The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-10-03
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES BLAME THE
GOVERNMENT FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
Has Thrown Thousands Into the
Ranks of the Unemployed and
Spread Psychology Unrest
lspeelaI to lie JournaIl

|, WASHINGTON, Oct. 2-The federal
government, in its capacity rs employer,
has been a contributing cause to the
present unemployment situation where it
should have been an alleviating agency.
The government itself, without intelli-
gent planning. with discrimination, With
out justification. without even the hu-
man consideration of so much as one
days notice, has thrown thousands of
unemployed, and spread the psychology
OF Industrial unrest.
These statements. coupled with the or
ganized employees demand in the form Of
a just and intelligent employment policy
on the part Of the government, were
made at the first hearing held by the
presidents conference on unemployment,
by Luther G. Steward, president Of the
National Federation Of Federal Employees.
The federation. organized from coast to
coast. in every state. Is composed of gov
ernment workers in every branch of the
civil service. Mr.. Steward made it clear
that the organization is not protesting
against dismissaIs due to discontinuance
Of war work, but emphatically urged the
committee to make thorough dnvestiga-
tion OF the extent and character of dis
missaIs by government executives in
past ten months.
mot only have the previous standards
of efficiency. such as they were. been
sacrificed, but the standards of employ
ment conditions which the government
enforced upon other employees when It
took supervision over private industries
are being violated by administrative Of
ficials who are now overborne by the
hysteria of the so-called economy" said
Mr.. Steward. Without any survey of
the conditions or the needs of the various
branches of the service. or any efforts
to ascertain essential facts, without any
intelligent planning as to essential work
to be continued after the war, politicians
months ago, for political purposes, set up
hue and cry for reduced personnel of
the government departments as a means
OF reducing taxes. All the civil expen-
ditures of the government amount to but
per cent of the whole. But in ruthless
response to political clamor, which at the
same time shielded the political positions
and expensive perquisites which burden
the governments overhead costs, thou
sands of the rank and file employees were
laid off without notice.
''In the bureau of engraving and print
ing. hundreds of employees, mostly wom-
en-, were thus laid off without notice.
One Philadelphia office laid off score of
its employees and notified them fifteen
days later. The Denver mint laid off
part OF its force, and recalled them to a
10-hour working day. Steamboat inspec-
tors were laid off until vessels must now
be detained awaiting inspection at a cost
to the shipowners Of thousands Of dollars
per day. Work piles up in the assay Of
flee in New York. which houses the
lergest aiisntitv nf gold ever collected in
one spot in the history Of the world. be-
cause the clerical force is reduced and
clerks are required to double |
as guards, the guards themselves being |
so reduced in number that they can not |
perform their full duty. Civilian em-
ployes of military establishments at small |
salaries have been dismissed while ex-
er salaries and costly perquisites are as
signed to do minor civilian tasks.
''Such is the ruthIessness and waste
fulness Of the so-called economy program /
OF reducing the government personnel /
Such is its destructiveness. to the morale /
OF It's own service. such its contribution /
to the present panic in the industrial /
world and to the list of the unemployed
The National Federation of Federal !
Employees asks this conference to recom-
mend that the United States government /
set up an employment potlcy Wnich SnaAI /
be courageous enough to resist political 1
clamor; intelligent enough to discriminate /
false and true econolny and to /
continue necessary public work: business
ike enough to make adjustments for /
efficiency and not for spectacular po-
itical effect. and just enough 20 pro-
vide that employees who must be released /
shall have nf least due notice Of dis
nlissaL For rae government 10 lend it
(conkinued on Page Twol