The Washington herald., 1920-01-04
+ CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

Without sensing how close they
have come to the true state of af-
fans. they have attempted to prove
that every department has been ano
is overmanned in face of the continued
requests for more men by department
heads. Comes an occasion for the ap-
pIscation of the principles they en-
nunciate.
In one of the more progressive de-
partments the chief of a division
tried. some time ago. to brace" up
the STAFF. He argued that if he could
get rid of the inefficient, promote
others and raise the pay of some he
could get along with fewer men. The
secretary agreed. Clerk No. l was
dropped. A few days later the secre-
tarr received note from Congress
man = something to this effect:
WI s,. the reason for droppins
&E. - from the department? Is It
fq.~ If, nclaacy' He is from my dis
,-ttt md I how him to be an able
tara oval sFo- Her.. If such tactics are
to be employed 1 shall see to it that
. your appropriation for next year iS
trrnmed to fit in with your new
policy" S---
How It works Out.
The chief who originally proposed
the revolutionary method OF adding
to efficiency by wedding out the
duiIards was called in and told that
II the increased work demanded more
help to include II in his budget and
thus the estimates for 1921 bristle with
:hese illuminating lines taken at ran
dom:
"one hundred and forty-three
(cleTksJ of Glass increase of twenty
eight submitted"
'.Fifty-four at 800 each increase Of
nine submitted"
In the first case each one of the 1S
draws a salary OF $500 a year.
The report of an auditors depart
uaeht calls for an increase OF twenty
nine clerks of classes two, three and
four but there Is a decrease Of twenty
five in the copyist, Junior and one
classes. The three latter carry re-
spectiyely salaries Of $500. $1,000 and
S.soo. The top in class four Is $500.
Apparently it has been discovered that
those whose qualifications force them
into the lower classes are unable to
do the work.
$500 superannuated in ID. c.
Sixty extra clerks are asked for in
the office of the auditor Of the Navy
Department, for instance. A note, in
no glazing type, Is found in the report
Of the. Treasurer to the effect that
twelve expert counters at $500 and
twenty-six expert counters at $40
each, have been dropped"
Ninety-three extra counters are
asked for. The inducements for these
viii be salaries ranging from $500 to
81 600, as previously explained.
As a department handicap must be
counted the superannuated. Reclassi-
fication Is expected to show about
$500 Of these in the District. The
majority were put on the pay roll
when salaries were fairly commensur-
ate with the cost of living even
though but few were able to lay by
anything for a rainy day. Now. shaky
Of limbs and dull of countenance,
ghosts OF an almost forgotten past.
doddering men and women mechanic
ally try to perform the tasks which
were outlined for them q generation
or more ago.
Chased ns superfiuous.
It would be an injustice to class
these among the inefficient" ''Su-
perfluous' would fit the case better.
q They were not always what they are.
'Once they were sprightly, quick at
figures. full of hope and generally as
capable as any in their class. Foliti-
cal preferment landed many in their
positions but by whatever method
they entered they are passing on I'M
sung. unrewarded and unprovided for.
living testimonials Of the tragedy Of
government service. They came in as
. SUPPORTS" they leave as depend
ents" on private charity or family aid
Why are they still there? Two
reasons suffice. One is because the
system" permits it; the other because
no one has the heart to turn them
out A few hang on because, IL they
don't. there Is only one place to go
he poor-house. Others, mhdewed as
they have become, are unable to
visualize any other kind of life. Then,
besides. 1t has become a habit and
not a few stick to their desks in the
belief that the government wheels
would stop revolving were they to
quit.
Associates Charities Figures.
It is this class that the Lehlbach-
Sterling retirement bill. such as It is,
Is intended to help. But how far the
sums of $50 to $40 will 60 p,isht be
deducted from the following budget
hlready alluded to. for a n&edy fam
" without a wage Garner, issued by
he Associated Charities:
n Rent, including heat and gas, $3.50;
food. five persons. s11.s5; clothing, s.;
incsdentals. us; total. so (per week.. {"
The weekly rate makes 81. 90 a year.
It may be argued that aged employees