Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-02
HUNTING D. c. Jobs
AFAV0R|TES SPORT
Civilian Commissioners Are
Forced Into Overtime to
Keep Things Going.

Although the District Commissioners
have stated and reiterated that there are
few, II any, jobs under the District gov
ernment to hand out, the new Commits
sioners listen to as many hard luck
stories each day as does any new repre-
sentative in Congress. Men and women
by scores call daily on Commissioners
Newman and Siddons, each having a
tale Of misfortune to narrate, or en-
deavoring to impress upon the new Com
missioners the fact-as they see it-that
the district Of Columbia has been mighty
lucky to keep running this long without
the services of the particular job hunter
who may be talking
The statement made some time ago by
the Commissioners that partisan politics
would have no weight I'm selecting per-
sons to fill the few jobs that are to be
handed out has had the effect of bring
ing about as many republicans as demo-
Gratis on place-seeking errands
Assume Defiant Attitude.
The republicans assume a sort of de-
fant attitude. and in making their little
speeches to DR.. William Tindall, secre-
tary of the board, say. "Of course, I'm
republican, and / didn't vote for Will
son: but politics shouldn't keep an eff
ficent man from getting a place" The
democrats lay a good deal Of stress on
appear to think that under a democratic
administration all the ''rascals''-refer-
ring to persons of other political beliefs
should be turned out forthwith so that
democrats may have chance to get
their names on public pay roll.
Sn1rt sleeves as working costumes Ia
not the only indication of a change in
the administration of District affairs.
Commissioners Newman and Siddons
are, perhaps, the hardest working en-
ployes of the District-and they do not
vince when referred to as "employes.'
either-and are at their desks early and
remain late. Not a working day has
passed since the new Commissioners
were sworn in that they have not re-
mained at their desks until practically
all the other employees have left the
building, and the amount Of work that
is put through In one of their working
days is amazing to veteran clerks. The
preceding board made a record for
hard work up to that time, but the
new members appear to be bent on
setting up mark for greediness for
work that future boards will have a
hard time to attain.
Hampered by Job-Hunters.
riously hampered, however, by the num-
Der of job-hunters. who call on them
every hour of the day. Scarcely does
Commissioner Newman or Commissioner
Siddons get settled down to actual work
before q secretary announces visitor.
and about seven times out OF ten the
caller is somebody who seeks to impress
upon the Commissioner his or her su-
preme qualifications for a first-class job.
The accessibility of the Commissioners
at all times during the day. and the un-
written rule that has been adopted that
nobody having business with the Commits
sioners is to be turned away, has result
ed in giving these persons free access to
the busiest men connected with the Dis
trict government, and the inevitable re-
suit is that In order to get through their
real work the Commissioners are forced
to put in long hours.
In all departments of the District gov
ernment the statement Is made that the
work is being done with remarkable
smoothness and that no undue delay has
occurred since the change that put a
new board of Commissioners in the big
marble building.