Evening star., 1933-06-04
The folloaDing articles are reprinted
from The Star OF July rs and rs, 1921.
Editorial Correspondence of The Star.
THEODORE w. MOVES.

Editorial Correspondence of The Star.
THEODORE W. MOVES.
The apportionment Of Offices law,
which distributes the classified service
Offices like bandit spoils among the
States in proportion to their population
strength, has during The war and re-
construction periods demonstrated dou-
bly, its viciousness; first when the
human-service machinery was being
enlarged and developed to high eff
cheney in order that we might surely
and quickly bring victory in the world
struggle; and now, when the vastly ex-
panded war-service force is being re-
duced to the peace basis.
Law q Failure in War Time.
Heavy additional wartime labors at
the Capital called for more and more
civilian Americans to do this essential
work. What was the natural labor
source Of supply to meet this increased
demand? First, Of course, the local
source, the Americans nearest at hand,
the Americans already locally housed
and acquainted with local conditions
and facilities, which enabled them to
live here more cheaply. So far as addi-
fiopal uor uorkore In the ~lo Scj6ad
service were concerned, in what condi-
tion did Uncle Sam as an employer find
himself? Under a strict construction
and rigid enforcement OF the apportion-
ment Of offices law the use Of the local
source OF classified labor supply was
prohibited, since the Districts quota of
the Office spoils has long ago been ex-
hausted
Under these circumstances the Gov
eminent invited a multitude Of un-
trained workers from all over the
United States to come to Washington
to do this work. They came in un-
necessarily large numbers, so that there
were not sufficient dwellings or suitable
rooms to house the multitude.
Law Necessarily Suspended.
But Uncle Sam, finding himselS
crippled by this unwise, hurtful, un-
businesslike law In the campaign for
efficiency in war preparedness, in
effect suspended the law In the war
industries during the war emergency.
Now, when the time has come to
reduce the classified service force to
the peace basis, attention Is called to
the fact that the District and the
nearby States have more than their
quota Of the official "spoils,' and de-
mand is made that the law which
crippled the Government in building
up its war force and had to be dis
regarded to secure efficiency should
now be applied by the Government
with like crippling effect in reduc-
ing the war force to the point OF
minimum numbers and maximum efh-
cheney. But the law is as vicious in
principle and hurtful in practice In
peace time as in war.
If the District had not sent its sons
to war like the States, but had kept
them safely at home to monopolize
the Governments civilian employ
ments, there would be basis for the
suggestion that the cutting down
process should begin with 1t and
should continue until only its quota
remained. But the District sent more
soldiers to camp and to Europe than
seven States, and in percentage Of the
total force who were volunteers it sur
passed forty-three of the States.
The District has more than its
quota" Of the classified service be-
cause in meeting the Governments
need for Americans to do this neces-
sary work its men and women have
been more available and by experience
more efficient.
Law Vicious in Both War and Peace.
As in building up the war force the
law had to be disregarded In order
that the Government might be eff
ciently served and the war won, %
in shaping the permanent peace
forces, II efficiency Ii to be the aim,
the law must be similarly disregarded.
AS in the war, the most efficient and
the most available, irrespective Of the
State from which they hailed, had to
be appointed in order that the Govern
ment might be best served, so in the
discharges Of peace time, the least
efficient should be first dropped, ire
spective of the section or State which
claims them.
This law is more honored In the
breach than in the observance. 1t
should either be construed out Of
existence or it should be repealed
outright.
National Offices should, in the inter-
est of efficiency, under genuine merit
system, be open to the most meri-
torious American applicants, ire
spective of their residence in q
particular State or Territory or the
District Of Columbia.
Hurtful Both to Capital and Nation.
IJncIe Sam while wisely silSnendipu