The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-04-29
INEFFICIENCY OF GOVERNMENT
OWNERSHIP

INEFFTCIENCY OF GOVERNMENT
OWNERSHIP
1t is an admitted fact that go
eminent departments in all countrie
are more or less inefficient and j
most cases SO slow that the individus
trying to transact business throug
one of these departments frequentl
loses heart and gives it up for a ba
job. 1t is evident that there is som
basic reason for this, and the Effic
iency Magazine has been trying t
ferret out this reason and has reach
ed the following conclusions, whicl
should be of interest to any persol
at this time when much agitation i
going on for public ownership of pub
lie utilities.
l. There is not payment by results
There is no piecework. There is M
profit-sharing. A nan gets as much
for doing badly as he does for doing
well.
2: There is no fear of discharge.
A man may be transferred, but as
long as his conduct is satisfactory he
cannot be discharged for incompe-
tence. Any sort of a fool can hold a
job forever in the civil service.
8. There are no profits to be made.
There is no possibility of bank
ruptcy. If the department doesn't
pay-very well. The treasury has
plenty,
4. There is no danger of losing
customers.
A government department does not
depend upon it's customers, so that
1t has not incentive to be quick and
courteous and obliging.
s.. The main thing is accuracy, not
success.
A government employee has simply
nothing to do with success. His aim
is to avoid mistakes. The less he
does-the fewer mistakes.
6. Time is of no consequence.
AS all government employees are
made into clerks they come to have a
clerks disregard of time. To clerks,
as to lawyers, a delay is a relief and
a comfort-the more the better.
Z. The work is impersonal.
There is very little personal re-
sponsibility in a government office.
The clerks have arranged a system
- - o11oJr ;- fo" hJonoo NJ mat
ter what happens.
8. There is no competition.
A government department is always
a monopoly. If it were not it would
soon be thrown aside. 1t has no COM
.petitors to battle with, and it can
take it's ease and do as it pleases.
8. Routine is put ahead of service.
In government departments all the
workers (if | may use the world are
tied with red tape. They are all the
slaves of a system of procedure.
10. There is no enthusiasm.
If a man stays in a government job
long enough he becomes mummified.
He loses all the energy and joy Of
living that are SO necessary to efflc-
ency and success.
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Among the able and effective
speeches delivered in the house dur
ing the present session of congress,
according to the reports that come
Washington, was the speech
made by Congressman Burton L.
French of this city, OF the naval ap-
1ropriations bill. Congressman French,
as a member of the subcommittee
hat drafted the bill, took the leading
part in defending the bill against it's
opponents in the house. The bill pre-
,ented by the subcommittee reduced
he appropriation by $4,000 900.
This was done in an honest effort to J
out the agreement entered into
It the Washington arms conference,
lnder which the American, British
md Japanese navies are fixed at the
alto of 5-5-3. AS was to have been
expected, the opposition to the bill
anne principally from seaboard cities,
7here naval bases and shipyards are
"a "a "a
49, 3- iii