Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-12-08
BY EDWARD G. LOWRY
Copyriskt. Western Newspaper Union
III.
UNCLE SAM AS EMPLOYER

The United States government is the
largest single employer OF men and
women In this country. At the present
time In the executive civil service of
the Federal government, and exclusive
OF the army and navy. there are EN-
ployed approximately 10000 workers,
or one I'm 73 of all residents on Amerl!
can soil, ten years of age or over, en-
gagged I'm galnful occupations. A little
while ago, when the number of federal
employees was even larger than 1t is
now. one person out of every 6S in the
United States who had any sort of a
job at all was working for the govern
ment. These calculations are based
on recent estimates of the bureau of
the census In anticipation of the re-
suits OF the fourteenth general census
Prior TO the outbreak of the war,
In 1914, the number of men and women
In civil positions in the executive
service was approximately 3S5, $50. In
1916 It had grown to sos, $50. In 1917,
after our entry into the war. It was
459, 79S. On June 80. 1919, the number
was 707 ,44s. The number on July 81,
1920, was 691.116.
These figures are confessedy APP
proximations. Since the signing of the
armistice the number Of federal EN-
pIoyecs has been decreasing. I'm
doubtediy the decrease in force will
continue 10 he made for months 10
come but the growth of the gov~n-
ment business in the past few years
has been such as 10 make It larger
employer In the postwar period than
II had ever been I'm the pre-war period
These thousands Of men and women
working for the government comprise
every type of ability and Intelligence.
Their duties cover range of activities
that far exceeds that exercised for
other public or private employers; fog
besides It's task Of lawmaklng and law
enforcing. Of national defense ana
national finance. the government Is
charged with promoting the health and
welfare Of its people. of promoting
their home interests, their agricultural
mining. manufacturing shipping. fish
ing and transportation interests.
To do this II must investigate. con-
troll and eradicate diseases that attack
persons plants and animals. II must
| inspect livestock. foods and drugs. Il
must study conditions and progress ia
education. labor and commerce. IT
must prevent individual men or groups
OF men from using unfair business
methods, whether in banking. trans
pOrtation, trade or manufacture
The government must administer
public lands and the affairs of the
Indians, and educate children In
Alaska. 1t grants patents Of inven-
ton it sets the clocks Of the country
forecasts the weather. and makes
observations OF the stars and heavenly
bodies. II constructs buildings, docks.
roads, bridges. irrigation works, builds
canals and aeroplanes, makes
ordnance and ammunition. clothing
and other supplies for its soldiers and
sailors. II makes all its own money
md does all its own printing. II dis
tributes all mail and many packages.
The government does everything
that any employer in the United States
does. In addition 10 n great many
things that no other employer does
How does IL treat its people? Is Il
n good employer or bad employer?
Are its employees contented? These
are questions that | should advise the
railroad men, the miners and other
workers who seek naturalization of
i'm 70 i,t Lof
nit themselves.
Let them find out for themselves
what government ownership would
mean 10 them.
The first thing they will discover, as
! discovered when / began the present
inquiry, is that nobody knows, and
nobody In the government service is
charged with knowing, the exact
number Of employees in the service
from day to day. Even more astound-
Ing nobody knows. or Is charged with
knowing. even approximately, the sum
OF the payroll of the United States.
II is not possible to find out within
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars how
much the United States pays yearly
or monthly In salaries and wages. !
went to the Treasury department, L.
the appropriations committee of con.
gress, and elsewhere where | thought
the information might he lodged, but
nobody knew. / was told vaguely that
the government was not run on an
asset and liability basis, and therefore
II was not necessary TO know the exact
number OF employees on the payroll.
II the average compensation is 81. -.
100. the federal civil service payroll
now amounts TO more than seven
hundred million dollars annually. The
largest single branch is the Post Office
department. with nearly 100000 EN-.
ployees. The War department has
more than $4,000 civilian employees
the Navy department about 10000 and
the Treasury department about GO.OOO
No other branch has as many as 25.OO(
employees. Any institution that EN-
ploys one in seventy-three of all thi.
country's workers and calls for thu
expenditure of such large part OF
our annual revenues Is entitled &c
your serious consideration. You ant
Won aIOne mt nm fhe money