Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-10-29
NObOdy's Business?

The effort of a group OF New Jersey
Republicans to compel Harry Hopkins.
by writ of mandamus, to open to their
inspection certain records of the Works
Progress Administration depends for its
success, of course, on the courts decision.
But in his answer to the petitioners Mr..
Hopkins has formally gone on record as
declaring that 1T would be against public
policy and at variance with his lawful
duty as administrator" to give the names,
addresses and salaries of w. P. A. en-
ployes ito any person or agency other
than one authorized by the Congress Of
the United States" And to have Mr..
Hopkins make that formal declaration
may have been one Of the purposes of the
suit. For it Enthusiastically presents the
issue.
Are such names and salaries public
property? Aside from the political con-
SiderationS so predominant in this
present case, does any taxpayer have the
right to look over the names of Federal
employees and their salaries, not to men,
ton other records sought by the New
Jersey Republicans, to acquaint himself
with how the money is being spent?
Denied that right, the taxpayer seemingly
has just cause for complaint. Such
information in theory ought to be avail
able to anybody. But as a matter of
practice it is not.
The Republican National Committee
has pointed out that the Official Register,
carrying the names and salaries of the
executive and supervisory officials in the
regular Government establishment,
gives the taxpayer information to which
he is entitled and emphasizes the incon-
sistency Of Mr.. Hopkins refusal to make
public similar information. The point is,
however, that the Official Register of the
United States is authorized and appropri-
ated for by Congress. Congress has not
directed Mr.. Hopkins to make public
comparable information as to w. P. A.
Until about the time of the war the
Official Register contained the names of
all Government employees, with salaries,
etc. The last issue, about 1921, was nearly
the size of an unabridged dictionary, and
an issue containing the same information
today could not be got between the covers
OF a single volume. AS an economy, the
book was reduced in size and now con-
tains only the names of supervisory
officials.
AS far as lists, if not names, are con-
cerned, Congress called for one of the
most extensive ever compiled when it
ordered, at the outset of the New Deal
administration, the publication of Posi-
tons Not Under the Civil Service" The
421 pages of this best seller contained
every Government job, with term of
ONCE and salary, outside the civil service
and was very popular reference book for
congressman looking over the opportuni-
Ties Tor patronage. But without congress
slonal authorization, the common, ordi-
nary citizen-or Republican politician
would have hard time today getting any
such information on how public funds
are being spent in the hiring of personnel
or identity of the personnel. For one
thing, the employees deserve some protec-
ton against commercial enterprises in
search OF mailing lists. For another
thing. the administration in office is ant
to feel that such lists are nobodys BUSH
ness but its own.