The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-14
Frederic Haskin's Letter
sspsa.a csrrszposaass q
Scientific Economy in Government.

mental departments so that each
will have a great major purposs
and the activities which naturaDv
fall within the scope of that depart.
ment will be assigned to il.
Probable Saving.
When the committee began lie
work. it was hoped that not less
than $500 600, 900 might be loppe5
off the yearly bills of the govern
ment, but as the work has pro.
crossed new possibilities have been
shown and it is now more Hkeiv
that a saving of half a billion yess
can be worked out One reason for
boosting this estimated saving d
the suggestion that the present war
and navy departments be amalga.
mated into one department OF wa
with army and navy branches.
When the plan on which Nr
Brown and his committee are 4,
work is completed and ready 10 20
into effect, there is sure 10 be tre-
mendous opposition from mabv
quarters. Every man and woman
who would be affected is going 10
fight against it. AS congress must
of course, approve of the Brown
plan before it goes into effect, the
pressure will be brought to bear
on congress. A lot of propaganda
has already been afoOt to ditch the
scheme of saving, but President
Harding's ultimatum that any gov.
eminent clerk attempting to ham.
per the work of reorganiZatio1
would be dismissed, has had ib
effect. The flood of form letters 10
members of congress ceased, which
was taken as evidence that thoss
conducting the propaganda were
men interested solely in holding
their oSn jobs.
There is propaganda Of other
sorts at work, of course. PromL
nent among the active groups is the
educational group, which is striy.
ing hard for the inclusion of a de-
partment of education, instead Of
department of public welfare, in the
reorganized government machine
For a great many years the eduea-
tional forces have made this de-
mand, and strong pressure is
brought to bear on congress right
along for this purpose. This is Of
set to some extent, though, because
the educational forces having
brought certain religious forces into
their fight, and the old Catholic ami
Protestant question has arisen In
the matter of the proposed crea-
ton of a department of education
The Catholic group wants the gov
eminent to take little hand in the
direction of educational matters.
The proposal to amalgamate the
war and navy departments is cer-
tain to meet bitter and determined
opposition. The combination of the
departments naturally would ellmi-
nate many of the posts held by high
ranking army and navy officers, and
these officers and their probabls
successors, with their friends and
followers, are expected to fight
hard against the move suggested as
an economy measure.
If congress adopts the plan be-
ing worked out by Mr.. Brown and
the other members of the commit +
tee, it is going to mean a tremen-
dous cut in the federal payroll. It 1
is estimated that not less than 3d.
600 names will be cut off, and the
number may go as high as $4,000
The bulk of these clerks would be
those employed in Washington, but
federal Offices maintained else
where would be affected, too.
Experts estimate that the average +
government clerk costs about ST.
900 a year. The average pay is il
the neighborhood of 81, 200 annu-
ally, the balance of the $4,000 be-
ing made up in the cost to the go7.
eminent of providing a place fG
the clerk to work, office supple.
and the like. Taking this figure
a fact, the discharge of SO00J .
clerks would mean a saving Of $780,
000,0 900, and an even 500, 100000 Of
governmental expense would be
cut off If the government got rid Of
1000 clerks, which some members +
of the joint committee regard as
highly probable.