The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-23
1nefficiency and Extravaganza
Must Go He Says.
No Sympathy for Professional
Job Holder Now.
EXPECTS BIG FIGHT AHEAD
But Public Interest First PreSi-
dent Tells New Workers..
Pays Tribute to First Yank
Killed in Germany.

80 New York, May 23.-Ruthless eff
ciency at Washington, even at the risk
OF offending a certain class of politi-
clans. was the ideal President Harding
set for himself in an address before
the Academy of Political SCIENCE here
today.
The government must be conducted
under strictly business methods, the
president said, adding that he well
knew that in so doing he will lose
good deal of immediate loyalty on the
part of a certain class of politicians.
Red Tape Is Scored.
He scored the confusion and red
tape at Washington. declaring that the
humblest household similarly conduct
ed would meet with financial disaster.
"Stony hearted Devotion" and "reso-
lutte courage" are needed to carry out
this program he added, but insisted
that his administration will combat
existing inertia at every point. sym
pathy for the professional job holder
must be sacrificed. he said
The speech, by far the most direct
and emphatic he has made since be
coming president was the result OF
two and one-half months experience
as chief executive. Altho prepared Ipr
scholarly ears and couched in d1gnl-
fled language, tne ietllHS oCHliiu eA
discourse was apparent
ITO much stress cannot be lald on
the fact that eternal vigilance is the
price for economy and efficiency ne
said.
Nothing is easier in a government
establishment than to continue in eX-
is c,fce of offices, positions, employ
nlents once they are created. 1t re-
quires persistent, determined stony
hearted devotion to the public interest
TO do otherwise. There must be utter
sacrifice of all sympathy for the place
holder whose real reason for Keeping
his position is that he wants the sal
ary. There must be constant examina-
. ton to determine how, in the process
os evolving functions and methods,
forces NAV be reduced and duplica-
tious of work eliminated. Inertia,
which is easily the greatest force in
governmental organizations, must be
combated at every point.
Expects Fight Ahead.
THE fact that thing has existed
for decade or a century-that things
have been done in a certain way for a
leneration-must not be accepted as
proving that it ought to continue that
way The men who conscientiously
and intelligently do this work must
not expect to popularize themselves
n the officeholders and the liberal
winch dcvOtes itself relentlessly to such
V-u - must understand that it will lose
q good deal of immediate loyalty on
tn part of a certain class of poll
tieiGns which will not be compensated
to il at once in the appreciation of the
public; for the public will not have
tie deep. immediate interest or the ac-
t.y( concern which will animate the
the person who finds himself pried
loo from the purse strings.
he president told of the special
committee on reorganization of eXecu-
tive departments which is at work un-
d = his personal representative, map
plGg out a program of efficiency and
added that he had meantime issued
executive orders directing immediat te
changes so far as they are in his
province.
tie told of the impending enactment
o. budget legislation which, while ex-
peCted to be helpful, must not be re-
Sarded as an efficiency panacea. He
said that the findings of the commits
sion on efficiency appointed during
the Taft 9 lministraion would be util-
lied in shipping the proposed reorgan-
ization.
arc Burning Capital.
Prefacing his discussion with a
brict survey of the financial and eco
nomic situation, President Harding
said the existing depression is the nat
ural result of the destruction of cap.
ital during the war He dissented
from the view that a return to auto.
cratic powers exercised over bushes.
during the war would aid the situation
now declaring that the ''feverisf
seeming of prosperity during wal
Continued ON Page TwOJ
Agree on Budget Bill.