Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-11-20
H||RD WINTER IN
SIGHT For DEMOS
THIRTY THOUSAND SuPERFLU-
Gus JOB HOLDERS TO BE
SHOWED INTO DISCARD.
CONGRESS TO ORDER GUT
IN GOVERNMENT PAYROLL
Useless Employees Permitted to Hold
to War Jobs Long After War End
ed-Repuhiieans Plan to Reduce
Burden of Taxation Speedily
Business Men Constantly Naeaed.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19-Thirty thou
sand superhaous government en-
Moves in the District of Columbia
whom the administration succeeded
In keeping on the pay roll during the
presidential campaign, are to be
eliminated by congress this winter
according to Representative Wood OF
Indiana.
Mr.. Wood returned to Washington
yesterday to begin hearings on the
legislative, executive, and Judicial
appropriation bill by the house APP
preparations subcommittee, Of which
he Is chairman. He said the pay roll
slashing he contemplates is only pre-
limins.ry to q wholesale reduction OF
the fe,rce of employees thruout the
county upon the reorganization OF
the government departments and
bureaus by the Harding adn1inistra
ton,
Would Refund War Bonds.
The congressman also Joined the
ranks OF those legislators who advo-
cate the refunding Of government
war obligations for a long period SO
that taxes, may be greatly reduced
Immediately.
Il would issue new bonds ,refundins
government obligtions over Ions
period, said Mr.. Wood. Il would
have this include not only the liberty
bonds but the short term treasury
certificates of Indebtedness and the
victory notes. The short term GER
tificate, are making lots of trouble In
the banks and have helped to cause q
depreciation In the value of liberty
bonds. I believe the situation will be
helped by refunding all these obliga-
items over long period. believe
the merit generation should help to
bear the load of the war expenses.
Business is In such a condition
that We, must reduce the burden of
taxation If possible. The excess
profits tax should be repealed. 1t has
proved an unjust burden upon bust
ness and should be done away with
at the earliest moment possible"
War Jobs Were Plentiful.
There were $4,000 government en-
ployes III washington before the war,
$4,000 when the armistlcc was sign
ed. There are now 90.0on. Mr.. Wood
says the same amount OF work can
be done more efficiently by 10000. In
the entire country tho number Of
civil employees rose frorn 100000 be-
fore the war to nearly 100000 at its
close. Department heads are now
asking for more employees whose sell
cries would total $14.000,000.
'All business firms nowadays are
making cuts in their forces of from
10 to "a per cent or more" said Mr..
Wood, Il know one firm that made a
cut of ore-third and now gets great
err efficiency out of the twe-thirds re-
naming than out of the original
force. There is no reason in the world
why the government cannot do the
same thing.
Employees Fired; Get Back.
"In the legislative, executive. and
judicial kill Of last year we cut out
nearly $4,000 employees. Department
chiefs. however, managed to get thou
sands OF them back on the pay roll by
appearing before committees. such as
the committees on military and naval
AFFAIRS, WHICH handle other appropria-
lion measures. The net reduction in
the number OF employees thus far has
only been about 100000
Representative Wood represents
the northern Indiana district, which
includes the Gary steel plants and
other Industries adjacent to Chicago.
Mr.. Wood said the business men of
his district are clamoring for a re-
organization of governmental, depart
ments and agencies
Worries for Business Men.
1T is getting 30 that business mon
are almost afraid to 80 to the post
Office for fear of receiving notice
from various government depart
ments to supply different sorts Of m
formation, said Representative
Wood. Sometimes two or three DIFF
Ierent departments. want the same
sort Of Information in a different way,
and 1t is a problem for business men
to furnish 1t.
One of the chief tasks of the new
administration should be to reo1gan-
lie the mum erors government depart
ments, boards, and other scattering
agencies. One Of the best things that
Governor Lowden has done in Illinois
has been to consolidate and reorgan-
lie state departments. Something of
the same SORT should be done in the
government service. When that takes
place we can make further economies
that are not. possible now"