The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1920-01-05
0. S. HARD HIT
AS EXPERTS QUIT.
Loss Menace to Research
And Sciences, Declares
DR.. Rodney True.
LOW SALARIES BLAMED
Says Agriculture Depart
ment Suffers Through -.
designations.

Loss by the United States govern
ment at this time of most of its
highly trained experts in scientific
and technical branches of its en-
deayor is creating the most serious
menace to government research and
, development in the sciences ever en-
countered before in United States
history.
This statement, in effect, was
made yesterday by DR.. Rodney H.
True. president of the scientific
technical branch Of the Federal
Employees Union. DR.. True Is par
ticularly cognizant of the body
blows being given the government
service in view of his familiarity
with results of recent investiga-
tions made for the enlightment of
the Congressional Reclassifcation
Commission.
Within the past three years, said
DR.. True. the losses to the service
have particularly crippled the efn-
cheney of the Department of Agri-
culture, notably the Bureau of
Markets, the Geological Survey. the
Bureau of Mines, and the Bureau of
Standards. In some cases the turn
over" has been as high as 100 per
cent.
Low Salaries Blamed.
OF course. more tempting salaries
from private concerns contribute to
the cause OF these serious losses to
the government, he said. AS a ruiz
private concern offers from 80 to 100
tnGraa of he
the highly trained employee by the
government.
One Of the main effects is the taking
out Of the hands of the government
development along scientific and tech
meal lines which properly belongs to
the government, or more broadly
speaking, to the public
A case in point, he cited, is the de-
velopment Of the dye and coloration
processes which were in a fair way
to put the United States in the mar
ket to compete with Germany. start
ing from the outbreak of the war
This work was being done by the
Bureau Of Chemistry. Department of
Agriculture. Loss of it's most expert
enced and trained chemists has not
contributed to the furtherance of
progress in this line. rather placing
its growth, IL it has been allowed to
grow. in the hands of private con-
Germs and individuals.
Another glarinE example Of embar-
rassment to the government service.
notable at this particular time. he
continued. is the losing of experts
devoted to electrical research and de-
velopment at the Bureau of Standards
Hard to Replace.
In many instances these bipbIy
trained men cannot be replaced. and
II they are, it takes time and ex-
pense TO train new employees into
the work already perfected to a point
of producing important results.
IT have my doubts" he said. that
in many cases these men who have
given their lives to their particular
lines can ever be replaced at the sal
aries the government offers their
potential successors
On the other hand, said Dr. True,
there are a few scientists who re-
main with the government out of
patriotic motives and Inconsistencies
10 more flattering offers from private
industry. But these are naturally
comparatively few.
At no time probably have there been
more vacancies in the jobs requiring
the more highly trained. especially
in the sciences. than at this time
Vet there are other places to be
filled of a minor grade which require
applicants with some technical train
ing, and vet which pay in the neigh
boThood of only 81. on.