The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-06-13
.Inefficiency in the Government
Service
Service
It Is Worst Among Executive Heads, Due to Lack OF
Special Training

0rgan1zatOn
- at its annual meeting presided over by General LORD
reor Of the Budget President Coolidge referred to Con-
cess giving increased pay many Government employees
and then added these remarks:
Now that salaries have been increased it is the duty
of all supervising officers to that they are earned
One Of the most valid criticisms against the Government
service nefficiency wherever it exists Those per-
sons on the pay roll able to these high
rates Of salaries should replaced by those who are
more competent"
The imputaton in these remarks is that inefficiency
exists exclusively the ranks Of civil service employees those
who will benefit by the small increases IN pay.
cold indsputabe fact that the worst inefficienCy
I'm the service of Uncle Sam has always been among the
executive supervising heads whose positions are due 70
the spois Of politics. . -.
States brings its administrative service no matter what
ornamental administration wholly unfamiliar with Govern
mental business problems and dependent upon subordmates
for the smooth running of Governmental processes.
Of all the big nations Of the world the United States
khe most inefficient in administrative matters Its civil
service the only portion where there trained suitable
men In other nations the executive heads Of departments
md bureaus are men who have been engaged many years in
fitting themselves for governmental service educating them
selves for other work
Great Britains cabinet must have been twenty to
thirty years in public service in Parliament and elsewhere
In the United States Cabinet officers with few exceptions
have had special training for work ana
came from When becomes head Of great department
In Washington his assistants political appointees like
higencies
Government administrative policies and plans change with
each new Cabinet head Experiences Of the past do not guide
New schemes and theories tried out at great cost to the
Government.
Some Presidents favored by good luck than any
ching else in getting competent Cabinet heads President
Coolidge knows that in the cases Of Herbert Hoover and
Secretary Mellon The former has had vast experience as an
administrative head and Mr. Mellon made immense fortune
in the business and financial world executive Of big
ganizations
The head Of every great industry in the
who understands the business Of that industry from
beginning end Usually he has from the bottom to the
top, showing unusual abilities as he advances.
The heads Of Government departments in the past have
had no such training and their assistants equally
trained in the work they must de-
In the administrative system Of this Government there
lack Of training far below the heads Of departments
and bureaus and political pull and favorm not fitness
and special knowledge account for the appointments Of depu
ties and high supervising officers.
inefciency in the ranks Of the underpad
there much nefency in the ranks Of the overpad
political system with little to commend in business way
oyerooks the faults Of political favore and puts the spot
light the faults of those having political other pull