Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-03-28

also made profession OF the position
of town clerk. Men of recognized
ability, standing, and training are
chosen for this post. Regardless OF
how often the city council changes,
the town clerk stays ON. He is the
expert in government, who advises the
city council as to the procedure it
should follow in any public matter.
Frequently town clerks are invited
to go from one city to another be-
cause of their demonstrated efficiency.
Their careers are permanent careers.
The stability and integrity of the
government depends upon the
career men in administrative posts.
They are the ones who know about
taxes and taxation, foreign exchange,
regulated currency. the gold standard.
colonial affairs international relation
ships.
We have no comparable officials in
America
Prefers Spells to Bureaucracy.
1t must be clear from the discus
sion thus far that l have been talk
ing chiefly about careers for persons
who hold important professional or
administrative posts. Many of the
professional and administrative posi-
lions to which persons are now elected
should be discontinued as elective Of
fees and made appointive. When
most persons think of careers in pub
lie service, they confine their think
ing to those on the clerical skilled
and unskilled levels. And careers
mean tenure to those in these groups.
While l believe thoroughly in per-
manency, still 1 know full we'll that
tenure alone may become one of the
most deadening things in the world.
If 1 have to choose between bureau
cracy and the spoils system, 1 would
prefer the spoils system with all of
its weaknesses and tragedies. Blu
reaucracy can be avoided, think, if
the road to promotion is kept open,
if persons are stimulated to improve
themselves and if conferences and
training are directly associated with
tenure. Furthermore, bureaucracy
may be avoided, if satisfactory de-
vices for eliminating the deadwood
can be provided.
Career service on whatever level
calls for definite specifications for
recruitment, probation. promotion
and retirement. Selection should be
solely on merit; tenure on growth;
transfer and promotion on improve
ment: and retirement on superannua-
ton or disability. No career plan will
succeed without a law, a personnel
agency to administer the law, a quail
fed director and staff, and contin-
uous support for the maintenance and
development of the career system.
The influence Of filling positions
ON the administrative, professional,
clerical, skilled and unskilled labor
in many ways: not only in better ad-
ministration of government. but in
toning up the service generally be-
cause of the hope of advancement
through good work rather than
through favoritism. A career plan
and young women to prepare them
selves. realizing that they can enter
the public service and receive ad-
vancement in a fair competitive sys-
TEN. The public servant will have
the esteem of the public and the ire
mendous satisfaction of knowing that
| in serving the public. good and able
service will be rewarded. Patronage
will largely disappear and campaigns
will tend more to be conducted on
| issues rather than by the vilification
Of personalities in the opposing party
A career plan will enable the gov.
eminent to select those who by edu-
cation and experience are best fitted
| for public service and it will stimu-
late the continued growth of public
| servants. At present no university
would strongly advise its graduates tC
enter the public service in the hope
that they would find a career in 1t
under a career plan, however, all
this would change and the govern.
ment would be in a position to Obtain
the best men and women for its
service.
Government Service Needs the Best
A social order which over many
generations consistently drains off it:
best human resources from any Of
the essential social institutions, i:
in grave danger Of serious dislocation
If, for many years. few men of capa
city entered the law, or medicine. Oh
finance, or industry, as surely as might
follows the day. there would ensue ir
the neglected field a condition of de
cay which would seriously weaken the
entire structure, and set up within
il strains which might, If not cor
rected in time. bring a serious col
lapse to the entire institutional struc
ture.