The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-06-01
Where Your
Taxes Go
How Uncle Sam Spends
Your Money in Conduct
ing Your Business
BY EDWARD c. LOWRY
Author "w.shington Close-Ups." !" Banks ane
Financial Syrtems." etc. Contributor Political
and Economic Articles to Leading Periodicals
and Writer of Recognized Authority on the
National Govcrnment's Business Methods.
BY EDWARD c. LOWRY
Copyright. Western Newspaper Union
XIV.
UP TO YOU AND CONGRESS


At the present time II would be 0
misnomer to speak Of the national
government having a personnel sys-
TEN at all. The reform accomplished
by the establishment of the civil serv-
ice commission and the merit system
has touched but one phase of the per
sonnel problem, and that but partially
entrance into the government serv-
ice. Practically nothing has been done
in the way of erecting the government
services into careers that will attract
and retain efficient men. Bad as con-
ditions were In this respect before the
war, they have become many times
worse during and since that event.
The correction Of these evils pre-
sents a problem Of great cOmplexity.
1t cannot be achieved by half
hearted or halfway tinkering with the
present system. Nothing but thor
ough overhauling Of the whole person
mel system and the establishment of
new system covering all phases Of
the question and embOdying the most
approved principles of personnel ad-
minlstration will meet the needs OF
the situation. Fortunately begin
ming has been made in this direction
1t at least furnishes starting point
for action looking to the giving to the
government Of the personnel system
that it must have II government work
is to be even measurably well done.
The situation now Is that there IL
an insistent demand on the part OF
the public that the whole administra-
tion of the national government be puR
upon a more efficient basis, and that
the present waste of public funds, re-
sulting from present defective organ
ization and methods shall cease; that
congress Is alive to this demand and
has made a start toward meeting It;
that the fundamental defects in the
existing system are well known; and
that the direction efforts looking to
reform should take are clearly estab-
lished. The responsibility is thus
squarely up to congress.
If the problem that confronts cor
gress in securing this laudable end il
analysed 1t will be found that the
fundamental reforms are: The re-
form by congress itself Of Its own or
ganizatiOn and methods Of procedure;
the entire revision of the present sys-
tenn under which the financial needs
Of the government are determined and
provided; the setting up Of an agency
and procedure through which the ex-
penditure Of public funds may be
properly controlled and congress be
given that Information regarding such
expenditures which it must have II It
is to assure itself that It's agents, the
administrative services, are properly
performing their duties, and to act In
telligentiy in respect to the future
grant of funds; the provision of an
organ through which the President
may in fact, as well as In name, dis
charge his duties as head of the ad-
ministration; the reorganization OF
the administrative branch of the gov
ernment so as to eliminate the pres
ent widespread overlapping Of juris-
dictions and functions and indefensi-
BILE duplication of services, organiza-
ton. plant and work; and the com
plete recasting Of the present system
under which the personnel required
to man the governmental plant Is Sc
cured, compensated. promoted, as
signed to particular tasks and con-
trolled, to the end that not only JUS
tice will be done to the several classes
Of governmental employees, but that
personnel system will be established
that will insure maximum Of eff
cheney In the actual conduct Of public
affairs.
A study of action actually had or
now under way shows that steps have
been taken toward the accomplishment
of each of these fundamental reforms.
The introduction Of budget system
is long step forward.
/ don't mean in the least to give the
impression that all private business
is perfectly run and that only govern
ment business is badly managed, or
that all the efficient people are in pri-
vate employ and only inefficient in the
public service. Neither Of those con-
ditions exists.
In the common phrase you have got
to hand 1t to Alexander Hamilton for
devising a scheme that has stood up
since revolutionary days. 1t has not
been fundamentally altered since his
day. There has been no readjustment
of salaries in the departmental serv-
Ice for sixty years. That implies a
certain loyalty and faithfulness on the
part Of the workers.
My only desire Is to disclose the
present condition of government en-
ployment; that good men are leaving,
and that the present tendency, If not
will inevitably drive out of
the service all of the efficient and
eave only the mediocre and incom-
petent. l have said little myself, but
have chosen to let the men working
,or the government tell the story. Ev-
ery assertion Of fact IN these articles
comes from some responsible source