Evening star., 1920-03-21
INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE REPORT
ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE EMPL DYES

The Presidents industrial conference" which
assembled In this city December last, in Its re-
port, made public today thus deals with the ques-
tion of the compensation and service of public
employees:
When men and women enter the public service
they become part of the machinery OF govern
ment and servants of the people. Continuous and
effective service by these employees is not only
essential but constitutes the functoning of gov
ernment. Even the right of the individual to re-
tire is limited by his duty to give due notice, de-
pendent upon the character of his service, that
there may be no cessation in its performance
Concerted retirement of any particular group from
their posts Of duty may result in the paralysis of
important public functions and is nothing less
than blow at the government itself struck by
those on whom rests the obligation of helping to
conduct it.
The government is entitled to the best quality
OF service, and to be assured of this. there should
be frank recognition of the right of its employees
to, just compensation Salaries wages not prop
erly comparable with those paid in private
ployment naturally result in failure to attract to
and retain in these positions the best qualified
ployes and result also in discomfort reflected in an
impaired service.
The increased cost of living since 1914 has fallen
heavily upon professional, clerical and administra-
tive employees. Some overdue readjustments have
lately been made, or in process of being made
yet the fact remains that, the cost of the
necessaries of life has mounted, many classes of
SdldIleu government servants nave NOT received
the relief that has been given in many branches of
private employment
Among those employees who suffer most acutely
have been the teachers in our schools. Their Sit
uation in many parts of the country has become
deplorable. Thousands of them, trained in their
profession, with high and honorable pride in it,
have been literally forced to leave it, and to re-
sign what had been their hope, not of wealth, but
Nf Ill IL - e
knowledge and character upon which our national
strength must rest. In consequence there is every
where shortage of teachers. An inquiry made
by the bureau of education showed that in Janu-
ary, 1920 more than $4,000 teachers positions in
the public schools of the country then vacant
Over 1900 positions filed in order that they
may be filled at all, by teachers whose quafca-
tions are below the minimum standard of require
ment in the several states. It is the estimate of
the commissioner of education that more than
100000 of the $4,000 school teachers of the country
are today below any reasonable minimum stand
ard of qualifications" Many of those who remain
ers despite the long years of preparation for their
profession that they have undertaken. This situa-
ton is national menace. It is useless to talk of
Americanzation and of the diminution of iliteracy
and other national educational problems unless
it is faced at once.
The conduct of the great body of these public
employees under conditions which have brought
acute hardship in many instances, has demon
strated their loyalty to the sound principle that
there should be no interference with the contin-
uous functions of the government.
Since the principle involved requires the sur
render of resort to the strike, the obligation of
providing means whereby their interests may be