The Washington times., 1925-01-27
ONLY
IN('ASEO Of
USELESS
FORCE
Temporary Employees Often
Retained When No Longer
Needed, Claim

President Coolidge has no spe.
cific plan for a further reduction
of the force of Government en-
ployes.
His speech at the budget meet
ing of the Government last night
was intended to impress depart
mental officials that they must
not relax in their efforts to re-
duce the Federal personnel in
every possible way.
The President desires that a
constant check of kept in all de-
partments on the number of enl-
ployes and that cuts should be
made when possible instead Of
waiting until the end of the fiscal
year, as is now the case.
Cut White House Force.
Attention was called to the fact
that the President has recommend
ed a reducation in the White
House force md that the esti-
mates sent to Congress contain
this example Of Presidential econ
omy.
1t was indicated today that the
President did not have District
Of Columbia workers so much in
mind when he spoke Of reducing
the force of employees, but that
he believed the field force. could
be reduced considerably. Several
thousand Government workers
have been discharged in Washing
ton in the past four years, a
spokesman for the President said.
It was indicated that because
the discharge Of Federal workers
Is a. disagreeable duty. if officials
are not constantly reminded OF
their duty, they are likely to be
lax in affecting cuts in personnel
which are practicable from time
to time.
Case of Temporary Workers
1t was pointed cut today that
several thousand temporary en-
ployes were now engaged on bonus
work. 1t was forecast that an
effort will be made to carry this
entire force upon the Federal pay
roll, even after the period when
the services of a majority of them
could be dispensed with without
difficulty.
The tendency of personnel Off
GERS Is to keep temporary and other
employees on the payroll untIl the
entire appropriation runs out, 1t
was said. An instance of this came
to light in the Treasury Department
some time ago. In one of the bu-
reaus the work was contracted to
such an extent that 500 workers
could have been dropped without
trouble.
The facts in the case were ad.
nitted and yet the bulk of these
superfluoHs employees were kept or
the payroll to the close of the fisca
year, when the appropriation ran
out.
Carrying of Dead Timber
Numerous instances of this sort
have been brought to the attention
of the Budget Bureau. officials de
clared. President Coolidge is under
stood to believe there is no excuse
for carrying superfluous employe!
on the payroll even though there
be sufficient appropria tons to pay
their salaries until the close OF
the fiscal year.
Another method by which reduc
ton can be obtained is permitting
vacancies caused by the retirement
OF superannuated employees to re
main untitled. Ii was indicated
that many years preceding the re
tirement of an aged employee hi
work has largely fallen upon tn
shoulders of his younger associates
There was no reason why upon hi
retirement he should be replaced i
4. could be shown the small amour
of work he did could be absorbed
by the remaining workers in tn,
bureau.
No Sweeping Cuts Planned.
The budget bureau intends I,
drive home to personnel officers IN
necessity of guarding the Fedora
Payroll 1t was said today. how
ever, that il would be wrong flo
any impression to go forth tina
sweeping cuts i'm personnel are b
ing contemplated. Nothing of tha
sort was indicated i'm the Pres
dents speech, it was said, an
nothing more will be done to in
Cress departmental officials wit
the fact that they are violating il
structions when they keep en-
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