The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-23
Senator Joseph in Topeka to
Probe State Conditions.
Thirty-Five Departments VIII
Come Under His Eye.
MATTER OF PATRIOTISM NOW
One Man Found No Appropria-
tiOn-Became Disguised.
Senator LambertsOn Tried It.
Joseph Will Act.

Kansas Democrats today an
nounced their intention of taking
look at the state efficiency PLAN
Senator ]. d. Joseph of Butler county.
Democrat, came to Topeka today to
begin the work. The Butler county
senator will nose around state depart
ments for some time-he announced
his intention of investigating some
thirty-five state observation-disclosures he
Will make a report to the legislature.
such as his Democratic conscience
dictates.
1t was only a year or so ago that
Senator W. p. Lambertson of Fair
view, Republican, began work as an
efficiency expert. OF course most of
the state institutions were new ts
Senator Lambertson. But he investi-
gated just the same. He went to the
institutions and state offices and after
standing around awhile asked a num-
Der of questions. Some of the ques-
tons were answered, too. In other
instances heads of departments rather
inferred that maybe Senator Lambert
son possessed a questionable working
knowledge of the things he sought 10
investigate
And now the Democrats are to try
1t. Senator Joseph, aside from being
Democrat, is a banker and a tele-
phone man. He knows a good deal
about the banking business and the
telephone game. AS a member of the
legislature he voted on the appropria-
ton bills for state institutions and de-
partments. So now he proposes to
open up the state house and see what
| makes the wheels go round. He will
| follow the course pursued by Senator
| Lambertson and will call on the state
| officers and ask some questions He
| will jot down a lot of figures and then
he will return to his Whitewater hank
/ ana write report
! Ii Is a Good Idea
This efficiency idea goes well in a
campaign-Democrat Republican or
| Socialist 1t reads well in a state
platform. But the efficiency plan as
| being tried IN Kansas isn't n complete
success in the judgment of institution
| and department heads. In quiet, con-
\ fidential manner. there are state Of
| ficials-members of both parties-w1o
| are quite willing to admit they don't
/ like the plan. In short they don't un-
| derstand just how Senator Lambert
son or Sens tor Joseph or any other
| legislative member can come to To-
peka, prowl around a state office for a
| few hours and suggest a plan for inn
provement in the handling of the
states business. For that reason there
will be no reception committee, no cut
| flowers and no Hungarian orchestra TO
! meet Senator Joseph when he begins
his work as a member of the state
smelling committee.
| The efficiency &C mmission was due
to an act of the last legislature. Its
membership is Senators Lambertsors
and Joseph and Representative Bur-
ton. Lambertson and Burton are Re-
publicans. Shortly after the commits
sion was created, Burton came to To-
peka, looked over the field. found
there was no appropriation for the
work and went hCme-disgusted He
refused to work without pay-even IN
suggesting a saving for the dear tax
| payers But Senator Lambertson har-
| vested his alfalfa crop arly and
showed more patriotism Now the
Democrats are not to be outdone- Sem
ator Joseph will lock around the state
house a few weeks and he will ask IL
long list of questions-whether any
one answers them or not