Evening star., 1919-01-25

| 1t is just enlightened self-interest
| q square deal to the government
| clerk, in the opinion of Assistant
| Secretary Le.fingwell Of the Treasury
Department. He thinks the govern
| ment clerk does not get q square
deal He finds the clerk worthy of his
hire. but his hire is entirely made
quate to service rendered.
This is his parting shot, delivered
before the subcommittee of the
| House committee on appropriations.
the testimony Of whose hearings has
Just become public. About to sepa-
rate from government service, he tells
Of his preconceived prejudice against
the federal worker, or what he found
when he became part Of the system,
and how his opinions were entirely
upset and reversed.
"I came down here from Washing
ton," said Mr. Leffingwell, 'as a war
worker and spent six months as a
ment. and was appointed assistant
secretary when 1t became necessary
for Mr.. Crosby to go abroad. Before
that appointment I became familiar
in an informal way with the opera
tion Of the Treasury bureau, and of
particularly, because my work was
connected primarily with liberty
bonds.
Found Prejudice Unjustifed.
Having come from private life. I
arrived with prejudice-which too
many people have-that government
departments were the refuge of
loafers who came to Washington from
all parts of the country to live in
idleness. except for 4 period between
10 and o'clock each day. during
which hours they ran reluctant pen
over . piece OF embossed stationery.
The first thing discovered was that
happened in government departments
If the Treasury was a specimen of
government departments.
Instead Of that situation, here were
men who were working for the
standards Of living with which I was
familiar. And they were working
hard.
Il am hoping soon to follow my
great chief tformer Secretary Nc
Adoo) into private life, l cannot do
Mr.. Lcffingwell then cites cases and
offers names Of government workers
and set salaries Of $4,000 year."
He says that most Of them stay be-
they are masters Of the technique Of
the requirements for their labors and
Of the laws which govern them. He
proceeds:
All Are Civil Service Men.
'The men / have spoken Of are all
civil service men. do not believe
there Is one man I have mentioned
ana there Is not one man In the group
here IN the Treasury since before the
present Administration. imagine
most Of them have been there longer
than one or. two administrations
They are purely government men and
the war has called upon them to do a
without thought of their health or
personal advantage.
"But there are many who know
what they have done and what Is in
them to do. and they are Eoing to be
pr nta n aS ah. to tS 60
selves financially independent. Unless
the government is prepared to offer
them at least that sum which win en-
able them to live In reasonable cam.
fort and with the reasonable assur-
ance that their families viii be prop
erly educated and brought up. it is
not right to expect them to continue
to reject the opportunities for ad-
vancement which for one think they
will be free to accept when peace
comes about and these operations are
finished.
$50 I say it is just enlightened self
interest on the part Of the govern
ment to give them q square deal"