New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-06
Euewash: a British Canotlage
An Institution Closely Resembling OHFosiOned American Wmd0n
Dressing and Likcly TO Invade Any Bureaucracy
(From The Saturday Rcpicw)

NISSAN reveals eyewash i'm its EXTREMIST and
most shameless manifestations. Junior Off
GERS were not only expected to report that
everything was for the best in the best OF all
possible worlds, but, as in the wellniRh IN
credible case Of Colonel Carter, they were
bullied, threatened and boycotted because
they did not conform to the rules Of the
game. And General Cowper, after hmselt
conforming 20 the rules, found himself de-
nounccd as "petuant and querulous.' and IN
danger Of losing his employment when ne
subsequently failed TO furnish his Clint
with the comforting reports that were de-
sired. In the most emphatic and unmistak-
able terms the policy Of eyewash was insisted
upon from the very highest quarters.
Bureaucratic Virus
Il is far too much 10 expect that the Meso-
potamia Blue Book has freed the army and
the government departments Of the eyewash
virus. As well expect Russia's nonstop rev.
olution to have cleared graft out Of Russia
or infused sudden political sense into the
unlettered moujik. Wherever you have an
unprogressve bureaucracy there you VIII
have the rosy specialized policy that avoids
trouble from higher authority and conceals
departmental shortcomings The army IS
vastly ramifed organization Of inter-depen
dent bureaucracies; the government depart
ments, with their irremovable stagnant ON
Gals, are little self-sufficing bureaucracIes.
The virus infects both.
When Mr.. Asquith was assured by his com
PLEASANT officials, in the spring of 1915, that
the output of munitions was satisfactory
and adequate 10 our needs, he was suppled
With pernicous eyewash. He was gwen
the sort of information that would be most
acceptable, because for the officials that was
the line of least resistance. To abolish such
a practice a constant draft of vlgilant
and competent criticism is required. Such
criticism under present conditions, IS only
forthcoming by haphazard. 1t is either pro-
vided by watchful Outsiders" who cannot,
ir the nature of things, be equipped with all
the facts; or else it is on rare occasions
supplied by an exceptionally active and fear
less minister. Who finds his efforts at re-
form encountered BY the Mollusk-like opposi-
ton of his reactonary bureaucrats. But
there is no permenant check to the develop
nent of that departmental beri-beri which
seems invariably to infect the government
Official breeding tendencies to red-tapery,
eyewash and lethargy. The breezlest and
most energetic of ministers has not enough
hours in his day to attend at the same time
10 his administrative duties and to his
herculean task of internal reform.
Whether in the army or in the civil service
the principle of eyewash remains the same.
Don't worry your superiors with the skeleton
in your cupboard Life will be smoother for
every one if the cupboard is kept closed, with
pretty curtain in front of it. Besides, with
luck. the skeleton will never be brought to
light in your time
Wedding Yet To BE Done
The type OF official we require in positions
of responsibility is the man who will see
for himself, and not allow his suoordinates
to fob him off with specous display. Such
a man would not be popular, perhaps, but
he would be efficient Is he the type Of man
We have to-day in responsible posts? In the
expeditionary force, yes; for three years Of
hard campaigning have weeded out the snowy
incapables But in the civil service the per-
manent unimaginativeness of the permanent
" imbedded civil servant still, probably, holds
sway. And here. above ALL we shall in the
near future need the application of the
broom-or. rather. the vacuum cleaner-whlch
has, in the army replaced Anticipated and
ineffective professors Of eyewash by men
who do things and can get things done Be
fore we embark on reconstruction let Us,
in Heavens name, reconstruct our recon
.tructOrs