Milford chronicle., 1925-05-01

growth of the executive Cicil Ser
vice has been remarkable. From 1881
to 1895 the service increased approx
imately 1000 employees to approx
imately $4,000 employees, a rate of
increase of 5.4 per cent. The num-
ber of employees increased on an av-
erage of 5 per cent every decade,
with the exception of the world-war
period. The greatest increases have
been in the postal service.
The impression prevails through
out the country that the majority of
Government workers are stationed in
Washington. This is not true. On
April 1, there were 64,8S4 on the
permanent and temporary roll of the
U. S. Civil Service. This figure does
not include members of the legisla-
tive establishment and the military
and naval forces on duty in Wash
ington. On March 1, there were 491,-
O95 on the permanent and temporary
payrolls outside of the District Of
Columbia. 1t is interesting to note
that there are 4,362 employees of the
Public Health Service who are paid
one dollar per year. An Overwhelm-
ing majority of the field force or
$4,000, are postal workers. The ex-
tension of postal facilities necessi-
tated an increase of 1000 employees
during the last six months of 1924.
A Government job is usually re-
garded as "a soft snap" The recent
of 5000 per year for the
postal workers places them as the
topnOtchers in earning capacity. The
postal employee receives
$4,000 a year which is a remarkably
high figure compared with average
salaries in similar occupations in
private enterprise and with other
branches of the Federal service. It
is an established fact that the en-
trance salary for postal workers is
far beyond that paid by a business
institution for the same class of ser
vice. The bank clerks have an av-
9rage income of 1882 while a boy
now starting in the postal service, l
,resh from school, receives $1,000 per
year.
The cost of living is always a de-
)atable subject. During a recent con-
hearing the statement was
made that it costs $2,O4O.7S per year
o maintain an average family of
i've. The Labor Bureau estimated in
923 that the minimum health and
Iecency budget for New York City
hould be $2,292.S1 per annum; for
,hicago $2,482.53 and Los Angeles
2,611.4S. It is generally conceded l
hat these budgets can be reduced in
ural sections. Is
In the Veterans Bureau in partic-
lar, they are cutting salaries in an
fort to maintain their personnel
nd keep within the appropriation. .
appears quite logical that eff
ency tests will be introduced in all \
apartments and enforced with a T
lew to bring about a shrinkage in
lie size of the Federal payroll. s
The propaganda campaign against
lie present rules of the Senate car B
ed on by ice-President Dawes has
revoked little attention in Wash t
gton. The energetic missionary n
Is publicly converted two or three
,nators. The others are marking 8
me awaiting a test of strength be-
Teen the presiding officer and the q
members of the United States Sen D
e when that body convenes in De- "
mber. Certainly, the Vice-Presi- m
Mt is keeping the nation interested u
his job during the recess period. N
There is a paucity of political news r
Washington. The arrival of hot 81
,ather before the scheduled period Y
s changed the plans of many Gov ~
nment officials who had contem- %
lted remaining here until July. "
W they are preparing to make "of- M
ial visits" To Cooler climates in q
S country and abroad. The pros IS
It is that Washington will be fair n
well deserted within few weeks. &