Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-01-26

olanS OF the state who were selected
BY competitive examination perhaps
an average of 20 years ago, whose
whole training since the age of 20 or
20 has been state service, and whose
places will be filled in time by other
custodians who have come the same
path.
"One thousand five hundred admin
istrators whose initial qualifications
had to be not narrowly specialized
knowledge. but broad, classical culture
and intelligence. Treasury experts
who cut their teeth on Greek verbs
home Office men who can still read
Sanskrit.
"One thousand five hundred high
est-grade citizens who arduously chose
the civil service as low-pay career,
most of them after graduating bril-
liantly from Oxford or Cambridge.
but who are secure in the knowledge
that they will be pensioned by the
nation when they reach 60 or IS.
THE nations faith in those 1900
civil servants is such that it is almost
an insult to assert their integrity"
Need for Training Seen.
To this picture of a government
founded on administration by men
who know in all its ramifications the
business and the duty of government,
Disney contrasts the problem of the
New Deal in manning its myriad of
agencies established to Danish depres-
sion and outwit the crisis.
THE current emergency has shown
the need for soundly trained person.
nel," he said. There are some great
minds here, but they have little public
sense. knowledge is not the only
attribute involved Poise and good
judgment are the scarcest elements in
the human equation.
The trouble with the brain trust
is that each administration brings IN
its own brain trust, and the other side
is angered. We need a non-partisan.
continuing brain trust, whose train
ing would render their fulfillment of
their duties so able that the phrase
brain trust would cease to become
term of opprobrium."
Specialized training in some phases
OF Government today is offered in
Washington at private institutions.
They are the Foreign Service School
OF Georgetown University, the School
Of Government at George Washington
University, the Bookings Institutions
training given economists and the In
stltution of Public Affairs, which Sc
lects college graduates for training by
working in Government agencies.
Education Only Partial.
The civil education offered by any
one OF these institutions. however, is
only partial. Disney has received, in
a response to request made by him
OF many noted educators and political
servants throughout the country. a
number of critical opinions of his pro-
posal, among which was this, calling
for comprehensive training:
The curriculum of such a school
should include those basic subjects so
essential In nearly all governmental
activities, such as finance. economies.
government, commerce, organization
and history.
Good government is super science
embracing all the arts and sciences.
and as such requires the best efforts
OF man. Doubtless as long as our po-
lltical system exists. we will have
many incompetents in Government,
but some of us believe that it is desir-
able and practical to train and develop
men and women for the more re-
sponsible administrative jobs.
1T is recognized that a school for
such a purpose must be free of po-
litical control, and that freedom of
academic thought and speech, within
the limits of the Constitution, must
be allowed, If the pupils are to de-
velop the qualities of initiative so
necessary in administrators and
leaders,"
Guards Against Politics.
Disney provides for choosing the
for the national academy
on the same basis used in making
West Point and Annapolis appoint
ments, and for supervision by men,
bers of the cabinet for the very pur-
pose of eliminating the political con-
troll" mentioned by the anonymous
respondent to the representatives in
1uiry.
Since the days Of President Gar
field, members of the cabinet have
'een almost without exception big
men, broad-gauged men, in whom the
public can rest the greatest conf
ience. And politics can little in
1uence the choice of candidates for
he military and naval academies.
The method of selection is almost like
he jury system" Disney is convinced.
The Tulsan, who put himself
through a Kansas law school after two
years in high school, found a notable
of his plan a week ago in
Will Durant, popular philosopher who
mentioned the need of trained civil
servants during his Town Hall address.
IN speaking with Disney after his pub
&c talk, Durant declared:
Perhaps we can take a step to-
ward political regeneration by equal
zing education opportunity, organic
pgs schools of government in our uni
'ersities, establishing a United States
Evil academy, and gradually closing
III but the highest Offices to those
Who may not have been specifically
nd technically trained for public ad-
Education alone should |
dominate and democracy should be
edefined, not as the equal eligibility |
" all to Office, but as the equal OPP
'ortunity Of all to make themselves
1t for Office"
Engineer Is Advocate.
Advocacy Of the general theory of |
ducating men for government came
year ago from Joseph Strauss, engi-
leer directing the construction Of |
he Golden Gate Bridge across the
entrance to San Francisco Bay. At
strauss suggestion, Representative
Thomas F. Ford, Democrat, of Cali
ornia. sponsored a bill providing spe-
'ial training for employees of the De-