Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-09-21

system of training of government
clerks.
Members of the big local, which has
eight votes at the national convention,
the biggest representation in the
United States, back the proposal of
the Redistribution commission for a
training school for government work
ers
They point to the fact that some
forms of such a training school al
ready are in operation in several gov
eminent bureaus here The Washing
ton city post office has a modiSed
training school for new postal clerks
and carriers. in which the raw mate
rial is given preliminary instruction
before being allowed actually to take
up the work of clerk or carrier.
Would Help Workers and Government.
1t is pointed out that a system Of
training for higher positions in the
federal service not only would be ad-
vantageous to the workers themselves
but would be equally advantageous to
Uncle Sam. Such training would be
part and parcel of the Redistribution
scheme which the national federation
Of federal employees is backing on a
nationwide basis. 1t would enable the
employees, it is declared, to fit them
selves for advancement, instead of be-
Ing brought face to face with blank
wall" This blank wall" is one of
the commonest things in the expert
ence Of progressive government work
ere. and it is hard to become well ac-
quainted with such an employee and
not soon have him speak of the "blank
! wall" which he faces.
Many very capable government
workers have been facing that 'bIank
| wall" beyond which there is no adj
vancement. for many years. They are
highly capable and feel that they have
ability, but there is no way for them
| to get away from the wall" In re-
! cent months many of them have looked
over the wall at the high salaries Of
fcred in outside industries, and many
! have jumped over the wall at last.
| leaving the government service just
when they were getting to be most use
/ full to it. 1t is in this respect. it is
| pointed out, that Uncle Sam is the
| greatest loser. Because his civil serv-
! ice offers no training for advance
ment, the service loses many of its
hest men just when they become adj
Imirably eQuipped-by government
| trainng-to become most serviceable
| 10 the government.
Tariff Seems Out of Politics.
Has the tariff been taken out of
politics? BY an act of congress
signed September 8, 1916, the Uni
! ted States tariff commission was ere
! ated 1t is composed of six mem
| bers, appointed by the president by
and with the advice and consent OF
the senate, and not more than three
| OF the commissioners shall be mem
bers Of the same political party II
! was the desire of congress to provide
for Il commission that would be as
| free as possible from political influ-
I ence.
II W III ~ppIl DS IOuI Years SIIIC0 tI6
| commission was created. During these
years it has done an enormous amount
OF work. 1t is today one of the bus
lest branches of the federal govern
ment. If congress should he called iT
extra session next week TO revise the
tariff. it would find the commission
ready to supply it with accurate in
formation on practically every branch
Of this intricate subject Surveys
and reports on more than 1000 items
in the existing tariff law have beer
made by the commission. Some OF
the reports have been printed. but
the bulk of the information is in
manuscript form.
The present congress has shown {
disposition 10 accept, without Ques
ton, the information supplied it by
the commission. During the recent
! session the ways and means commit
tee Of the house of representatives
in preparing several sO-called pop
gum tariff bills, depended entirely or
the commission for guidance
Considered Fixture.
Congress. as a whole. now looks or
the tariff commission as a fixture. A
the recent session an ample appro
priation for carrying on the work O
the commission was made.
The law creating the commission
provides that the commission shat
prosecute any inquiry necessary to it:
duties in any part of the United
States, or in amy foreign country
Only recently the commission sent one
of its Investigators into Germany. witt
instructions to make a general surve!
Of industrial conditions there.
Three other investigators. who wer,
selected because of their expert quail
fications. for the study of particular
industries have been sent to Grea
Britain. They We're directed to give
chief consideration to certain of tht
metal and textile industries, but the!
will also devote attention to genera
industrial conditions.
Two other Investigators have beer
sent to Japan. The commission ha:
published a comprehensive survey O.
japanese trade during the war, and i
plans to supplement this report with
study of the tariff system and indus
trial conditions Of Japan. 1t is taking
notice of the concern in some quar-
ters Of the United States at the pres
emf time with regard TO Japanese com
petition.
Natural Conclusion