The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-03-15
Copyright. Western Newspaper Cnio
XVII.
No Reward For Loyalty

! No Reward For Loyalty
What can a man hope for who en-
tiers the government service as ca,
reern Let US look a; some actual /
cases. Here is the story OF one al
told b. r. J. Ayers. chief clerk, De-
partmpnt Of the Interior, He cites II
as Il case similar 10 that Of many otn'
crS in his department. and says there
are many others who are in worse cir
tcumStapCes:
The records of our department
show that ne entered the service as
laborer at $3.50 year. after a service
of three and a half years in the
United States navy as a first-claSs
fireman, with an honorable discharge
lie has been with us for more than
thirtythree years, and is siXt!-SlH
Years old. and has given more than
half his life 10 the service OF the gov
eminent.
He owns little properly three
miles beyond the Chesapeake juno
ton. and he gets up early in the morn
ing. before daylight. and comes in 10
work and goes out after dark at night
Today he is getting $40 a year. He
has raised 4 family OF nine children
. three OF whom are now dcad--eight
bows and one daughter. His elder
sons arc married and have established
homes Of their own. TWO OF his sons
were in the military service in France
and his daughter. twelve years Old
Hives with her grandmother. where he
IS supporting, educating and clothing
her.
He IS a white man. a very inteih
gent man. eminently qualified for THIS
Inarticular line Of work His wife is
dead. He is his own housekeeper and
; no does tine cooking and the washlns
and the ironing.
His home was established in It's
present location because il was not
Thought practicable 10 raise family
in the district. and he bought piece
o; property in Prince George coun.
" three miles beyond the railroad
.erminal. which distance, as | SAID, he
walks twice day. leaving In the
morning most Of the year before day
light and returning home by dark,
This small place consists OF shack
land n few acres OF land on which he
: has a mortgage OF $1,000 and you can
/ nudge that he enjoys no Convenlences
: other than the small house. when pro-
tects him from the clements.
The house is divided into -FOUR
rooms. me partitions being OF paper
) tackled 10 the framework, there being
no lathS or plaster.
, The small stove standing in the
: center o. the room he has used Tor
more than twenty years, and the pot
on the stove contains his Sunday DIN
, npr, which he has prepared Tor NM
, self. consisting OF white navy beans
= and fatback, These beans are now
costing him twenty 10 thirty cents
quart and the fatbaCk costs him
forty cents a pound. 1t could have
been purchased a few years ago FOR
seventeen cents a pound. and the
, beans for ten cents. He does not GET
any fresh meat because he cannot al
.. ford to buy it.
TO my mind. il seems pity lhat
: rho United States government should
employ men Of that type, or any other
type for that matter. and not give
them enough TO live on derently. II
is particularly a pity in this case be
cause he IA somewhat superior 10
many Of the employees. He has
STAYED with us as a matter Of faithful
ness 10 the government, and mas
STAYED with us when no could make
more in one week outside Of the gov
eminent Than we pay him for one
month.
= "Orhcrs have left Us. but instances
" Of that kind have been very few. Al
: ono tine had in our auditorium our
- employees and | made an appeal to
= them TO stand by US during the war
= period. and there were more than 3OO
I, OF them present. and they all or one
=. accord assured US that they would
- stand bv US and would give us the
;, benefit O, their labor IN our depart
: mont during the war period. notwith'
Standing the fact that the price for
q labor outside was a great deal more.
d This curious pride in their work and
. LOYALTY TO the government and me
y, government service was thing that
=, cropped UP in the most unexpected
= places.
As one employee put It: II think you
will find that every service seems TO
be quite proud OF It's work | know
q YOU will find It In our service as far
: a. compensation and such as that are
. concerned. The pay in this Office Is
- small. but HAT element. that feeling
: in a mans mind that he is really help
% ,ng to accomplish good work and
y hclpipy this government 10 function
.e well. Is really part Of it. find in all
- my talks with employees that they
really feel proud of their work. and
that pride is really what gets things
done think that is true everywhere
. N tho whole service. and particularly
a throughout the executive depart
m"UlS.
ID. That is culiou>ly true. and il is one
~. of the reasons. possibly the chief rea
j.; son. why men stay on III the depart
Is m,nts year after year a. low rate
> Of pay and not much possibility OF
= promotion.