Evening star., 1925-07-28

Every few days the story is told by
some discharged Government employe
or other person who has even less
reason for SO thinking, that President
Coolidge has ordered 80 or 90 employees
dismissed from this or that depart
ment, in the interest of economy.
While Coolidge economy" has indeed
become proverbial, it is officially as
serted that there is no foundation
whatever for the assumption that the
President of the United States is in
cIined TO meddle with details of bureau
administration, and the public is as
sured from the very heart of the
Civil Service Commission, that no such
order has been given.
Not even any order in general has
been given that the number of en-
nloyes shall be reduced. The nearest
to that is the general appeal OF the
President to all department heads, and
through them to all bureau chiefs,
that unneeded help shall be curtalled
in the interest of economy and eftl-
cheney. What is unnecessary help is
a question left entirely to the respec-
tive heads of bureaus, except that the
Bureau of the Budget has discretion
ary power to cut the appropriations OF
the respective departments once
wear, when the budget comes before
mendation to Congress. Are facts be
ing gathered from day to day by the
Bureau of the Budget? How else can
efficiency be judged?
\ x
In a large business establishment
the owner or general manager does
not tell his heads of departments that
so many employees are unnecessary and
must go. The chief holds each depart
ment head responsible for profits from
his department. If the department
head tolerates a large pay roll un-
der his administration he must de-
fend his policy through producing
profits or a new head will SuperSede
him.
1t is not possible SO to measure re-
suits in Government work, but, like
the signal of the British admiral on
tbe eve of battle: 1.-THE President ex-
poets every man to do his duty" Woe
to the department which heeds not
that order from the flagship.
x x x
1t is believed in certain upper cir
cIes of Government that there cannot
he a. great reduction of forces without
loss Of efficiency, for the assumption
is held that everybody is working to
his limit.
Except in such and such depart
ment. where at 2 o'clock or 8 o'clock
Yesterday one counted IA men stand
ing outside the entrance smoking
cigarettes and lounging, while through
the windows one noted group of
half a dozen young ladies in earnest
conversation, but not at their desks, !"
retorts Mr.. Critic or Mr.. Taxpayer,
and quotes the Coolidge economy
policy" which demands that all "un-
necessary employees be dispensed
with as soon as possible.
One proposal looking to efficiency
and economy is that there might be a
general reorganization Of the Govern
ment departments, so that duplication
of effort might be eliminated. That
will necessitate congressional action,
and it will be considered next Winter.
The civil service officials do not believe
that faithful, intelligent and active
employees need have the slightest fear
for their tenure in office.
X x X
Efficiency is the modern keyword in
all work. 1t takes the place of the
ancient, but not honorable, test of
party loyalty. For instance: In 1857
there was to be appointed as transla-
tor in the State Department a certain
Count Gurowski, a linguist familiar
with most Of the European languages.
But it was held up because the APP