Evening star., 1918-02-20
NO DEPARTMENT SLACKERS.
Government Clerks Do Not Deserve
Opprobrium as to Working Hours.

To the Editor Of The Star:
BY this time government clerks ought
to be accustomed to being called names.
The time rolls round with more or
less regularity when walls of oppro-
brium are emptied upon their humble
heads. The clerks have been called
many things in days gone by, but the
recent name of Stacker leaves a pain
full sting. OF all terms this has now be-
come the most contemplate. Govern
ment clerks are not slackers. They are
a body of conscientious. efficient, loyal
men and women. loving their country.
sensitive as to their own character.
proud of their work. Affairs in the de-
partments will show whether work ia
slighted. To cite but one, the bureau of
printing and engraving. that a few
months ago seemed overwhelmed by the
mass of work to be accomplished ain a
given time, has lately furiopghed a
number Of employees, there being just
now no demand for their services.
Slackers could not have accomplished ID
this end. The records of Red Cross
drives liberty loans and war savings
stamps campaigns will show that men
and women in the service did their
best. and will do it again. The War De-
partment force alone subscribed very
nearly two million dollars to the sec
ond liberty loan. I have not the fig
ures for the. first. Among the ..slark-
ers" in the Agricultural Department
just now the particular target for criti-
cism-is a group of women and men.
not with large salaries, supporting or
phans In France. This war that is
tsifting out the souls of men,. and
women weighs heavily upon the hearts
of the clerks, and as a body they are
eager to make any sacrifice OF money
and time and labor. And with their
hearts and souls and bodies strained to
the breaking point it is hard to be held
up to contempt.
AS to the eight-hour idea. The clerks
are not averse to workin@ e'@ht ~
or more when it is necessary. Their
hours OF labor have nevzi -le, !, q. :
scribed. 1t seems impossible for some
people to get clear idea of this. The
TACT remains that every clerk is sub
1ect to call at any hour, on any day or
night. and during all the years this
rule has obtained there has been no
murmur against it. If there is need for
th1s extra hour as regular thing, then
IT rests with the chiefs of offices to so
instruct the force. and that is all there
is to it,
What is the use of fixing a minimum
or eight hours when there is no law
against calling upon the clerks to work
Event TlTbsnsy.four = na. i strength permitted
law in favor of it. Does this amend
ment mean that eight hours work is
the limit? When the eight-hour law
went into effect in the District some
years ago it applied to all woman
workers except those in the govern
ment service. The reason is plain.
There is another point. The civil serv-
Ice has always been under the entire
control OF the President. Whether ira
dition or law. the fact remains that the
PRESIDENT had but to issue an order and
u became law. No congressional action
was invoked. l cite the case of an or
DER promulgated by Mr.. Roosevelt IS to
dismissal from the service. which law
was rescinded by Mr.. Taft. In neither
case was there congressional action.
arguing from action in the past The
PRESIDENT has but to issue an order fix
ing hours. and the matter is settled
By the grace of God l come from the
STATE OF Georgia, but want to be
SHOWN why an eight-hour limit is more
70 the advantage of the government
than unlimited hours in the case OF tbs
clerks want to be shown why clerks
VINO do not work eight hours as rule
every day. but work unlimited hours
when need arises, must be ranked as
'slackers."
SARA LAURA BECKWITH.