Evening star., 1942-01-30
House Member
Offers Plan 10
Aid Efficiency
Wilson Says Women
Come to Work Sleepy,
Without Makeup On
By JAMES e. CHINN.

A 10 pm. curfew for women
employed in Government agen-
cies in Washington as a means
of increasing efficiency in the
Federal service was advocated
today by Representative Wilson,
Republican, of Indiana, at a
hearing before the House Public
Buildings and Grounds Com
mittee.
A member of the committee, Mr..
Wilson cited several alleged cases OF
fneficiency on the part Of the Gov
ernment's girl war workers.
I'VE ought to have curfew at
10 pm. for the girls In the Govern
ment agencies here so they can come
to work in the morning with break
fast and their makeup on" he said.
II think that might help improve
efficiency in the Government service.
"As it is now the girls come to
work pretty sleepy, 60 to rest room
to put their makeup on. That takes
an hour. Then it's soon time to 60
to lunch. When they get back they
do about four hours work and 60
home"
Overstafiinx CHARGED.
Representative Wilson also charged
that too many clerks are employed
by the Government, and said that in
one office he had been told there
were more than 100 employed while
six could do the work. These clerks,
he declared, were ordered to let the
work pile up so the office would ap-
pear to be busy and the boss" would
have a better chance of advance
ment.
A girl in the Office of William S.
Knudsen, Mr.. Wilson said, had to
rewrite a short letter for him three
times because the first two were full
Of mistakes.
"Of course" he surmsed, "she may
have been little woozy."
Every girl who is out at night is
out with some gentleman and some
OF these boys on Capitol Hill, don't
forget that" Representative Hill,
Republican, Of Colorado, remarked.
Representative Manasco, Demo-
crat, Of Alabama, another committee
member, said he thought Govern
ment workers are wasting too much
time playing horse races.
They look over the scratch sheets
every morning and then place a
bet," he declared. In the afternoon
they call up to find out the results"
Civil Service Co-ordinator Quizzed.
Criticism of the Government
clerks came while the committee was
questioning Winston B. Stephens,
co-ordinator and director Of training
Of the Civil Service Commission.
He had been called before the
committee which is considering
legislation authorizing an appropria-
ton Of $50, 0,000, 900 to provide needed
public works in the Metropolitan
Area OF the District and homes for
Government war workers, to discuss
q report that temporary buildings
might be erected near Union Sta
tion for the accommodation of per-
sons coming here in search of Fed
eral jobs.
Chairman Lanham held such a
plan would add to the already acute
congestion. He said the commission
should interrogate and determine
the qualification Of prospective Gov
ernment workers in the field and
save them a trip to wartime
crowded Washington.
Mr.. Stephens told the committe
the commission does not contem-
plate bringing any one to Washing
ton who is not qualified to hold
Government job.
He said the Government is
now recruiting Government work
ers throughout the country and had
lowered entrance requirements for
stenographers and typists to meet
the shortage in Washington.
Stenographers in Demand.
1T Is almost impossible to recruit
enough employees, especially stenog-
raphers, to meet the day-to-day de-
mand," he said.
Mr.. Stephens said the commission,
In order to meet the demand, is
experimenting with a preassign-
ment training school in which per-
sons appointed to stenographic jobs
who are not up to the normal level
Of requirements are given training.
Clerks assigned to the training
school are on the Government pay
roll when brought here, he ex-
planned.
Mr.. Stephens testified that $1,000
Government workers had been en-
ployed in the past 10 months, and
that new ones are expected to come
lSee HOiICINC. pana ~