Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1920-12-09
A COMMAND TO SERVICE

The nation wants service. That is
its mandate to those whom, II has
elected to power and place. 1t is dis
heartened over years Of laundering
and plundering. 1t is weary of in
competence and resentful of graft.
1t has never begrudged millions or
billions, if honestly expended for the
needful and right works. 1t may
justly begrudge a single copper that
is squandered, drunken-sailor fash
ion, or that is stolen by some greedy
CRATER amassing private gain out of
the public need The revelations OF
the shipping board, of the aviation
service, of the whole war department
and of other departments and activ-
tiles of the Administration, especial
ly during the war, have driven the
people to disgust and to revolt. They
want no more Of it. They want their
work done, their business transact
ed, their government administered,
with honesty, with economy, with
efficiency.
This one of the meanings of that
majority of seven million votes. 1t
is one of the salient facts which the
victorious party will do well unceas-
ingly to bear in mind. The result of
the election was a command to serv-
ice. not an invitation to spoils. There
will of course be sweeping changes
in the heads Of departments and bur
eaus; for which, thank God! We
shall have no more Burlesons or
Bakers or Sir Josephuses to man
handle and bedevil the great Execu-
70 tive departments. There will also
be many dismissals from the rank
and file, of the tens of thousands
who were taken on in war time, per-
forming no other activities than to
hold down chairs and draw their
pay. The business of the nation
must be put upon a business basis.
But every change that is made, ev-
cry dismissal and every appointment
high or low, must be made with
view primarily to rendering good
service to the nation; not one, we
trust, for the mere sake of appor-
tioning the ''spoils of victory" Too
far away ever to return are the days
when, Immediately upon the installa-
tion of new administration, "Adlai,
/ get your axe!" was the unfebuked
call to action. Nearer in years, yet
surely impossible of repetition, are
those in which a great officer of
state could send out an inquiry for
paying place which might be given
to deserving democrats" 1t was
only four wears ago, But we must
hope that it can never be nearer,
when civil, service commission re-
fused to permit inspection of public
records Tor fear that their contents
might embarrass the President who
was seeking reelection. Such doings
must never again be known in the
United States.
| II is not to be supposed, and in
deed 1t is not to be desired, that an
| administration will fill offices gen.
orally with members of the opposing
| party. But it can be expected and it
is to be required that it will fill them
primarily for the sake of good serv-
ice to the public. That is required
by sound public morals.N 1t is also
accordant with the best interests OF
the party. More than a few of the
shrewdest political leaders have con-
fessed that patronage and spoils are
on the whole sources Of dissatisfac-
tion and weakness, rather than OF
strength. Certainly they are such,
and deserve to be such. when they
involve sacrifice of public interests.
There never was time in our coun-
try's history when it was more es-
sential than now that it's work
should be we'll done.