The Washington herald., 1913-03-30
PUBLIC SERVICE
AS PROFESSION
Argument N Favor Of It Is
Made by Commissioner
Fred bennett.
n w n AIIYrsNyr nvH,r
G. W. u. ALUMNI DINE
Annual Banquet Of the Association Il.
Attended BY Many Promi-
>nent Persons.

Strong arguments in favor of the con-
sideration Of public service as a profess
sion were made last night by Fred Dem
nett, Commissioner of the United States
| Land Office, in an address delivered at
the annual banquet of the Alumni Asso-
| citation of George Washington University,
held at Rauschers. Commissioner Den
nett deplored many Of the existing cos-
ditions of public service and resenSed
| the criticism heaped upon officeholders
'I can conceive Of nothing more humil-
iating to the individual who has given
the best years Of his life to public
| service said Commissioner bennett
| nor more disgraceful to this govern
ment than to force him to perform some
lunimportant work for mere pittance
| Very often II is the case. A man when
| In his prime held some responsible posi-
ton, and after giving the best part Of
his life to his work he is denoted and
a younger man put In his place Because
| OF his years and his inability to begin
all over again he is forced to accept this
humiliation.
Il believe that the affairs of this gov
lernment can best be administered by
what is sneeringly called the officehod-
| ing class. No business can be success
| fully conducted without the aid of train
ed men. and there is no one who will
deny that our government is a business
l for one think tine officeholding class
one of the greatest assets to our gov
ernment. There is no personal selfish
ness about the ofiicehoder. All private
gain is eliminated from his work; he is
not working for his own profit. but for
the welfare of the people.
THE day is coming when the idea of
trained men will be applied to every
branch of this government, just IL is
applied today to the diplomatic service.
! 1t Is not more important that there
I should be trained men in the diplomatic
service than in any other branch OF pub
lie service.
THE government service holds out
nothing to the young man. II is true
that young man can enter the gov
ernment service at higher wage than
he could get as a beginner In pri-
vate corporation but there are law clerks
in the various departments receiving the
sum of s, 500. a year, who, II they were
employed by private concern doing
the same class of work. they would re-
ceive more than double the government
pay"
Il am a believer in the certainty OF
tenure. 1t is wrong to expect a man
to take a government position and then
not assure him of the retention of his
office. Why should this government en-
ploy clerks for short time only. 10
dismiss them to bring others here that
they might see the sights Of the National
Capital?"
Dr. William NJ Davidson, superintend
ent of public schools. urged the forma
ton of a closer alumni association. He
declared that uriversity's greatest as
set was its alumni. He declared that he
thought that George Washington afforded
opportunity to more young people Of the
middle class to gain an education than
any other institution in the world
George Washington University" he
declared. lis a godsend to the young man
or woman who is forced to earn his
own living. 1t affords them an oppor-
tunty to take up their slack time and
prepare themselves for something bet
ter | see a great future for George
Washington. Washington within the next
half century will boast OF a population
of 10000 and then the university will
come into its own and become one of
the greatest institutions of learning in |
the country"
Rear Admiral Charles Stockton. presi, !
dent of the university, in his address
predicted a great future for George !
Washington. He reviewed the past year I
of the university affairs and declared. /
with the recent reorganization bed rock /
had been reached. and that secure /
foundation had been secured upon which /
to build
Others who spoke were Col. Archibald /
Hopkins and Henry r. F. Macfarland.
Col. Hopkins dwelt upon the necessity /
of a national university in Washington. ,
Mr.. Macfarland touched upon the re- !
gard in which the business men held the |
university. For the first time in the |
history of the Alumni Association I
number of the weaker sex who have |
been graduated from the institution at
tended the annual banquet.
J. Holdsworth Gordon, president of the |
association. presided. and acted as toast
master. The singing of familiar college |
songs was led by Percy S. Foster.