Evening star., 1924-12-07

| ~ NE of Uncle Sans relatively
small independent establish
ments is the biggest en-
| ~ ployment agency in the
| world-the Civil Service
Commission. Uncle Sam has the big
gest workshop in the world-the ad-
| ministrative branch of the Federal
Government, which comprises 10
| great executive departments and some
| two score Independent esta blishments.
All of the funds for paying all the
| employees of the Government hired
| through the Civil Service Commits
sion, and all the costs of running the
worlds biggest workshop, and all the
money for paying the bills of the
other two great branches of Govern
ment-the legislative, which is Con-
gress, both House and Senate, and
the judiciary, which is the Supreme
Court-are provided for In series of
big supply bills, which originate in
the House appropriations committee,
and which are the biggest accounts In
all the world.
The passage of these bills is the
principal work of the present session
of Congressman right here 1t is well
to note that this so-called short ses-
sion" is the only session which the
Constitution says must be held, and
law.
Since January l, 1908, Marcellus c.
SHIELD has been working on these ac-
counts, running into billions of dol
lars each year, and since 1916 he has
been in direct charge as chief clerk
of the committee on appropriations
SO that he holds a world record for
handling the biggest accounts in all
the history of finance. He ts the
third man TO hold this position since
the committee was organized in 1865,
which is also record for any COM
mittee in either branch of Congress.
He came to Washington II years
ago as assistant clerk to James c.
Courts, appointed by Representative
James A. Tawney of Minnesota,
Republican, then chairman of the
committee. He was appointed chief
clerk in 1915 after Mr.. Courts death,
by Representative John J. Fitzgerald
of New York. Democrat, and has
continued in that position ever since
under the Craftsmanship of Democrats
and Republicans aiike-Representa
tive Swagar Sherley of Kentucky,
Democrat; Representative James A.
Good of Iowa, Republican, and Rep
resentative Martin b. Madden of IL
linois, Republican, who is candidate
for Speaker in the next Congress.
When SHIELD first went on the job
as assistant clerk these annual ap-
preparations ran less than 81, 900, ,000,-
900 a year. Now the bills handled
annually by the committee run up to
about ,500,000,000. while the entire
expenditure of the Government an
nually is some $3.50 100000, count
ing the interest on the public debt
and the sinking fund.
There are nine regular annual ap-
preparation bills passed on by the
biggest committee in the House,
which was reorganized to work more
efficiently under the Federal budget
system. These are: Interior, which
is now before the House; agricul-
ture, War, Navy, Treasury and Post
Office, District, independent Offices,
State, Justice. Commerce and Labor
and the legislative Besides these
there are usually two deficiency ap-
preparation measures.
Shields job is to take the budget.
formerly the book of estimates, and
work 1T up into these various appro-
priation bills in such a way as to
show the committee at a glance
what permanent law covers any ap-