Evening star., 1921-06-11
WAR DEPARTMENT
WILL DISMISS 1883
Civilian Employees Must Be
Dropped Because Of Re-
duced Appropriations.

To meet reduced appropriations fol
the next fiscal year orders have beer
given for the dismissal of 1898 civil.
ian employees in the War, Department,
and it's branches in this city. between
now and July 1. The number Of Wal
Department employees in this city a,
present is s.5as. which is less than
three times the number before the
world war. BY July l. according to
plans projected for reductions in the
various bureaus and services. the
present force of S.53S will be reduced
to about $500. which will leave the
force at that time-two and one-hali
years after the armistice-at abou,
two and one-third times it's pre-war
strength.
While reductions of the clerical
force will be made in all bureaus and
services of the department. the major
ity of the separations will occur in
the adjutant generals office. where
over 1000 are scheduled to go; the
air service. which will lose about 300;
the finance service. 275; the quarter
master service. 1866; the ordnance
service. "a: staff. IS. The remaining
services of the department will ali
suffer reductions, but to a smaller ex-
tent.
Less than one-quarter Of the War
Department employees that were here
November II. 1918. are now borne
on the rolls of the War Department.
More than II per cent have gone back
to their homes. to other branches of
the government, or to employment in
civil life.
Reduction Begun at Once. e,
The pre-war force of the War De-
partment in Washington was in
round numbers. 1900. At the sign
inG of the armistice the department
had 37,406 civilian employees in this
city-over twelve times the pre-war
force. Reduction was begun the day
after the armistice and the depart
ment is down now to s.53s-a reduc-
tion of 2S.S6S civilian employees of the
War Department in Washington in
about thirty months. which reduction
Is at rate Of more than 900 month
since the armistice. That is a reJluc-
tion Of more than u per cent.
Chief Clerk scofield says that the
appropriations for the current fiscal
year for the departmental service
aggregate in round numbers IS, 400,-
600 and provide for a potential
strength Of $3.50 employees. For the
next fiscal year it. Is estimated that
the appropriations will total about
$5,400,000. and provide for a poten-
tial strength of about 1850 employees.
II a larger number than that is en-
ployed at the beginning, July 1 next,
the number employed at the end Of
the next fiscal year must be corre-
spondingly reduced.
Mr.. Scofield says that the aver
age Of 4,150 employees would mean an
increase over the pre-war strength in
the departmental service of less than
one and one-half times for the fiscal
year beginning July /. 1921.
- ~ -Sn .
900 for additional employees rendered
necessary by the war for the fiscal
year which ended June 30. 1920, there
was turned into the Treasury, an un-
expended balance of $41.687.
2,S55 in Field Service.
:. In addition to the 5,sss employees in
the departmental service in the Dis
trict. there are at present 1855 en-
pIoyes under the department in the
District in the field service" as fol.
lows: Quartermaster department.,
1852; medical department. 5s2;
ment, 21s; ordnance department., 1882
Signal Corps. 113; General Staff Col
lege, SO; air service, Al; the boards for
civilian craftsmanship and promotion
of rifle practice. 10; total. 1855.
The strength of the field service en-
plOyeS IN tHe DlStTict Is nok llmlteu
by the appropriation acts. They are
paid out Of the various appropriations
which are available in the Held any
where the Army is stationed. The
number. therefore. in the District is
variable according to the function and
volume Of work charged to the local
field agencies of the Army.
Many New Functions.
The plans now projected provide for
reductions in the field service in
W ashipgtoh from its present strength