The Washington herald., 1921-06-17
Redistribution.

impressions of entirely disassocated
2 fQ1-the personal side. We regard these measures
among the most important before Congress
> The problem involved is one in which every bust
and citizen of this District has an mme-
date interest 1t is OF great Importance to the
country whole.
Upon it rests the public service, the machinery Of
the government The efficiency of that service is
largely bound up in it. 1t has been before Con-
gress, first in the atmosphere and then in definite
form for a long while. These present measures COW
ering it the result OF long investigation and the
consideration of much of the best ability in the
House and Senate. We have tried to make them
plain to the average They are not local, but
national.
The two plans presented-the Sterling Lehlbach
and the Smoot-Wood-are essentially distinctive
Their titles involving the of these Congress
men, give conclusive reason for the serious consd
Grafton of both of them. Either would be well
coined but for the other. The recognized integrity
and standing of the authors of either would be suf-
hcient for its acceptance but Tor the presence OF the
other.
D.. AS it is, they are so distinctive in method in
subjective source in viewpoint of origin, that they
compel choice So far capable of judg-
ing. we believe the Sterling -Lehlbach plan is pref
. cradle and as between the Sterling and the Lehl-
bach, we prefer the former We have studied only
the bills. Our Judgment is based solely upon Them
without any pretense OF expert knowledge.
20 Senator Sterling and Representative Lehlbach
= have worked out very complete Redistribution
based upon correlated services or such as are
grouped in quality OF service, required preparation
and training and distinctive talent. 1t is a service
classification; Senator Shoots salary classical
ton regarded, basicly, from the financial side The
starts with the defined service to determine
what the required ability should get in pay The
other starts with the salary to determine what
should be bought in service of every kind for that
amount OF money. The one takes distinctive classes
of service into the market to determine the market
price. The other takes sum of money to the mar
ket to find what it will buy of all kinds of service
Under the Sterling-Lehlbach plan an employee
finds under what group he is classed and at once
determine his financial future. Under the
Smoot-Wood BILL the employee has to find himself
located within range in salary and then chase
through nearly specifications determine where
he can hope to come out. Simplicity is an import
ant factor. The psychology Of being considered
from the standpoint OF service rather than paw is
not be ignored. We do not know which plan
would cost the more, do we believe this should
be q deciding factor. J
= y As between the Sterling and the Lehlbach bills
prefer the former because of the great fexibilty
OF its administrative features. Government service
should be removed from all political influence and
rest upon merit. So far is humanity possible the
Sterling bill provides for this. Any such measure
is essentially laboratory product. In operation, it
is sure to develop faults in the gearing and other
details The Sterling bill provides for this in the
largest measure of hexbility, that it may be ad
uSied to the actual working conditions and remove
any unfarness or injustice which may develop and
at the time tighten any loose joints For these
reasons, vote, whatever it may be WORTH goes
to the Sterling bill