The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-03-27

washington, ~. y. March 90
Certain important types Of govern
ment workers are rapidly becom-
ing extinct. This disturbing fact
was revealed by technical men
from the government departments
at recent hearings Of the commits
sion on reclassihcation Of salaries.
There are two kinds of employees
which Uncle Sam can no longer
obtain. One is the highly trained
technical or scientific worker who
Is in great demand by industry and
business, and who can earn any
where from twice to ten times as
much outside as the government
will pay him.
The other is the vanishing class,
composed of men whose qualifica-
tons are absolutely necessary to
the government, but who are sell
dom wanted in private enterprise
These include the meteorologists,
plant disease experts, astronomers.
copperplate engravers. land Office
surveyors, seed testing experts
and various others.
Most of the present employees in
this class entered the government
10, rs or so years ago, when gov
eminent pay was considered re-
munerative. Now they have grown
experienced in their particular spe-
cialties, and as there is no compe-
tition for their services they stay
on until they die. But as vacan-
cies occur no more satisfactory
candidates can be obtained.
The futility Of trying to get new
men under the present salary SEIZED
ule was shown decently when the
national research council wrote to
40 leading colleges and universe
ties to ask il their graduates were
interested in federal service, and
if not why not? Carnegie uni
versity. Yale. and most of the 9TH
| er universities reported that moi
one Of their recent graduates would
consider the government service as
career, while California and Mas.
sachusetts universities said that
they had advised their men not tc
enter the government. Inadequate
compensation was the explanation
Of this attitude Of the colleges
/ UYh~t u v~n~~~ - HA> ~~~,~<~x 49,
best be understood by taking ran.
dom instances of the work now
done by such men.
Take the weather bureau, whose
experts warn stockmen, farmers
and orchard growers Of storms and
frosts. thereby saving millions Of
dollars worth yearly to the nation
All sorts Of people besides farm.
ers rely on the dictum Of the
weathermen, too. In construction
work, for instance, the weather bu.
reau report settles the question Of
whether cement will harden II 1t il
laid today, while a ship owner
would not consider sending a cargo
across Lake Huron il the weather
bureau reported the approach of a
severe storm
The entrance salary to this i'm.
portant bureau is at present 1,0S0
A bonus bringing it up to $3.50 il
usually granted in a short time
and, if he sticks ON for a decade O,
SO, the faithful meteorologist MAY
get $4,000. Some years ago, $4,000
was a worthy goal for a young man
who resolved to devote his talents
| to science and his country. Now
the man who has enough intelli.
gence and education to figure Out
that We will have hurricane next
Tuesday usually has sense enough
to pick out q position that will nav
better than that of meteorologist
in the federal service.
The weather bureau prides itself
on its accuracy-which the public
does not always appreciate-but II
is afraid that its reputation will &c
to smash II it has to take messen.
ger boys for Weather forecasters
as it expects to do soon. for bright