The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-02-11
XIII,
WHY GOOD MEN QUIT


ment doing important technical work,
and they will tell you that their chief
difficulty is to retain competent en-
ployees In the supervisory and tech
meal positions. Their turnover is alb
normally high in these positions.
Every day men leave the service
to accept private employment at ma
terlally increased salaries, so that the
departments are continuously going
through process Of selecting and
training executives and technical en-
ployees, only to lose them, as they be-
come really valuable, on account of
the inadequacy Of their compensation.
The second factor which contrib
utes to the present ineffectiveness of
the government as business estab-
lishment is found in the improper or
ganizatlon of the executive branch Of
the government for effective service.
You are familiar, at least in a general
way, with the defects Of the present
uuIllUlSlIdlANe iudNulueTN.
You know for example, that the In.
terror department now has Jurisdiction
over a great number Of bureaus Of a
miscellaneous character that have
nothing to do with each other or with
the functions which the Interior de-
partment was originally established to
perform.
You know that many agencies have
been located in the Treasury depart
ment, the great fiscal department of
the government, which are purely non
fiscal in character, such as the coast
guard, the public health service, the
supervising architects Office and the
bureau Of war risk insurance.
You know that the great bulk Of
the civil public works of the govern
ment are executed under the super
vision Of the War department, although
the bureau of public roads is located
in the Department of Agriculture, and
the reclamation service In the Depart
ment OF the Interior.
You know, furthermore, Of the In
dependent existence outside the juris-
dlction Of any Of the great executive
departments of some 40-odd boards
commissions, offices and bureaus
These are merely examples of con
dition that would require volumes 10
describe fully, bat II is generally
snoWn that the executive branch of the
government Is at the present time IL
logically and uneconomically organ
lzed in many important particulars
1t should lie remembered. however
that even with an ideal personnel and
perfect organization it is doubtful
II the high degree Of economy and
efficiency that characterizes private
business can ever be attained in the
government offices. This is so because
economies made by government Off
cials are not transformed into diyi
dends for themselves as they are in
private business.
There is an impression in congress
and throughout the country that mel
of great ability are not found in gov
eminent service; that the salaries are
not sufficient TO attract and hold them
On the contrary, there are great
many people Of distinguished ability
in the government service. One Is
more and more impressed by that fact
especially since the war sent TO Wash
lngton so many men of large means
and famous names with whom the
government employees could be com
pared. The comparison was time ant
again TO the advantage of the govern
ment employee. But the salaries are
not the attraction; 1t is the work It
self. This Is we'll understood by somC
eminent observers Of public life. Sec
rotary of State Hughes declared him
self as follows before the advisory
committees of the war risk insurance
bureau:
1t has been my experience that will
the higher officers, the officers of greater
Institutions, where efficiency Is rewarded
by public epresentation-whil the iel'
/ is a limited one because OF the great OPP
portunity to men of abillty-it is stlll en-
tlrely possible to draw to the public serv
| ice men OF great ability and distinction
because of the desire to render publ,
service, and the number Of men who ar,
available for that purpose, while rela
\ lively small, Is sim sufficient II the up
pointing officer wants men Of that class
| In order TO obtain them, however, h,
must give free field He must not IN
terfere as to political action to contro
administration tendencies and must per
nit them to be given the reward which
well-conducted Office OF importance will
give to its incumbent in the public esti
nation.
Now the difficulty increases when yoJ
| pass those heads that get the credit an,
come TO the technical expert who ha
/ got to do the regular work and upoi
whose efficiency tho operation of the de
! partment finally depends. These men arr
| little known, The public hasn't time ever
/ to learn their names. They are interested
! IN work to a degree Of being willing I,
make sacrifices,
There is active competition for men o
brains and great ability OF that sort, an,
the government will never be served un
less It pays the price for those men. Nov
7 think that is plain situation, Yoi
may be able to get director In the bu
rgau OF war risk insurance for 5000
| year, or for nothing at all, bat you can
not get an actuary You cannot get in
surance men, You cannot get superin
] tendents, That would be my Judgment
/ ua,-t. -,