The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1919-05-31
Home Army Growing
Much Larger At
Washington

ended some six months ago.
In view of the cold, hard facts,
which show the steady increase In
the government clerical forces, one
can only wonder what would have
happened If the war had continued
another year. Some on has sug-
gested we would have had 1000, 900
doughboys in France and 100000
stenographers in Washington. Prais-
ed be the armistice!
Secretaries Baker, Daniels and
Glass may be able to offer the best
possible explanations for the condi-
ton, but to the casual observer II
seems terrible waste of the public
moneys the way the war, navy and
treasury departments are fairly clut-
tered up with clerks, who apparently
have little to do but stand around in
groups most of the day and discuss
the fashions and various other light
er topics Of the hour. There are
some stenographers in Washington
who frankly admit that If they write
three or four letters day they feel
as II they. had exceeded the speed
limit.
Virtually everp officer of the
''homearmy" - and there are thou
sands OF them still in Washington
has his own personal stenographer.
and inasmuch as most Of the officers
are merely sitting around waiting for
their discharge It is easy to see how
much the stenographers have to do.
When the armistice was signed
last November 1t was estimated that
there were $4,000 employees of the
war department in Washington. We
were told at that time there would
be rapid rehabilitation of the civ
ilian employees and that by the LIST OF
July the department would be back
as nearly as possible to normal
working basis, 1t was realized the
department staff could not be reduc-
ell to pre- war figures by any means
but there were abundant assurances
that the great wartime initiation
would be speedily flattened out.
This sounded like good news for
the taxpayers. There was just one
tiny little fault with it. 1t was not
true. A recent census of civilian
employes in Washington, taken by
joint committee of the House and
Senate on the Reconsideration of gov
eminent employees, showed the war
department in April had 26,692
clerks, as against $4,000 when the
armistice went into eject. Not only
that, but the figures are still going
up. During the week ending April
10 there was a net increase OF 500
employts in the war department.
The treasury department showed
the next largest net increase, a total !
of 288 employees. The treasury had
about 10000 clerks on it's payrolls
the day of the armistice, including
the large force in the Bureau Of war
risk insurance. The recent census
shows 31,442 employees in the treas '
ury. One hears a great deal about
governmet employees leaving Wash
ington for their homes, but II would
seem now that every clerk who pass
es out of the Union station meet two
new clerks coming in. The total
added to Uncle Sans payroll during
the week ending April 10 was 557. !
The civil service agencies all over
the country appear to be working
overtime certifying clerks to Wash
ington. There is just one rift in the
cloud of incoming employees. The
governmet announced last week it
for places as char-women, as long
waiting list already existed in this
class. This may mean that some Of
the sorely tried housewives Of Wash
la a