The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-09-27
CONGRESSHALTS
WAR EFFICIENCY
Petty Ideas in Department
Allowance Cripples Work,
Writer Says.
III. NJ. McLARIN
PRESIDENT Of the National Federation

Vi the National Fedora finn
OF Federal Employees.
Congress- In the urgent def,cjencv
O'H which 1t passed Tuesday ,,,or
noon september "A. 1917, provides that
'here Shall be not more than thirty
employees paid from an appropriation
OF S'Wn,0O or more for the War Da
partment' and that there shall be no
transfers between departments at in
creased pay of employees. The first
provision is aimed at the few en-
ployes Of the War Department and
similar institutions who have been
granted increased pay commensurate
with the duties into which they have
been forced by the war. In other
words, Congress orders the War De-
partment to get men of ability in all
lines of work at salaries not in ex-
cess OF $500 per year, or $50 per
month. 1t prohibits all branches of
the service from getting men from
other branches at higher salaries.
which is the same as prohibiting II
altogether.
The War and Navy departments
have expanded from small routine and
red tape offices OF peace times to a
gigantic organization for which there
is not room in the city OF Washington.
Yet Congress orders that the man.
ayers of the various branches Of this
big organization shall not receive
more than sl,S00 a year. that the vari-
Gus experts on engineering, drafting.
cost accounting, heating, distribution,
sales. administration, etc, shall not
receive more than a clerks pay. 1t
provides that men and women who
have worked night and day during the
last year to help build up an efficient
and workable organizatio shall not
be paid therefore at more than $3.50
n year. In other words. Congress
shows that to it 1850 is about the
maximum of what n man or woman
is worth to the government and the
result is going to be that the govern
ment will get men and women who
are capable of earning no more than
this amount.
Criticises Huge Profits.
This is the way Congress wishes !
10 carry on the war; they criticize
contractors and others for huge prof
is, but they themselves can get no
arger vision than that some of the
government employees who have la
'ored night and day long and faith
ully and have equipped themselves
is experts in their lines are going
o get promotion in pay greater than
congress thinks ought to be paid to
very stenographer and minor clerk.
What is to be the result?
Some way must be found to operate
he government departments despite
ne petty legislation which Congress
nacts. Fortunately. the departments 5
ave in their service many men and l
'omen who are sole-heartedly with l
he government in the war and who
re not penny-wise and pound fool Y
3h, as Congress appears to be. Ifls
ne mandate of Congress is obeyed, 7
expert electrical engineer, an ex- c
ert architect. an expert office man.
n executive of proven ability, an II
Npert transportation man, a man U
no must have charge of and be re- q
nonsiole for the work of hundreds d
other employees and even thou v
ends. can receive no more than ST.
~ q year.
This Is the type of men whom Con- a
ress wishes to conduct the war. and t
nom Congress has ordered the Sec
etary Of War to use in ali positions
Scept thirty. So the public should
ace the responsibility for any mis- d
'nduct where it belongs. not on the I
epartments but squarely upon Con-
-ess. t
Passed Laws as Requested. =
The President requested Congress 70 r
cate the Shipping Board. the Food +
the Fleet Corporation,
I'd Congress passed the la as re.
tested. Unfortunately Congress did
IT then adjourn, but STAYED on fol
CONTINUED on PAGE TWO.