The Washington times., 1914-05-10
SAYS j. s. SERVICE
KILLS ALL AMBITION
Congressman German Conn.,
pares It's Effects to Those
of HookWorm.

That service in the Government de-
partments in Washington deadens am
bition and makes men as helpless and
amhiuonless as the hookworm leaves
It's victim in the South" was assert
ed in a speech in the House by Con-
gressman German of Illinois, Demo-
cratic member of the District Commit
tee.
Mr.. German spoke in favor of his bill
providing minimum wage scale for
skilled and unskilled laborers in the
Government and District service.
Il find that great many men are
employed here in the service of the
United States. and have been SO en-
ployed for thirty years or more. at the
enormous salary OF $50 month";
Mr.. German referred to the recent
appearance before the District Commit
tee OF a lawyer lobbyist who was to
receive a large contingent fee for get
ting increased salaries for a certain
class of employees. A class of men get.
ting s55 month, he said. had but re-
Gently paid lobbyist s., 900 for further
ing bill for their advance.
. Conduct of that kind on the part OF
lobbyists-a mild name for grafters-has
brought the House into disrepute
propose to let these Government and
District employees themselves come to
Congress and ask the increases to which
they are entitled, despite the orders of
superior officers forbidding them TO pc
titlon US.
Eighteen years ago 1 worked in the
Government Printing Office here and
theTe was a report We must raise S. 900
10 get certain increases and in my in
experience l thought then it was neces-
sary:
This lobbyist to whom I have re-
Ierred said something about not getting
all his fee because he had to spend
part of 1t on members of Congress-
entertaining them, as he expressed it.
This Hou. > owes itself action tlat
will forever stop this sort of thing on
the part of lobbyists The Government
should pay its employees decent wages.
We appropriate for battleships and
other things in a manner betting the
dignity of the nation, why not pay SAL
aries likewise? The salaries paid Gov
eminent employees. both United States
and District of Columbia, should be
sufficient to enable them to live de-
: Gently and they can't do it on $50 a
month
. Men in the Government service
. should be paid more than men in pri-
vate employment. When they come
Z. nero TO Washington they sacrifice their
: citizenship, their vote. Furthermore,
: they become inoculated with virus
fatal to ambition and initiative.
IF q young man asks my advice about
entering the Government service. l say
stay on the farm, where you have a
chance to do things. Do not come to
Washington. 1t is the graveyard, the
cemetery for initiative and ambition.
When / worked in the Government
Printing Office nearly twenty years ago
met capable and energetic young men.
They are there yet-under practically
the same conditions.
When claims are made that Govern
ment employees are overpaid l reply that
they are not. considering what they give
up. had rather be out in the world of
action, contributing even in a small way
to its activities. than to be a part OF
the Governments force, for 1t is here
that men sooner or later have their am
bition destroyed and are rendered as
helpless and inefficient in the great
stl uggle of life as the hOokworm leaves
its victim in the South
CONGRESSMAN Gormans bill provides
that all ''unskilled laborers" in the
service of the District of Columbia or
the civil service of the United States
shall receive a minimum salary OF $3.50
a wear. and that skilled labJrerS" in
these services shah receive at least
81 0SO a year. Mr.. Gorman would in
CIudC under the head of skilled labor
crs" all %atchnen. police officers, fire
men. inspectors. or these who in the
course OF employment use tools of any
character. arc assistants To mechanics.
or who assist I'm the operation and
management of machinery.