Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-01-12

AWASHlNGTON, D. c., Jan. IL
Mbably the most significant feature
urhe-Ses9stesf the Cleveland commits
sion Oh economy and efficiency sub.
rnitted to congress by the President is
a scatlling criticism OF the business
methods Of the office of the adjutant
general OF the army. Those methods
were inaugurated and developed by
Cen. Ainsworth, former adjutant gen.
eral OF the army, and gained for the
Office the reputation of "A model Office.
It's Wholesale condemnation by the
Cleveland commission has caused con-
siderable surprise.
The commission states shat he adj
jutant's Office is the largest single Oh
ticc OF which a detailed study was
made.
Proposed Saving of $324,575. s..
The present force of the adjutant
general IS Office numbers 6lu and the
aggregate salaries authorized to be
paid arc $75S,57). Following the rec.
concentrations Of the commission, this
force would be reduced to $50 en-,
ploycs at an annual salary cost of
$44S0,0 20. The changes recommends
ed would result in a decrease OF 233
in the number OF employees, and de
crease in the salary roll would be
$27S,55D. Other recommendations hay
ing to do with stationery, printing,
kilograms, %cablegrams, ETC., bring the
total estimated annual saving up to
$324,075.
The estimated saving in printing
represents the net decrease, after TAX
ing into consideration the saving to
be effected by reducing the quantity
oil printing and the effect OF abolish
ing the printing section in the adju-
tant generals office. The saving in sal
aries are set forth in the report. For
example, in the mail and record divis-
ion 105 clerks are empolyed, whereas.
in the oainion of tle commission,
thirty-ffve are adequate; in the 10th
street division 1874 clerks are eTlplow.
ed, whereas with the adoption of up
todate methods il is stated that nine
ty six would be adequate; in the pub
lication division sixteen are employed
whereas six are held to be a sufficient
number to transact the business efic-
iently.
Although the commission commends
the work of the former adjutant gen
eral for his achievement of bringing
order out OF chaos in the personnel
records Of the army, it says that the
force oil the Office is SO arranged as to
make impossible economic handling OF
work. M .
Red Tape in Handling Corresponds
4 ence, 4s,1s8
The report says that the Office force
was found to be widely scattered. and
the personnel of the different units Of
organization SO located that the work
cannot be done to advantage. As an
illustration of defective organization,
1t Is stated that the work Of subdiyis-
ions Is so arranged that q constant
interchange of communication be-
tween these subdivisions through the
medium OF an elaborate messenger
service is necessary The course TAX
en- BY the average case, due to the
bad organization and obsolete meth.
dds. saws tile commission, necessitates
forty operations in the mail and rec.
ord division, besides t%hirty.nine oper-
atiorls In those divisions which nave 20
take administrative action In the
case. 4 total Of yeyenty.nine opera
ftDns in connection With the handling
N the average piece Of incoming cor,
rcacondence from the time 1t is re.