Evening star., 1942-09-21
Was q Good Idea

Early in June Secretary Knox and
Admiral King announced that the
Navy was to do away with lot of
unnecessary red tape, Admiral King
recommended that "at least" fifty
per cent of the typewriters and
mimeographing and multigraphing
machines throughout the operating
forces be done away with. Assistant
Secretary Ralph A. Bard promised
high efficiency ratings, quick promo
tions, cash rewards and protection
against reprisals from jealous SUI
periors as inducements to Navy per-
sonnel to recommend short cuts and
free the Navy from its entangling
snarls of red tape.
The announcement brought warm
praise from those who have been
appalled, over the extravagant and
confusing personnel policies Cor lack
of them) on the part of the National
Government. With others who Joined
In the applause was the Civil Service
Commission, an unwilling partici-
pant In the scandalous recruiting
practices which continue to bring
thousands upon thousands of civilian
employees into Washington in re-
sponse to the never-ending demands
for more clerks The announce
ment was the first tangible evidence
from any war agency that there was
any desire to cut down and the first
indication Of realization within the
war agencies that the whole war ma
chine can be rendered dangerously
inefficient by directionless piling up
of excess personnel.
What have been the results of the
Navy Departments fine gesture? In
the latter part of July a woman en-
ploye OF the Navy was awarded $500
for a suggestion which, according to
the announcement, saved 1850 work.
ing days per. .month-the eight-hour
day production of $3.50 clerks for a
month. There was no indication,
however, that the clerical force
would by that number be reduced.
Three other employees were cited and
received prizes for good suggestions.
These four were singled out from
only the first thirty suggestions re-
ceived.
Since this excellent beginning
there has been no further announce
ment from the Navy of the results OF
its efforts. The Star has made one
fruitless effort after another to dis.
cover what happened about the type
writer's. For the Government,
through another agency, is already
communicating typewriters from
citizens in order to supply the Gov
ernment's demand for typewriters
with which to notify the citizens of
additional questionnaires, reports,
etc, wanted from them by the Gov
ernment. The discarding of a single
typewriter or mimeograR1ing ma
chine would be excellent news. But
after untangling substantial
amount of red tape, The Stars in
quiring reporter was Informed that
due to wartime conditions" nothing
would be known of the results of
Admiral Kings recommendation for
some time. Surveys are under way
to determine what typewriters ashore
were eliminated. The surveys, after
three and half months, have not
been completed.
But the Navy at least made start
in the right direction and may yet
report continued and worthwhile
accomplishment. No other war
agency has even made start. There
has been no real effort discernible in
any quarter to practice what the
Navy was preaching in eliminating
useless work If there has been,
then the Governments extensive
propaganda machine has missed an
opportunity to make good use of
morale lifting information for the
people.