The diamond drill., 1922-02-03
By EDWARD G. LOWRY
csp,rsst. wssiera kswsp.p<T Ualss


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 Ameri-
can soil, ten years OF age or over, en-
gagged In gainfsl occupations. A little
while ago, when the number OF federal
employees was even larger than IL Is
now, one person out OF every 90 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 I'm anticipation of the re
suits OF the fourteenth general census.
Prior 10 the outbreak OF the war.
In 1914, the number OF men and women
ih civil positions In the executive
service was approximately 3S5, $50. In
1916 II had grown TO 39S,S32. In 1917,
after our entry into the war, II was
400, ,79S. On June 30. 1919. the number
was 707, 7,44s. The number on July 81,
1920, was 691. .116.
These figures are confessedly ap-
proximations. Since the signing Of the
armistice the number OF federal en-
ployees has been decreasing. Un-
doubtedly' the decrease In force Will
continue 10 be made for months TO
come, but the growth OF the govern
ment business In the past few years
has been such as 10 make II larger
employer In the postwar period than
II had ever been In 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
ssheT prt,,r ~ private employers; fsT.
besides It's task OF lawmalxing and law
enforcing, OF national defense and
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
tnR 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 In
education, labor and commerce. II
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. II grauts patents OF inven-
tion. II 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 It's soldiers and
sailors. II makes all its own money
nnd does all It's 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 great many
things that no other employer does.
How does II treat It's people2 Is IL
q good employer or n bad employeri
Are Its employees contented? These
are questions that should advise the
railroad men. the miners and other
workers who seek naturalization OF
Industry, TO look into before they com
mit themselves.
Let them find out for themselves
whnt government ownership would
mean 10 them.
The first thing they will discover, as
i 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 IL not possible TO find out within
hundreds OF thousands OF dollars how
much the United States pays yearly
or monthly In salaries and wages. I
went 90 the Treasury department, to
the appropriations committee OF con-
Eress. and elsewhere where thought
che information might be lodged, but
nobody knew. was told vaguely that
the government was not run on an
asset and liability basis. and therefore
u was not necessary TO know the exact
number OF employees ON che payroll.
IL the average compensation II ST.
100. the federal civil service payroll
now amounts 10 more than seven
hundred million dollars annually. The
largest single branch n the Post once
department. with nearly 10000 EN-.
ployees.s The War department has
more than i25ooo civilian employees.
the Navy department about 10000. and
the Treasury department about 10000.
No other brunch has as many as 5000
employees Any institution that en-
picys one In seventy-three OF all this
rrmmry's workers and calls for the
expenditure of such a large part OF
our annual revenues Is entitled 10
ycur serious consideration. You and