The Washington herald., 1921-06-30
Agrees to Protect Any
Worker in Giving
Information.
PUTS BURDEN ON
BUREAU CHIEFS
Harding Backs Budget
Director in His New
Drive.
By ROBERT J. BENDER

Director Of the Budget Charles
c. Dawes, on authority Of the Presi-
dent. has stripped the muzzie OF 81
lence from government employees, TO
end, II possible, the fear and hope
lessness which long have Influenced
their work in the executive depart
ments.
Before q mass meeting Of hun
dreds Of bureau executives and IN
the presence OF President Harding
and members Of the Cabinet, Dawes
yesterday afternoon laid down three
cardinal rules by which he hopes 70
government bureaus in successfully
efecting administrative economies.
viii Protect EnpIsyeA
First-when the Director Of the
Budget approaches any government
employe for information needed in
working out the economy program.
that employe must give the in
formation. and will be protected
Second-If a government empIoye
has what he deems vital information
and is not asked directly for It by
the Budget Director. he is expected
to VOLUNTEER it, again being as
sured Of protection.
Third-lf a government employe
who is interrogsteG holds back nee
essary information and the Budget
Director finds out about it, that
employe will be deprived Of any
alibis.
II is a revolutionary system, par
ticularly to those who know Wash
ington. and strikes at the very
heart Of the time-honored bureau
cratic significance that has withered
so macy efforts at administrative
economy. Dawes knows Washing
Sor. for. as he explaineds .ae psR-
'cnce bureau chlef' himself. wien
Comptroller Ofg the Currency years
ago. Y
The important. even dramatic.
! point Of his long talk to the dtvi-
sion executives was the appeal, EN-
phasized by the President. strength
ened by play upon the emotions Of
his listeners and the picture Of this
nation with misery and destitation
stalking" within its boundaries. for
classified employees in responsible
positions to arise from their Sub
merged state"
This problem must be solved by
YOU bureau chiefs alone" he shout
ed, pounding on the stand before
him. And you, and you alone. will
get the credit for the success we
achieve. II will mean your redemp-
ton
II was not only for the present
day that Dawes was speaking. IL
was to smash for the future as well
the system which in the past has
sapped the ambition and energy OF
classified permanent government
employees.
Wants Work Humanised.
There must be huma MIXING OF
department work" Dawes shouted.
turning to the rostrum on which
! the Cabinet members sat. You gall
vanize when you humanize the sd-
ministrative forces Of this govern
ment"
This, in brief. WIS IN. main
theme OF the unique mass meeting.
the first OF such a nature to be held
in the history Of this government
II at once constituted an appeal. a
warning and a tribute to the cIassi-
fed personnel Of the government
| bureaus. At the same time, II
brought from Dawes an Indictment
of those political appointees, mot OF
this administration" he explained.
for this administration is doing
things differently-but OF past ad-
ministrations. whose ambition. van
ity and personality" were directed
toward submerGiRg the able em,-
ployes under them. s"r.-|s
Many Expenses Are Fired.
Too much must not be expected
by the taxpayers in the saving To
be effected by the immediate oper-
alton of the budget system, Dave.
said. We will have the new bud
get by August l." he added. He in
dicated that where savings could he
effected they might average about
25 per cent But there is only about
10 per cent Of the present governl
ment expense that is subject TO ma
terial curtailment- Twenty-five
per cent of the total is fixed ahsc.
f1tely and can't be changed. II is
estimated by authorities that 4,
the great army and navy apnr,,-
priations, not more than ~
per cent economy could he a.
fected in either. As a result 90
thorities look to see the new buore,
met saving OF from $500, ,OO0. .ooo "a
900, which would mean
possible decrease OF only 2 ~
cents on every dollar paid int ,h,
Federal treasury by taxpayer.
Whatever saving is netted hovever
would be a step in the right ofrec-
tion and at a time when a GOOD
example is necessary TO the world
as a whole. -
President Urges Economy,
Both the President and pav.,
emphasized this in addressing the
mass meeting.
Il believe" said the President.
that there is no menace confron,-
ing us today like the growinr puh-
lie Indebtedness and mounting pub-
lie expenditures. I want TO reverss-
the old feeling that economy 4. NOT
possible. And ] look to those re-
sponsible for efficiency to accom-
piish this. I want TO bring into IN.
picture You servants OF the Fedcr.f
government who are Responsible ~
anything is to be brought about
q