The Washington times., 1921-09-27

: IS 0lJSTED
Economy" Cry for Political
Effect, Declares stsward-In-
tsIligsnt Policy Demanded.
Charges that the Federal Gov
ernmsnt in its capacity as EN-
ployer has been . contributing
, cause b the present unemployment
i situation, coupled with the organ
lied employees demand for remedy
in the form Of q rust and intelii-
I gent employment policy on tho part
F! Of the Government, were made this
/, morning at the first hearing held
by the Presidents conference on
aunemployYnent by Luther G. Stew
ard, president of the National Fed
Grafton Of Federal Employss.
Throws Out Thousands.
.The Federal Government has been
contributing cause to the unem.
ployment situation where 1t should
have been an alleviatins agency"
Mr.. steward declared. THE Gov.
eminent itself, without Intelligent
planning, without discrimination
without justification, without even
the human consideration Of SO much
as one days notice, has thrown
thousands Of men and women into
the ranks OF the unemployed. and
spread the Psychology Of industrial
unrest" he told the conference.
Mr.. Steward made 1t clear that his
organization - not protesting against
disnissais due to discontinuance Of
war work, but emphatically urged
the COMMITTEES to make . thorough
acter OF dismissals by Government
executives in other branches Of the
service during the past ten months.
Remedial Policies.
Remedial policies which the organ
lied employees ask the Government to
adopt, he told the committee, include
the following: -g 49, ~ o.
a. announcement OF ultimate aims
xof the ADMINISTRATORS as to sire OF
Govsrnnsnt establishments ana per.
NJ Transfsr 81 rsleased snIpieyss in
prsfsrsnce to new appointments from
new civil service examinations:
~ Where reductions OF force are
necessary, releases Of efficient en-
ployss to be made In order Of junior
70 Thirty days notice in all cases of
release. . .-sy,. go.
mot only have the previous stand.
ards OF efficiency, such ~ they were,
been sacrikiced. but the standards Of
employment conditions which the
pioyers when It, took supervision over
private industries are being violated
by administrative officials who are
now overborne by the hysteria for
so-caiied economy said Mr.. stew.
. ard 49,. ~, =. ~. -
tisns or the needs Of the various
branches Of tho service, or any
efforts to ascertain essential facts,
without any intelligent planning m
TO essential work to be continued
for political purposes set up q hue
ana cry for reduced personnel Of the
Government departments ~ . means
OF reducing taxes. All the civil en-.
penditures Of the Government amount
10 but Der cent Of the whole. But
in ruthless response to political ella.
NOR, which at the same time shielded
tho Political positions and expensive
perquisites which burdern the Gov.
ernment's overhead costs. thousands
OF the rank and file employees were
laid of without notice.
Many Women Laid OF.
I'm the Bureau Of Engraving and
Printing hundreds Of employees. most.
w women, were thus laid Off without
notice. One office in Philadelphia
laid Off . score OF its employees and
notified them fifteen days later. The
force, ana recalled them to a ten.
hour working day. Steamboat inspsc.
tors were laid of until vessels must
now DO detained awaiting inspection
at cost OF the shipowners OF thou.
sands OF dollars per day. Work piles
up IN the assay office In New York,
which, houses the largest quantity Of
gold ever collected In one spot In the
histery OF the world. because the
plsYical force 10 reduced and remain.
! fng clerks are required to double IN
guards, the guards themselves being
20 reduced In number that they can.
/ not perform their full duty. Civilian
emplcyes Of military establishments
It small salaries have been dismissed,
while expensive commissioned Off.
Gers. with higher salaries ana costly
persuisites are assigned TO 20 minor
civilian tasfss. t...''.'.I - .. d
"such r. the ruthlsssness and
wastefulnsss Of the so-callsd economy
program OF rsducing the Government
personnel. Buoh II its destructive.
ness % the morale of its own service.
such its contribution TO the present
panic In the Industrial world and to
the list OF the unemployed.
Shouid Set Example.
.sThs National Federation Of Fed
eral Employees aAl<s this conferences
20 recommend that the United States
0overnment--set up an employment
policy which shall be courageous
enough to resist political clamor; in
teiliGent enough to Discriminate be.
tween false and true economy. and to
continue neosssary public works;
businsssliiss enough to make adjust,
ruents for efficiency and not for spec.