The Washington times., 1916-03-03
EFFICIENCY BUREAU
APPROVED BY HOUSE
Appropriation Of $4,000 vot-
ed to Develop Business
Methods In Departments.

Continuation OF the work Of what has
been known. as the division OF efficiency
under the Civil Service Commission II
practically assured by the action OF the
House In approving an item in the leg
islative appropriation for the Bureau
OF Efficiency"
This Bureau Of Efficiency. with an
appropriation OF $4,000 at its disposal,
10 required to investigate business
methods In the various executive de-
partmcnts Ito investigate administra-
tive needs of the service relating to
personnel In the several departments
ana TO investigate duplication OF statis-
tical and other work"
Congressman Byrns of Tennessee ex-
planned to the House late yesterday the
old division of efficiency had done good
work In inaugurating business meth
ods ana efficiency ratings In the Gov
ernment departments, but its labor
would be made more worth while by
the creation OF an independent Bureau
OF Efficiency.
The members and Investigators Of this
bureau VIII go from department to de-
partment and aid In reorganIEations.
CONGRESSMAN Sisson, another member
OF the Appropriations Committee. said
Ine bureau would deprive no ', orthy
S3vernment clerk Of a position.
Where the work Is systematized. he
salo. 1t simply means that additional
clerks VIII not be put on. and clerks
who are In the service may be trans
Ierred to other departments in the re-
organization process.
Sisson Explains.
Congressman Sisson, in explaining. the
scope OF the work Of the efficiency
bureau and archaic business methods
now existing In most departments, said:
All the administrations that have
given any thought to this matter have
realized that many OF the methods of
ooing business In the departments are
a. old as the Government.
Every well-managed business con-
Germ In the United States, according TO
tne testimony In the hearings for sew
esai years, employees men of this very
character to go through its entire sys-
TEN or bookkeeping, to go through its
entire system OF manufacturing, 10 20
through the entire wage scale, and then
.nese enlciency experts make recon-
mendations to the board OF directors,
ana the board OF directors then have
tne parties before the mand adopt that
which they think important and that
Will advance their business.
Every great business institution
ADOPTS q method like this before under
taklng to make radical changes Your
committee on Appropriations, which
tSoanmenos tvro TO this House the expendl-
ernment. is absolutely at a loss to know
what to do until II can get some per-
1ecty impartial statement about the
manner anne In IN which nHaar department. is run.
who has been one OF the clerks in a de-
partment for a long time and finally
mas risen to be chief clerk of that de-
partment. to criticise the work of his
own hands. That is human nature. I
am not blaming the clerks, am not
planning the chief clerks; [ am simply
blaming the system for which Com
Bress Is responsible.
Must Act Gradually. /
Whatever Is done must be done Rra-
uaily and 1t ought to be done carefully.
If you will read the hearings in refer
ence to the work done by this efficiency
commission, in the testimony OF the
postmaster General. In the testimony
fIrm the office OF the Treasurer, in the
teiylmony from the ofrice OF the Col
lector OF Customs. you will find that in
every case where they have adopted the
methods suggested by the commission
but they have adopted the system OF
not hillng vacancies when clerks die or
resign or when the departments need
them elsewhere.
%No man loses his job unless he falls
below the third grade OF efficiency as
provided by law. That Is in the inter-
est OF good administration, and that
has been the law for a long time,
tndt Wnere CLERKS DO not come up to
certain degree of efficiency they
may be reduced to a lower grade, and
to a grade below that. and IL they do
not come up to the lowest grade of
efficiency II is the duty of the head OF
the department under the law to drop
such employees.
Sole Purpose Is Harmony.
Now. the sole purpose OF this COM
mission Is to work in harmony and |
corporation. with the head of the de- |
partment. with the bureau chief into |
whose department 1t goes.
All the recommendations are made |
TO the heads OF the departments, and |
IL they are not willing to adopt a rec |
ommendauon, IL can only be put in |
force by the President, under whose |
direction this efficiency board works. |
Being the head OF the executive de- |
partment of the Government, II is his |
duty, II he n convinced that II will |
be for good administration, to require |
the Cabinet officer to alopt these |
meNiods. l believe that for the first |
time In many years there was an ef- |
fort made in Mr.. Taft's Administration
10 go through the departments and
do as a great business man would do |
endeavoring to improve the methods
OF his business. l believe that IL this
board be continued. with the powers
that they have had. they will be able