The Washington times., 1937-01-12
IN PAY
FOR CABINET
PROPOSED
CONTINUED from Page 81

Continued from rage o.
the Government pay scale for per-
sons in the professional and sci
entific services above the $4,000
level is lower than the average
paid for similar non-Government
positions, and that the discrep-
ancy becomes greater as the i'm
portance of the work increases. In
positions in the clerical, admins
trative and fiscal services, Gov.
ernment salaries are less liberal
for those above the $4,000 level.
It is particularly noteworthy that
the board found that the salaries
paid by private concerns to their
major executives exceeded those
paid by the Federal Government
to positions of similar RESPONSE
bility anywhere from 100 to 900
per cent.
No greater step for real govern
mental economy could be taken
than to increase salaries in the
higher administrative and profes-
sional grades. The Government
would thereby be enabled to main
tain higher standards in these posts
and to retain its ablest employees.
Every time an able official resigns,
the Government loses costly train
ing and experience. Business ana
industry have been keenly aware
of the high cost of turnover, par
ticularly in executive positions.
Government has been inclined to
confuse parSimony with economy
and to disregard the high cost OF
losing the most able. The cost OF
the failure to attract the highest
grade talent to Government serv-
ice cannot be estimated: hit the
expense of developing new people
and paying for their training and
errors must be very large item.
The cost of raising salary scales
in the higher grades would amount
to only / per cent Of the annual
personnel budget. Within a short
time it would pay large dividends
by improving the morale of the
entire service, raising the stand
ing of the service in public eStima-
tion, and building another in
centive for o career in the public
service.
Pay Increases Asked
Salaries for the higher admins
trative and professional positions
must therefore be increased II
the Federal Government is to at
tract and retain the services Of
men and women of outstanding
ability. Such individuals give di-
rection and tone to the entire
service, the effectiveness of which
depends upon their capacities and
understanding. In order to meet
the needs of the service with re-
spect to the salaries of regular
career workers, the highest grades
of the Classification Act should
be amended. This will permit the
careful, orderly, and scientific up
ward readjustment of salaries in
accordance with the classification
standards thus set by the Con-
gresS.
The provisions of the Classifica-
ton Act should also be extended
to positions now exempted in the
field service of the Federal Gov
ernment as well as in the depart
mental services and in some
governmental corporations. Such
action would result in more care
full budgeting of funds for per-
sonnel services in the field, the
uniform application of definite
salary standards, the improvement
and expedition of services rem
dered by the central personnel
agency, and the obtaining of de-
tailed information about field
positions which is not now avail
able.
Adequate administrative flexi-
bility must be permitted, however,
if classification provisions are to
be successfully extended and ap-
piled to field positions. Thousands
of positions in the field service
do not properly fall within the
definitions of any Of the five
services defined in the Classifica-
tion Act. Some notifications are
necessary to satisfy field require
ments.