The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-30
Republican Secretary Urges Dis
missal of Thousands of
Government Employees
FEDERATION TAKES ISSUE
Postal Service Is Undermanned
and Other Departments Are
Overburdened.
(5y George H. Mannins.)

Washington, D. c., Aug. 20. - II
the Democratic administration fol-
failure to economize in federal ex-
penditures by reducing the number ot
employees in the departments in
Washington and out in the states. the
Republicans have overshot the mark
and arrayed the majority of the 70o,-
900 government clerks against them.
Claiming that the administration
was overlooking the opportunity to re-
duce government expenses in Wash
ington, Clarence B. Miller, secretary
of the Republican national committee
in a political address delivered in
Washington a few days ago, advocat-
ed the dismissal of 100000 govern
ment employees as a means of reducing
the cost of living to the general pub
lic.'
The Republicans have been making
these charges of extravaganza against
the Democrats for two years without
encountering serious setback, but on
this occasion the Republican national
committee secretary overplayed his
hand and has stirred up hornets nest
that may bring stings to his party in
November.
Taking direct issue with Secretary
Miller, Luther c.. Stewart, president
of the National Federation of Federal
Employees, an organization represent
ing the majority of the 700, 900 govern
ment clerks, has addressed a letter to
the Republican headquarters pointing
out that practical application of Mil
ler's plan would reduce the government
personnel for the entire country ex-
elusive of postal service, to 10000. and
produce saving then of but 6.S per-
cent of the total government expnndi-
lures of 1920.
In other words, President Stewart
states that the cost of the federal /
government in 1920 was about s51 so
per head, of which sum So. IL was paid
IN wages to government workers. The
letter to Mr.. Miller SAYS:
In other words, if you are quoted
correctly, you seem to have fallen in
with the fallacy so diligently ex-
plelted by private employing interests
that seek to keep the workers on low
wages, namely, the false contention
that labor costs are the chief factor
in the cost of living
The dismissal of 100000 govern
ment employees would leave about
$4,000 civilian employees in the en-
tire government service. of these
100000 are in the postal service, which
is so notoriously undermanned that
we assume you would not attempt re-
duction there. If then, the 900. 900
dismissals would be from the remain
ing departmental services, you would
leave 10000 men and women to on
crate, not only all the executive of
hces in Washington (where before the
war the personnel was $4,000, but all
the customs, immigration, and reve-
nue. offices, courts, government hospi
tails. public health stations, peneten-
tiaries, Indian schools, agricultural
forestry. fisheries. stations, recIama-
ton projects, arsenals, navy yards and
stations, lighthouses. coast guards.
steamboat inspection, and numerous
other field services of the government
all over the United States. You seem
not to realize. furthermore, that such
bureaus as War Risk Insurance, In
ternal Revenue, the Public Health and
Vocational Education Board, created
Or expanded IN the last four years, re-
quire a permanent personnel in
far greater than the pre-
war basis, while the civilian personnel
Of the war and navy departments bear
4 proportional increase to the increase
IN size of our military forces.
Assuming, however, that 30 900
men and women could do all this
work, where $4,000 are now EMPLOYED
to do it, how much would be saved
10 the taxpayer by depriving him of
he services of this so percent of the
people who now perform these pub
ic duties?
1T would amount to about s3.27 per
year per head. The average salary Of
he government employees is now about
5000 year. The total expenditures
IF the government in 1920, with a Re-
publican congress making the appro-
Driations, was s5.6ss. 10000 in round
numbers. To cut off 100000 of the
employees of the government. or so
percent of the civilian force outside of
he postal service. would affect a
'aving of 6.3 percent of the total ex-