The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-03-30
THE DISEASE OF BUREAUCRACY.

THE DISEASE OF BUREAUCRACY.
One reason why the Republican administra-
tion, under the leadership of President Hard,
ing, favors return of the merchant marine to
private ownership and operation is Illustrated
by an experience related by a citizen Of Balti-
more. In a letter to Representative Linthi-
cum of Maryland, Mr. Ralph C. Williams, said
that on January l he wrote to several trans
Atlantic shipping lines regarding rates, dates
Of sailing, etc. He received prompt replies
from all except the office of the u. S. Ship
ping Board, in New York. Says Mr.. Williams
after waiting for reply for two weeks I an
swered an advertisement of the Shipping Board
which appeared in one Of the magazines re-
questing prospective travellers to send to the in
formation desk at Washington for information
regarding sailings, etc Ten days later re-
ceived booklet giving information perhaps
valuable to one who has never been abroad,
regarding passport regulations, etc., but hav-
ing nothing of value for the average expert
enced traveller | was informed that my re-
quest for passage data had been forwarded to
the New York office / am still waiting after
nearly month and half Of delay, for even
an acknowledgment Of my first letter to the
New York office"
The condition complained of seems to be an
unavoidable incident of government business.
The Shipping Board is now the best admins
tered that it has ever been. Mr.. Lasker took
charge when not only the business and the cor
respondence but the books of account Of the
Shipping Board were in an incredibly bad con-
dition. He has brought order out of chaos and
has introduced fair degree Of efficiency but
neither he nor any other Republican under
takes to claim that the government can render
as efficient service as private operators will
render under the stimulus of competition for
business. The tendency of government
agency is to send an inquirer from one office
to another, each official endeavoring to avoid
work or evade responsibility That is particu-
larly true under the classified civil service sys-
tenn which practically insures clerk the per-
manency of his position unless he is grossly
inefficient Since a clerk is more likely to
lose his job by making a mistake than by
passing the buck" the easiest thing TO do is
to refer an inquirer to some one else.
This state of affairs is not nearly as bad now
as it was under the Wilson administration, but
under any administration it is certain to be so
bad that private operation is better, if the
work be of such character that it can be left
to private enterprise The effect Of delays in
cident to government rad tape or inefficiency
is indicated in the closing paragraph in Mr..
Williams letter in which he says:
What is the use of indulging in wordy out
bursts in regard to patriotically patronizing
our own merchant marine, spending hundreds
of thousands of dollars for advertising, and
then allowing other more wide-awake lines to
walk away with the business for want of prop
er attention. should have liked to have
patronized our own ships, but / cannot wait
any longer"
The Republican administration has the good
sense to perceive the inevitable failure of a
government owned and operated merchant ma
rine and is disposing of the ships at as little
loss as possible to the government. The Dem
ocratic party throughout its history, has OPP
posed policies which would aid in building up
an American merchant marine under private
management and went in for an expensive
aforementioned fleet. ''Let the govern
ment do it." was the Democratic slogan. The
Republican administration is trying to get the
government out of private business.