The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-06-16
BY EDWARD G. LOWRY
XIII.
WHY GOOD MEN DODGE

| i.
WHY GOOD MEN DODGE
The government service must look
and universities in recruiting for its
technical work. Replies " 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
the number Is decreasing and, if so,
the reasons, disclose wildly what the
training schools of technical and scen-
the 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
at Pittsburgh, reports:
1t Is certainly true that the best of oui
graduates are not Interested in govern
ment employment because they feel that
hrst OF all 1t does not pay adequate sal
aries. nor does 1t offer opportunity for
advancement that private enterprise does
This spring l interviewed all the mem
pers 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 500 male graduates of the
institute. and l will venture to state that
not more than ten 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.
sity,, and the University Of Wisconsin,
Inequality Of compensation Is one
OF the chief reasons that deter scien-
tifc meh from going into the govern.
ment service. Congress fixes the sal
aries OF most Of the government EN-.
pl0yees. can give u concrete illus
tratiOn Of how 1t determines the sal.
aries vi scientific men.
DR.. Leland y. 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
3Oth, 1920. The secretary of agricul-
ture had been recommending for five
or six years that Doctor Towards
salary be increased from $4,000 to So.
600. He proposed 1t again In that
years bill. When the item was reached
In the discussion on the floor, this COL
lOquy ensued:
Mr.. Stanord-Mister Chairman. re-
serve point Of order on the paragraph.
10 the sntomologist whose salary you
propose to increase the same sperson rec
commended for an increase last year?
Mr.. LHver-Yes: he has been in the gov
ernmepf service many. many years.
The Chairman--l make the point Of or
der.
Mr. Lever-l concede 1t.
Mr.. Mclaughlin Of Michigan-WiN the
gentleman reserve his point of order?
Mr. Stafford-I will reserve It,
Mr.. McIAughlin-The committee made
the recommends ton to increase the sal
ary 700. took testimony on II and con.
sidersd II 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 =
long time at the head of this bureau, He
!. has performed able and faithful services.
The salary IL less than that paid to the
heads OF other bureaus. We felt. after
listening to all that was said. and with
knowledge Of the work he has been doing
and has done, the salary proposed Is not
too large.
Mr. stanord--How long has he been
there?
Mr.. Lever-He has been there forty-two
years.
Mr. Stanord-whaA is his age?
Mr.. Lever-Over sixty. perhaps nearer
seventy, but he il still vigorous and able
to do good work. He is one of the
greatest entomologlsts in the world.
NJ L.
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 Will the chairman Of the COM
mittee inform the house as to how long
this biologist has been In the service
Of the government and how long he has
been receiving the present salary Of $500,
on which you recommend an increase Of
S60O?
tleman, whose name is Nelson. has been
In the service Of the department since
November, 1890 He has served as chief
field naturalist from 1907 TO 1912. and was
assistant In charge OF the biological In
vestigation. from 1918 to 1914. On August
6, 1914, he was appointed assistant chief
Of the bureau, and on December /. 1915,
was made chief Of the bureau. He took
the place OF Doctor Henshaw.
Mr.. Stafford-And the salary has been
$500 since 1916?
Mr.. Iever-Yes.
Mr. Stafford-What 10 his age?
Mr.. Lever-I should think that Doctor
Nelson Is round nifty years OF age.
Mr.. Stafford-He IL not superannuated.
Mr.. Lever-Oh no: he Is very vigor-
GUS man.
Mr.. Stafrord-Mister Chairman, with
draw the point of order.
Doctor Howard was refused his In
crease of pay because he was too old,
"over sixty, perhaps nearer seventy"
Doctor Nelson was allowed his in
crease because he was not superan.
nuated but in his prime, "round fifty
years Of age"
Now, as matter Of fact, Doctor
Howard is more than two years young
er than Doctor Nelson. Is it any Won
der that scientific men of any attain.
ments are reluctant to enter service
where the measure of the value Of
their services Is set down in any such
haphazard and casual way?
C. E. Stuart and family moved into
the D. F. Odds home Wednesday.
Mr.. and Mrs. T. c. Dodge will spend
short summer vacation in California.
They left Friday for San Francisco,
where MIR. Dodge will attend the Shri-
ner's convention. 1t will be recalled by
| tbooa wh0 have Rad of tho long trails