The Washington times., 1919-05-14
lob QUIZ PUZZLES
MANY us. WORKERS
Describe your job"
Can you do it?"

Can you 10 II!
Edward Heating, of the Congress
sionaI Commission on ReclasSihca-
tion OF Salaries or Government En-
pIoyes said today that these are
. proving the most difficult OF the
tventy-nine questions on the ques-
tionnaires being distributed among
the 100000 civilian employees of the
Government here.
In addressing the subcommittee
at the Government Printing Office,
where there are 5000 employees. 1
learned that many employees are mud
died over that question Mr.. keat-
ing said.
Employees are urged to avoid list
, ing a lot of details. We want them to
use common sense, to tell what their
job is and nothing more.
For example a foreman in a COM
posing-room at the Printing Office
posing-room. / have authority over
fifty or sixty printers as the case
may be. L perform the duties usual
to the job of foreman.
This suggestion may apply in any
Government department. Some en-
ployes have a variety Of duties. or
course, we want them listed, but we
DO not want useless details.
Another Troublesome One.
Another question-No. 3 on the
questionnaire lis giving employees
considerable trouble. II is:
who is your immediate SUPERIOR"
This means the man from whom
you take your orders. Some employees
take orders from several persons.
They may in the nature OF utility en-
ployes who are subject to orders
from half a dozen persons who hold
authority of some kind.
Mr.. Heating advises. use a little
judgment and don't stop to puzzle
over il, for you will get il mixed
up"
The commission does not want any
OF the questions overlooked. Each
has definite purpose, they say. There
were scores OF questions considered
for the QUESTIONABLE. The twenty
nine finally chosen have each a place
in the scheme for reclassification and
Standardization of salaries.
G. p. o. Complicated.
Probably the most complicated sit
uation that has arisen is at the
Government Printing Office, where
there are twenty unions represented.
Each union has its standard. Some
OF them have fixed scales and hours
This fact, however, does not exempt
any employe in that office from nlIing
out a QUESTIONABLE.
Some employees have shown con-
Germ over a question that the i'm
mediate superior will answer. II asks
the immediate superior to specify
what qualifications an employe should
have to hold a certain job and spe-
cihcally asks, "As to education?"
we do not argue that a plumber
and steamfitter must have a univer-
sity education. We do not contend
that q carpenter should be versed in |
the knowledge that is required OF an |
expert in the Bureau Of Chemistry"
Mr.. Heating explained.
No General. standard.
1T merely means how much educa-
tion should an employe, in the opin-
ion Of the immediate superior have,
TO hold down a certain jib. We do
not intend to fix a general standard
Of educational requirements"
To the 1O5, 900 persons who will hI
out questionnaireS, the commission
offers this word of advice:
when in doubt, go to the central
in your department"
There is q central committee in each
on which there is a rep
OF the employees, a repre-
sentative OF the administration, and
4 representative OF the commission.