The diamond drill., 1922-02-24
BY EDWARD C. LOWRY
cs,yrisas. western Ns-sp.esr Us.ss
XVIII.
READ LANES DIAGNOSIS


In his final report to the President,
upon completing his work AS secre-
tary Of the interior, Franklin X. Lane
sketched with sure hand out OF the
abundance OF his experience the pres
ent Washington condition:
The cali IL for thinking. planning. engi-
neerlng. statesmanship. For We are quick
ly passing out OF the rough -and-ready
period OF our national life. In which We
have dealt wholesale with men and
things. into a period OF more intensive
development. In which We must seek 10
md the special qualities OF the individual
unit. whether that unit be acre OF
desert. barrel or oil, mountain
canyon. the flow OF river or the capsc-
ity OF the humblest OF men.
TO conquer and 10 master-the same
old task is ours. but not In the same old
way. We have discovered this land and
made Il ours. but this is not the end
OF our journey. for now We are 10 give
thought. the deepest thought. TO the ways
in which "a may be made To yield most
abundantly In the things which com
pick society with a most mperious curl
osity demands.
Washington is a combination OF politi-
cal caucus. drawing-room and civil serv-
Ice bureaus. IL contains statesmen who
are politicians and politicians who are
not statesmen. IL IN rich In brains and
IA character. IL Is honest beyond any
commercial standard. IL wishes 10 do
everything that will promote the public
good. But II is poorly organized for the
task that belongs TO IL. Fewer men OF
larger capacity would do the task better.
Ability is not lacking. but u Is pressed
10 the point OF paralysis because OF an
inhnitude OF details and an unwllingness
on the part OF the great body OF public
rorvants TO take responsibility. Every
one seems 10 be afraid OF everyone. The
self-protectve sense IL developed abnor-
mally, the creative sense auophies Trust.
confidence. enthuslasm-these simple yir-
tues of all great business are the ones
most lacking IN government organization.
We have 40 many checks and brakes
upon our work that our progress does
not keep pace with the nations require
ments. We could save money for the
government II we had more diAcrstion aa
- how we shstsla ess that ssssaz 40
For the body or the civil servants thsrs
should be quicker promotion or discharge
and n sure insurance when disability
comes. For the higher administrative
officers there should be salaries twice as
high as those now given. and they should
be made 10 feel that they are the ones
responsible for the work OF the depart
ment. the head being merely an adviser
and constructor OF policies
As matters are now devised there are
too few in the government whose bust
ness II IL 10 plan. Every man In held to
detail, TO the narrower view. which comes
too often TO be the department view or
some sort OF perochal view. We need
for the day that is here and upon us
men who have little TO do but study the
problems OF the time and test their ca
pacity AT meeting them, In word we
need more opportunity for planning, en-
gineering, statesmanship above. and more
fixed asthorIty and responsibility below.
The employment methods Of the gov
ernment could be improved Under
the civil service law OF 1883 a good
system of competitive examinations
and appointments on merit has been
built up for the classes OF positions
covered by the law. But beyond GER
tifcation by the civil service commits
sion for appointment OF those appll-
cants who are proved by examination
20 be eligible, the merit system is not
fully operative even In connection with
the positions TO which II applies. Hap
hazard practices In assignments OF
work and In promotions. over which
no central authority has Jurisdiction,
have brought about inequalities which
are discouraging to the workers. This
condition and the relatively low sal.
aries paid by the government cause
turnover" In government forces
that could not long be withstood by
private business.
The readjustment OF government
salaries in the District OF Columbia
has recently received the attention
OF The joint commission ON reclassif-
cation Of salaries, which was author
lied by provision In the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation
net approved March /, 1919. The re-
port of this commission is now I'm the
hands OF congress and It's fate remains
20 be seen. The report represents
many months OF work and an effort TO
present DATA which viii enable con
gress TO understand conditions as they
exist
The present civil service law was
enacted 20 correct the evils OF the
"spoils system" which had become In
toierable. That the plan provided by
the law, that of appointments through
competitive examinations for certain
positions. has been vast improve
ment over the old patronage method
Is generally conceded; but the law
failed TO be completely effective i'm
strument by not providing for the APP
pllcation Of the merit system 20 the
more responsible and. therefore. the
more remunerative positions.
The administrative Offices, aside
from the cabinet. which do not come
within the scope Of the civil service
law. are postmasters at Offices OF the
FIRST. second and third classes, col
lectors OF internal revenue, collectors
of customs: registers. receivers. and
surveyors general OF the land Office:
assistant treasurers, surveyors, special
examiners, appraisers and naval OIL
GERS Ia the customs service; super
iEtendents Of mints. assayers In mints,
supervising inspectors In the steamboat