The girl at
the desk was spared the necessity OF
telling him to cut out the pills" but
there is no doubt she would have told
him and made good if necessary She
is quite a man. She has made her own
way in the world and is capable of do
ing a good honest days work without
charging the state s2o a day for it.
either.
The incident was unusual. but il il
Illustrated what is going on a the state
house. the cause of u great deal of an
noyance and real loss TO the taxpayers
of Iowa.
The plain fact is. as anyone can as
certain who desires TO know, there is
serious decentralization of the work and
hampering of plain duties at the state
house, because of the strained rela-
tons between officials due to the man
ner and methods of the deficiency en-
gineers" who were described by Mr..
Curtin some time ago as "bookkeepers
out Of a job"
And the situation is growing worse
instead Of better.
Another incident. One morning one
of the s25 day men came early 10
department and stationed himself at
the door with a neat little red note
book in his hand. AS each clerk or
deputy or specialist came in he made
notation Of the exact time. II one left
the room he took out his watch and
timed the absence.
Before noon the girls in the depart
n1ent were SO nervous they were net
doing much OF anything.
Finally one of them turned off
batch of letters that had been dictated
TO her and she left them at the desk of
her chief for his signature. The time
keeper made note of the time of the
task. then went to the desk and pre-
ceeIed 70 look over the letters without
a suggestion as to his right.
This was the limit. The chief Of the
department rebeiled. See here he
SAID. "if you want to know anything
about this department and what we are
doing, you come to me and you'll get
the information.
The efficiency engineer took the hint
and changed his tactics.
On another occasion, just last week.
one Of the efficiency engineers went
into still another department and pro-
ceeded TO engage in conversation one
of the head men. VINO is engaged IN
work which requires great familiarity
with the laws of the state. He was
very nice about it and made 1t plain
what he wanted to do was TO be OF
help to the department. His questions
were proper. Hhe was merely inform
ing himself on the details Of the work.
Presently he went to the desk Of
typewriter girl and quizzed her. Then
ne went 10 d!lOlllSl. Anu ~ va. <ADSN
this time the duly elected state official
whom the people entrusted with the
direction Of the office appeared on the
scene and finding cut what was going
on, he called the young man into his
private office and had talk with him.
What happened is not made public, but
| the young man discontinued his mis-
ceilaneous quiz Of everybody while they
are busy with the states business.
| In the office Of treasurer Of state,
where the legislature, on recommends
ton presumably Of somebody about the
building, for certainly 1t was not after
consultation with anyone in the treas
urers Office, cut down the clerical
! force materially. there is a certainty
Of loss in state revenues far more than
! the saving in clerical pay. The fact is
! that in that office there is great room
for effective work for the state in the
matter Of handling the collateral tax.
Under the plan devised to save the