The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-08-03
GOVERNMENT CLERKS
SOON TO BE RELEASED
Department and Bureaus Expect to
Dismiss 10000 during Remain.
der of the Year

washington, Aug. 3.-ApprOXimately
10000 Government employees in
Washington and throughout the coun.
try are slated to be dismissed as rapi
dly as possible so there may be spec.
dy return to prewar employment by
the Government. The Administration
has adopted a policy of striving for
the pre-wag allotment of clerks even
before the Reorganization programme
now beings worked out is put in oper.
alton. II is in furtherance of the
general economy policy.
These employees, for the most,
are in the civil service, The total num-
er Of civil service employees is around
100000 now whereas before the war
the number was 100000.
The first step in retrenchment with
regard to discharge OF clerks came OH
July /, but it appeared Monday when
1000 more employees were dropped,
that the process is far too slow. In
consequence. a policy was adopted to
get back 10 the pre-war level by Dec
ember l, If possible. .,e....
Secretary Weeks has taken the lead
in demanding reductions of civilian
personnel issuing orders to chiefs OF
all branches Of the War Department
to get back as rapidly as possible to
the pre- war level This same policy
is to be followed almost immediatly
by heads OF other Government depart
ment5.
1t has been brought to the atten
tion of the Secretary of War" Mr.
Weeks announced. that, notwithstand.
ing efforts made for reduction of the
civilian force of the War Department
and in the military service generally,
there still remained on July l, 1921 d
total of eiyi ian employees in the field
service of the War Department of 6S,-
1872, which constitutes a reduction of
about % l-2 per cent OF the total since
March |, 1921
While appreciating the fact that
large facilities and supplies left over
from the war still exist, and provisions
for maintenance and protection thereof
must be made. 1t is certain that by a
better distribution and organization Of
civilian employees still greater
reduction in force can be made which
II carefully studied and put into effect
will reduce the civilian personnel in
each branch and department compar-
able to the civilian force employed
prior to the war.
THE Secretary of War directs that a
gradual reduction in civilian person
mel be effected so as to reduce the num-
Der by December 81, 1921 in such man
ner as to effect saving equal to that
realized betEeen March 1, 1921, and
July 1921, on the total of army civil
ian employees. In order that a
G carer conception Of the civilian EN-
ployee situation may be obtained, the
Secretary of War directs that begnn-
ing with the month of July monthly
reports be submitted"
Whether it actually will be possible
to get back to pre.war level officials
are unable TO say at this time, but that
is the goal for the present.
According to the best figures avail
able at the Civil service Cem-
mission there are little less than
so 900 clerks in Washington alone,
which is about as many as there were
at the beginning of the war This on
the other hand Is reduction of al.
most 40 900 from the time of the armis.
tice
The discharge of clercks by the bur
eau chiefs has not been so rapid as
hoped for by department heads. It is
indicated that the chiefs, because of
their knowledge that the reorganza.
tion of the departments is near, are
hoping that great reductions in per
sonnel will not be necessary after all,
1t is for that reason that the depart.
ment heads have taken hand them.
selves to force reductions.