Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1922-01-06
Copyright. Western Newspaper Union
XIII.
WHY GOOD MEN DODGE

WI 0OOD NuEN DODNE
The government service must look
largely to the graduates from colleges
and universities in recruiting for its
technical work. Replies to an inquiry
addressed to some forty of the leading
colleges and universities of the coun-
try to discover what class of men took
civil service examinations, whether
Tie number is decreasing and, if so,
the reasons, disclose vividly what the
training schools of technical and scien-
lllic men think about the government
as an employer. They warn their
graduates against government service,
and the graduates heed the warning.
Carnegie Institute of Technology,
@t Pittsburgh, reports:
1t is certainly true that the best of our
graduates are not interested in govern
nent employment because they feel that
hrSt OF all. II does not pay adequate sal
aries, nor does it offer opportunity for
advancement that private enterprise does
rms spring l interviewed all the mem
otrS of the graduating class, except the
women, and none of them would consider
government employment although there
were many positions open. . There
are now about 1,5OO male graduates of the
institute, and | will venture to state that
not more than ten are employed by the
government
Replies of similar tenor and import
were received from The University of
Chicago, Leland Stanford university,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Princeton university, Indiana univer-
nm no
Inequality of compensation is one
OF the chief reasons that deter Scien-
tlhc men from going into the govern
ment service. Congress fixes the sal
aries of most of the government EN-
ployeeS. | can give concrete Illus
tration of how ii determines the sal
aries of scientific men.
DR.. Leland o. Howard and DIR. Ed
ward w. Nelson are two scientists in
the employ of the government who
have national regulations.
The appropriation bill for the De-
partment of Agriculture was under
consideration in the house on January
30.h. 1920. The secretary of agricul-
ture had been recommending for five
or six years that Doctor Howard's
salary he Increased from $4 800 to $5,-
900. He proposed it again in that
years bill. When the item was reached
i'll the discussion on the floor this col
loquy ensued:
Mr.. Stafford-Mister Chairman. re-
serve point of order on the paragraph
Is the entomologist whose salary you
propose to increase the same person rec
commended for an increase last year?
Mr.. Lever-Ges, he has been in the gov
erhment service many, many years.
The Charman--l make the point of or
der
Mr.. Lever-I concede it.
MIR. Mclaughlin of Michigan-Will the
gentleman reserve his point of order?
Mr.. Staiford-I will reserve it,
Mr.. McLaughlin-The committee made
the recommendation to increase the sal
AIRY $500, took testimony on 1t and con.
sidered it very carefully. In our judg-
ment the Increase in salary ought to be
made for an official who has been in the
department. as the chairman says for a
long time at the head of this bureau. He
mas performed able and faithful services
me salary is less than that paid to the
neaus OF other bureaus, We felt, after
listening TO all that was said, and with a
knowledge OF the work he has been doing
and has done. the salary proposed is not
too large
MIR. Stafford-How long has he been
there?
Mr., Lever-He has been there forty-two
years,
MIR, Stsfford--What is his age?
Mr.. Lever-Over sixty, perhaps nearer
seventy, but he is still vigorous and able
to do good work. He is one of the
greatest entomologists in the world.
The Chairman--The point of order is
sustained
Five minutes later the matter of
Doctor Nelson's salary was reached.
The secretary of agriculture recon-
mended an increase of his pay from
$500 to $4,000. This happened:
Mr.. Stafford-Mister Chairman, I re-
serve the point of order on the para.
graph. WIN the chairman of the COM
mittee inform the house as to how long
this biologist has bean in the service
OF the sovernpsest-1sEd how long he has
been receiving the present salary of $500,
on which YOU recommend an increase OF
$500?
Mr.. Leter-- Mister Chairman. this gen.
eeinsn, whose name is Nelson, has been
IN the Service OF the department. since
Novemnsr. 1890 He mas served as chie'
neld naturalist rea IN % 1872, ana was
4 NAAtN0