The Washington times., 1921-03-29
HUNDREDS ASK
us. Jobs BACK
Experts Who Quit Bureaus for
Outside Pine for Uncle
Sans Check.

Hundreds Of folks are trying to
get their Government jobs back who
ought never to have left them." de-
clares Senator Curtis, Of Kansas,
who is now engaged with Senators
Smoot and Warren in putting the
finishing touches on the Reclassifica-
ton bill.
SCIENTISTS ASK RETURN.
These employees were attracted to
private employment by the lure of
higher salaries. and they have sincs
found that the situation outside
Washington Is not quite SO Interest,"
ing for them as they thought II WAS"
Senator Curtis declares that he has
received many letters from Federal
workers who regret their decision at
having left the Government employ
| In the past three years, and who de-
sire reinstatement. He frankly says
he does not know how to treat these
| cases.
1T 10 obvious to me that we are
going to have less of the heavy labor
turnover in the Federal departments
from this time forward" he added.
The turn in the tide has now come.
Scientists, clerks, administrative Off
cials, and others who resigned from
their Washington berths during the
period when their services were in
high demand are flocking back to US.
Partly Is II due to business depres-
sion. and partly due to the natural
| trend of events, because there never
has been SO wide discrepancy be-
tween what the Federal government
pays its employees and what private
business pays. as has been repre-
sented"
xrANsr -us a E-- -.xr --xv~v--
The work of the Reclassification
| subcommittee Is not being Influenced
by this change in the Federal en-
ployment situation, according to
Senator Curtis. Even though the
subcommittee believes there will be
no trouble henceforward in obtain
ing first-class scientific workers and
others at the admittedly inadequate
salaries that are paid. there is no
disposition on it's part to grant less
than full Justice to the workers or
to delay the work Of revising their
salaries upward.
'T am confident the Rehabilitation
bill that we are drawing will prove
satisfactory to the Federal employees.
says Senator Curtis. "Of course, there
Is one difficulty that I do not see how
we can avaid. We are giving wide
latitude to the administrative officers
in the departments. so far as promo
tions and increases of salaries are
| concerned. Undoubtedly there will be
many charges of favoritism, and some
of them will be justified. when the
bill is put into effect. But there Is
no way OF determining merit and ef-
nciency except by putting the power
of determination in some one who IS
in a position to judge Of such merit
and efficiency.
ANY employe who Is discriminated
against or who Is the victim of favor
itism will find some means of esta5-
fishing the fact. OF course, any time
there is a promotion there are going
to be wild accusations Of favoritism in
any event"
Senator Curtis has suggested q mum
Der of changes to the Bureau OF Ef-
fciency reclassification plan, which in
the main has been adopted by the
committee. He believes in substantial
increases OF salary for the unskilled
workers and for the lowest grades
generally. He also thinks that the
classifcations should be made flexible.
so that there should be no difficulty
in placing an employe Immediately on
the basis of efficiency, experience and
general fitness