Evening star., 1933-09-10

ancient institution leaves little hope
for its success. Dictators are too i'm
permanent for the long time and
large scale needs of nations, and the
task Of government Is too large and
variegated to permit Of expert ham
ding by any one man. Basically, die
tators represent the mob's belief In the
magician, the man who can do
miracles. 1t is a belief worthy Of
earlier ages and more primitive minds.
Somehow We must find and follow a
different pattern.
In the Federal service the civil
service workers, from messengers up
to bureau and departmental directors,
| fill most of the offices below the cabi-
net officers and assistant secretaries.
Comparing bureau chiefs in general
with cabinet officers in general, one
sees that these chiefs, selected by ex-
animation, promoted for merit and
achievement, and working at their jobs
decade after decade, compare more
than favorably with most OF the cabi
net officers who are called to cabinet
posts to repay political debts.
take in all appointive jobs would be a
further step in the direction of expert
government. 1t might be extended to
cabinet officers and assistant secre-
taries. 1t might be extended to elec-
tive officers. Today popular majori-
ties register nothing more than de-
sire: they give no assurance of de-
STABILITY. Frequently majority vote
is nothing but protest vote against
the losing candidate. certain
amount of education, training and ex-
perience should be necessary before any
one should be allowed to hold public
Office.
Constructive Thinking.
1T might be said that certain persons
with qualities of leadership and similar
things. but without education. training
and experience, would be kept out OF
Office under such system. Perhaps
they would be. but 1t is hard to recall
any cases in American history in which
persons with the qualities Of leadership
but without sound education and train
ing have been actual assets In their
roles as leaders or Office holders. Con-
structive thinking and work are more
likely to supply an intelligent answer to
our problems than is leadership. The
demand for leadership is usually the
fetish of bewildered minds who want to
| be led. A demand for trained men
to attend to the communal business is
more to the point.
AT the present time public servants
in the civil service groups, including
all experts. are more or less under fire
from many business men and politicians
| and much Of the general public-the
idea being that we should have fewer Of
them. It Is true that a La Guardia
may say in Congress that q scientist is
worth more than a Congressman. But
more common opinion is that ex-
pressed by distinguished Senator. now
dead, who telephoned to the Depart
ment Of Agriculture to send him some
men who know about sheep and stated
that he didn't want any Of their
damned experts
| Experts and not other thing have
made possible this complicated and
wasteful modern economic system.
I'm general democratic government
has been more or less inefficient. but
safe. Dictatorial government has been
efficient. but dangerous. Today nation
after nation is giving up its hardwon
political liberties to a dictator in the
, hope that its citizens may obtain bread
in lieu of their political rights 1t is
dangerous to give centralized power to
dictators. but safe to distribute it among
civil service experts.
collectors may cry out against bu-
reaucracy. but bureaucracy is a tame
evil. In search of many bureaus one
finds few bureaucratS and. as a rule,
they are at their worst merely offensive
Bureaucracy is cheap price to pay for
avoiding the dictator with his appalling
control of life, liberty and property.
The democratic experiment is still an
experiment In the right direction The
alternative to dictators on one hand and
democratic ineff1ciency on the other is
sounder and wider application of the
merit system, including civil service Sc
lection of experts to carry on the pub
lies business in all fields. and not mere
ly In its present restricted fields"