The Washington times., 1934-09-15
Government Personnel
And the Congressional Campaign

And the Congressional CdnpdlSH
The interest of the taxpayer the truly forgotten man
will be well served by the effort which the Nauona FED
Grafton of Federal Employees is making to ascertain the
position of congressional candidates on the matter OF
Government personnel administration.
Through it's local unions the federation placing be-
fore all candidates comprehensive program for improve
ment of personnel conditions and is endeavorng to have
the candidates make clear their positions upon such
program. -
PROBABLY NEVER BEFORE IN THE HISTORY
OF THE COUNTRY HAS IT BEEN MORE NECES-
SARY TO ELECT TO CONGRESS MEN AND WOMEN
WHO COMPREHEND THE VITAL PART WHICH AN
EFFICIENT AND ABLE CIVIL BRANCH OF THE
GOVERNMENT PLAYS IN THE MANY PRoBLEMs
NOW PUT UP TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
FOR SOLUTION.
This matter of Federal personnel and its proper treat
ment is affair to every congressional dstrc
and to every citizen Of every district.
It means as much to the taxpayer in Maine to be GER
tain that he is getting full value for his tax dollar as it
does to the taxpayer in California.
UNFORTUNATELY IN THE PAST, PARTICU-
LARLY IN THE LAST FEW CONGRESSES, SOME
SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES HAVE CON-
CEIVED THAT THEIR ONLY INTEREST WAS IN
THE FEW MEMBERS OF THE FEDERAL SERVICE
WHOM THEY MIGHT PERSONALLY APPOINT. so
FAR AS SOME OF THESE MEMBERS WERE CON-
CERNED THE OTHER THOUSANDS OF MEN AND
WOMEN WORKING FOR THE GOVERNMENT WERE
SIMPLY NUISANCES
It is this feeling of Indifference which must be
come if the civil branch is to obtain the treatment which
it deserves
This feeling of Indifference and will be overcome
through such programs that Of the federation out
lined by President Luther G. Steward.
The Federal service has been subjected to serious
bludgeoning of late.
The most serious blow, of course the cutting of
wages at probably the most nopportune time that could
be found But there have been other blows at the service
which had vast effect not only upon the individuals
comprising the great body of Federal employees but also
upon the record for efficiency which those employees had
built up over long years.
OF these latter the dsntegraton OF the civil service
system under the batterng Of the emergency the most
startling.
The program of the Federation of Federal Employees
naturally places heavy emphasis upon this situation
In the words of President Steward
"The crisis wIaich has arisen result of the
deliberate Haunting of the ciUH service in old
established as Ueu as neU Federal agencies de-
nands immediate remedial action. That action,
it is QpDnrent nOlU, can come only from national
legislators thoroughly alive to the UastefuI' in
efficient unbusinesslike, and unjust cOncOnutGntS
of the spOiLs system, nOW unfortunately so RUE IN
the Federal SerULce
The effort which President Steward and those associ
ated with him making to obtain the views OF con-
gressiona candidates personnel matters is not simply
selfish attempt to improve the lot of the workers. al
though such selfishness could be readily excused.
IT IS IN REALITY AN ATTEMPT TO IMPRESS
UPON THE COUNTRY THE IMPORTANCE WHICH
IS INHERENT IN A PROPER APPLICATION OF THE
MERIT SYSTEM TO THE GOVERNMENT PAY ROLL.
IT IS IN REALITY AN ATTEMPT TO SHOW THAT
ONLY BY MAKING THE REWARDS OF GOVERN
MENT COMMENSURATE WITH ITS DIGNITY AND
IMPORTANCE CAN THE TAXPAYER BE ASSURED
OF FAIR DEAL
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