New-York tribune., 1918-09-24
BY Theodore M. Knappen


WASHINGTON Sept. 23.-The out
burst Of Indignation regarding Stacker
ISM III the shipyards is merely a
symptom of the feeling that appears to
be growing all over the country, and
even in the army and navy, that after
eighteen months of war the slackcrs
are far too common in pretty much all
departments of the government. This
, Indignation has been voiced in Con-
gress several times of late, both in
committee and on the floor. and to-
day Representative Maddcn of Illinois,
IN tho course cf u general arraignmont
or the laziress. idlcness and Stacker
ISM of government employees. even went
so far as to accuse Food Administrator
Hoover of overriding the provost mar
shall general in seeking to apply blank
ct exemption to all the male employees
of the food administration throughout
the country
1t is we'll known that were it not for
the fear Of White House discipline
many Democrat would have support
| ed the proposal for a joint committee
of Congress on expenditures. if for
no other reason than to get some re-
ilable Information on the extent and
whereabouts of slackorism in the gov
eminent service. In the last day of
the debate on the revenue bill in the
House even Mr.. Ktchin, pointing out
that the special military exemption
from income taxation applied only to
oh L 4
temptuously to "these safety-first
beauties we see running up and down
the streets"
Vigorous Men in Soft Jobs
Notwithstanding all the efforts that
nave been made to smoke cut the Off
GERS OF this type. persons who visit
Tie various army offices in Washington
comment upon the large number of
vigorous young men in uniform who
continue to infest them.
The ghoulder- -strapping of men who
are doing and will continue to do civil
ian, clerical or executives work con-
tirues. There was never in all history
a war that was fought with SO many
access ories utterly unrelated to the
hGhting front as this. The tendency
is more and more for the War De
partment to put the men who are doing
tn1s work into officers uniforms. Every
DAY q new crop of uniforms appears in
ashlngton, and clerks, accountants
and welfare workers, uplifters, and
what not drop their Mrs" and be-
come mostly "mapors" and "captains." ."
1T cannot be denied that there is a
growing resentment against these
"Hwivellians," and they are detested by
the real soldiers, of whom consider
able number are necessarily detained
in Washington, many of whom, greatly
to their sorrow, will never get to
France. The type of most of these
"Swlvellian' officers is clearly defined.
They usually profess some minor ply
sical defect or domestic impeachment.
but confess to ohsetting executive
ability.
Conditions Said To Be Disgusting
The stacking in at least one navy
yard is reported by cyewitnesses to be
disgusting. In this same yard, where.
1t is said, scarcely a mechanic ever ap-
proaches fair days work, the civilian
employees have been threatening to
strike because men in uniform were
assigned to certain work They de-
mand that no enlisted men be ordered
to do any of the work they might but
fail to do. They express the fear that
they VIII be superseded eventually by
! men working under military orders at
81 a day. whereas they are getting
from So to $40. This fear may be we'll
founded, for ii is said that in both the
army and the navy there is a growing
feeling that the only way to get work
done we'll and swiftly is to put the men
IN uniform at it. This is one form Of
conscription Of labor, but those who
support it argue that there can be no
ooIechon by organized labor to letting
soldiers .tnd .o~I.
ment shops.
| There is a settled cnnvictinn In co,