The Washington times., 1923-08-16
Government ECOn0my===Dls=
missing Poorly Paid En-
ployes and Keeping soft
Snaps for FavOrites
By BILL PRICE.

by
GENERAL LORD director budget has been in
with PRESIDENT COOLIDGE, and the President
has wisely directed that every possible economy shall be
practced in the future with the trimming of departmental
estimates wherever be done The President will doubt
less submit his ideas Of strict the Congress which
makes the appropriations for activities He
will be sincere in his recommendations for economy too for
he knows only too well that the people of the country are
badly tax ridden and that they will oyously welcome
action which will the burdens they compelled
to- carry-national State, city and county.
PRESIDENT COOLIDGE is earnest man who will it is
believed hold the duties of the Presidency far above partisan
color He is going to be beset by great national
problems be difficult for him to delve into what
minor matters affecting economies in the Government
service.
Anyway venture suggest him. General Lord and
the Congress that millions of dollars be saved the
United States Government yearly the budget bureau and
Congress will cooperate asceraining the number of
eminent soft snap jobs that might be done away with
altogether.
Great statesmen in charge of appropriation bills in Senate
and House arise and in commenting economies that have
been effected since the war; always exhibit satisfaction
in pointing out the number of minor civil service employees
who have been dismissed how money has been
saved the Government by these dsmssa anybody
that single statesman has and commented
the number of good thing jobs that have abolished
and the salaries saved to Uncle Sam?
The sasing in the civil service is always among poorly
paid employees with families can little
afford the loss of their positions Many thousands Gov
eminent workers who here to accept wartime employ
understood that in all probability positions would
be temporary and is but and right that the
eminent should reduce the number of employees to
peace time basis The point u.s. though that much emphasis
is laid economies through dismissas of the small fry in
the service of Uncle Sam while much greater economies could
be made by getting rid Of large numbers political ap-
pontees who receive high salaries and
work Of their offices be done for them by who get
from 5000 to $4,000 year.
It would be interesting if Congress would suuarey
and fairly enter upon survey of the service
throughout the United Just how many
political jobs could be cut Off For years the total number
OF these has increased under whatever power either
through legislative executive creation Often they have
been especially created to give positions to pet political
workers of the national parties in power The party
ceedg TO power was not only glad to have the opportunity
OF 1u1ng them but added more for their followers
Some day may have party in power which will stand
for strict business administration of business affairs of
the Government filling all positions the basis of merit
and worth atentiveness to duties intelligence and fitness
There are thousands Of these political offices throughout
the country the majority Of them in Washington The
BILE for them begins with every incoming administration The
salaries paid are large often excessive There isn't hard
working cabinet officer in Washington who doesn't wish
realizes as does everybody ese that they political
pum intended to confer little power and salary upon the
holders each cabinet officer felt absolutely free to
his own department in his and would be done
large business establishment he distribute the sal
aries among the civil service employees really do the
work. and whose efficiency by knowledge
that them do virtually
while they are underpad.
Heads of departments and bureaus and their Immediate
assistants are the hardestworked people the
service carrying vast responsibilities for which they are not
officer urged to do would be able give long list
of soft snaps under him which could easily be done awav
with without impairing the effectiveness Government
business.