Evening star., 1913-11-27
COW|E URGES HIGHER
4 PAY FOR HIS CLERKS
Necessary if Efficient En-
pIoyes Are to Be Re-
A tanned, He Says.
Naval Paymaster General Also In.
sists That They Need Better
Working Conditions.

strong plea for more pay and better
accommodations for the clerical force OF
the bureau of supplies and accounts, Navy
Department, Is made by Paymaster Gen
eral T. ]. Cowie in his annual report.
The situation with reference to the
clerical force OF the bureau" he says,
has not changed since my last annual
report No increases in salary were made
at the last session of Congress, although
the department submitted estimates
which. IL allowed, would have permitted a
fair rate of compensation to be estab-
hshed- II there is no hope of promotion,
no reasonable expectation of higher pay
as the reward of long continued good
work. much OF which is done In extra time
contributed to the government with a full
knowledge OF its constant failure TO pay
therefor. the best clerks will seek en-
ployment elsewhere. either in private life
or in other departments, where opportu-
mites for promotion are greater and pay
ror the same character of service is
higher.
Duties of the Bureau.
THE bureau OF supplies and accounts
purchases. pays for. receives, stores,
cares for issues. and accounts for the
greater part of all material for the naval
establishment. 1t accounts for, as well.
all appropriations. expenditures and dis
bursements of money for the navy. This
places II in such a position that the wori
OF It's clerical personnel is directly and
invariably made greater and heavier by
any increase of any character whatever
In any part OF the naval establishment.
however small or remote. Ii seems only
reasonable that an adequate compensa-
ton should be allowed. not only because
OF the evident fact that the clerks ought
Justly to receive proper remuneration,
but also from the standpoint of the de-
partrnents interest. in order TO enable
the bureau to retain the services of those
who have been trained in its work.
Efficiency increases with experience
The very much overcrowded and un-
kealthfu! condition of the quarters occu-
pied by the clerical force, referred to in
the last annual report of the paymaster
general. will be re ieved in a measure by
the space assigned to the bureau in the
proposed new building. But great part
OF the clerks will remain in the present
building, where the quarters are made
quate and lacking n ordinary conven-
fences. The resultant insanitary condi-
tions have an enervating effect Imme-
diate act on should be taken to better
affairs Especially in the matter of pro-
yiding hygienic toilets and a 4avatory is
the need of improvement pressing one
merely desirable; they are mandatory. in
the interests of both health and comfort
Coal Storage Under Water.
The immediate construction of the
Panama Cana! Zone of an underwater
Goa storage plant of from 10000 to
10000 tons capacity to meet fuel de-
Inards OF the nVy.. which will be CO.
incident TO the opening of the graf 18TH
mian waterway, Is recommended by
Paymaster General Cow1e.
Particular attention is ted" says
Pasnaster General Cowie. Ito the iack of
facilities for storing and handling coal
On the Pacific coast. particularly at San
Francisco. which about 5000 milesf
from the base of supplies Available ia
ciiities are utterly inadequate to meet
the demand which viii be made upon
ther upon the opening of the Panama
cana
The paymaster genefal thinks the plant
TO be constructed for the Canal Zone
should be so located that it can be read
ily doubled. and so constructed that t
can receive both water and rail ship
mtnts.
Present Stations Well Stocked.
s.The Increased mobility of the fleet"
he points out. makes increased storage
facilities at this point absolutely impera-
tive. All coaling stations are at present
well stocked with coal TO the limit OF
their capacity. This has made necessary
8 great deal of transportation, but when
ever possible advantage has been taken
OF the market ire ght rates in order 10
hrirg moving costs to the lowest OBJ
tainable figures. Coal has been shipped
10 our Pacific coast and to our Pacific
depots al min mum expense"
$ Paymaster General Cowie says that as
yet no definite report can be made with
reference TO the Alaska coal fields as a
source of navy fuei. These fields are
at present being carefully investigated
by experts. and officials hope the results
will show that a high grade OF coal can
be obtained in Alaska at reasonable
cost
That the United States government
ought to feed its naval officers when they
are on duty at sea is the contention made
by the paymaster general He recon-
1nends that an effort be made to obtain
from Congress the appropriations neces-
sary for relieving naval officers OF the
expense OF paying for their own food
when on board ship.
SiiEERhG!S1c Tn GATHER