The Washington herald., 1917-01-22
ECONOMY, =
SAYS ONE Who KNOWS
Congress Taken to Task for Spending
$1,000 to Save" 5000.

Editor The Washington Herald: Con-
gress reserves to itself the power to
adequate increases to meet the changing
conditions and demands of the govern
ment. 1t is the iron-clad changeless
statutory roll that has brought about
the present overwhelming demand for q
horizontal increase of salaries. 1t is the
overflow of stream choked up for
years. The statutory roll is damn1ing
up of human endeavor which is intoler-
able and unworthy of any civilized
nation. Moreover, 1t defeats its own
purpose. payroll that does not adapt
itself 10 the changing conditions of an
enterprise cannot be other than a source
of ever increasing embarrassment and
loss.
In the name of Heaven, how does
Congress expect increases to be made II
they reserve this privilege to themselves
and refuse to exercise it? Under condi-
tions prevailing In Congress, even slight
changes in statutory rolls are attended
with so much difficulty as to be practically
prohibitive unless defended by the 'in-
huence" of some member. Not only is no
Intelligent consideration given to recon-
mendations for increases, but every pre-
text Is used all along the line to throw
them out-sudden spasms of economy
(applied to no other expendlture), the
idle mummery Of points of order techni-
cal objections, etc No one supposes for
a. moment that a proposed increase is
to be of any benefit in conducting the
operations OF the government. 1t is con-
sidered a conspiracy to promote some
pampered clerk, who is already living in
elegance on his salary. Slim chance has
poor Increase if he has no friend at court.
for ii Is everybody's business to throw
him out after belaboring him with
sarcasm and invective. Briefly follows
an outline of his harried career from
start to finish.
Many Obstacles to Raise.
The Chief of the Bureau OF Sealing Wax
recommends that a certain. employe,
made valuable by years of service. be
promoted, say from 81, 400 to $1,000. This
recommendation has a chance (only
chance) of passing the first sentinel, the
Cabinet officer concerned. who is con-
strained to keep down Increases in clerks
salaries. Say the recommendation Is
approved and is printed in the book of
estimates. The House Committee is also
a castle dangerous. Say it comes out of
this committee alive. It still trembles
under the deadly point of order But II 1t
there Is one more chance-the Senate
Committee. II Somebody Is Interested, It
helps Immediately. Ordinarily. however,
poor Increase after treading the path of
tho cyclone, finally expires, lamanted by
nobody but the clerks concerned, and pos
sibly by the bureau chief who wonders
how on earth he IS to keep Brown tanned
and blind to a knowledge of his own
value In the next grade on the statutory
oil
Joneses. Nobody desires their demise In
order to promote Brown. 1t may happen
that they are all picked men and needed
at their several posts. But Brown is fully
up to their measure. Moreover land this
is the main reason), other bureaus or de-
partments have observed the alert and
efficient Brown and wot of the value OF
his training. These bureaus also have
their rosters of Smiths. Greens and
Jonses One day it happens that one Of
these passes over to the great majority
Promotions for Merit Dimcuit.
Now observe at this point the futility
land the irony) Of the inflexible statu-
tory roll from the standpoint OF the gov
ernment While privately tearing his
town. hair, Browns chief will not stand
in the way OF Brown, who has family
SO Brown Is promoted into the place OF
the defunct Smith, Green or Jones In an
ether bureau or department In nine
cases out Of ten he is worth, say Is per
cent less in the second position than In
the first where he has received his train
ing and made his place. Under the rules
which the astute government makes to
protect itself from the rapacity Of the
Individual n clerk cannot be promoted
in the place where he is most valuable
unless his brother higher up moves out.
but he may he promoted into some other
place: Under a ruling of the Comptrol-
Ter. he may even be removed from the
statutory roll for the purpose OF promo
ton, but only in case the duties in which
he has demonstrated his value are chang
ed to some other duties. Any old duties
will answer except those In which the
government most needs his services.
The chief of the Bureau of Sealing Wax
IS under the immediate necessity of filling
Browns place. OF the three civil service
candidates certified for this purpose. the
two best qualified ones decline at a pro-
posed entrance salary OF 1890. The third
IS appointed, but he Is plainly unequal to
all the numerous functions of the lost
Brown, so IT becomes necessary to ap-
decline at 1900, but finally the man with
the lowest rating accepts. Browns func-
tions are now delegated to two unframed
men at a total salary of $500, which. be-
ing added to 25 per cent of the present
value of the translated Brown. makes n
total loss of 81, 900, which is cheerfully paid
by an enlightened government in order to
save $500 on Browns salary and prevent
him from doing the particular work m
which he Is most useful.
This Is no mere 6Gment Of fancy The