Evening star., 1942-10-13
WarDepartment
Civilian Payroll
Exceeds Army's
Employees Now Total
100000, House
Committee Told
By WILL P. KENNEDY.

IlG l1OuSc ILulcS SOlilllllUUCC
was told today that the War De-
partment has 100000 civilian
employees and that it's payroll
exceeds that of the entire Army.
The statement was made by Rep
resentative Colmer, Democrat, of
Mississippi, a committee men,
Der, during a hearing on the re-
quest of Chairman Ramspeck OF
the Civil Service Committee for
an investigation of civilian en-
in the Government.
Representative Ramspeck con-
frmed that statement and said it
was especially true that the payroll
for civilian employees far exceeded
that of the entire enlisted personnel.
The Ramspeck resolution provides
for thorough investigation of the
policies and practices relating to ci-
villain employment in all agencies in
the Government and their effect on
the conduct of the war. 1t also seeks
to learn whether the agencies are
efficient and economical, to deter
mine the number of and necessity
for employees in each and whether
the workers skills are used to the
best advantages.
Representative Fish of New York,
ranking minority member, said it
was imperative to "get out of Wash
ington thousands Of young men who
are here in uniform on desk jobs.
Congress should do something to get
rid of some 5000 Army officers now
doing civilian employe work in the
District"
Mr.. Ramspeck pointed out that
when the allotment authority for
payments to soldiers dependents was
installed there was an immediate
call for 10000 additional employees.
Representative Michener, Repub-
lican, Of Michigan, emphasized that
when that bill was passed Congress
was told that only 1000 employees
would be required.
Representative Ramspeck told the
committee that he is quite sure
they have many good stenographers
in the War Department who are not
doing stenographic work"
Mr. Ramspeck asked that his COM
mittee be given the same investiga-
tive authority as has been given the
Military Affairs, Naval Affairs and
Merchant Marine Committees.
Chairman SABBATH of the Rules
Committee asked if the Military and
Naval Affairs Committees would not
be covering the same ground regard
ing Army and Navy employees. Mr..
Ramspeck assured him that neither
of those committees was making any
study regarding the civilian person.
mel as proposed in his resolution.
Increased Personnel.
Representative Ramspeck cited
that at the end of the fiscal year, in
July. the number of civilian en-
ployes in the Government had in
creased to 1927 1882, or SAB per cent,
with payroll of $382, ,373 ,859 over
the preceding year. He emphasized
that the War Department alone
during the past fiscal year increased
its civilian employees from 328,219 to
9l2,378, or 200 per cent. in one year.
Congress ought to investigate
many facts regarding the civilian
employees" he said, and pointed out
that stenographers to whom the
War Department is paying S105 a
month are being taught at the ex-
pense of the Government while a
woman in charge of one branch in
the War Department said there are
many there who can type 100 words
a minute and are doing nothing.
The civilian personnel of the
Government has mushroomed so fast
that none of us knows how much
truth there is in various stories
that are brought us, but there are
many at least who are not doing
what the yare best qualified to do"
said Representative Ramspeck. IT
believe that some authority should
determine the facts and that our
Civil Service Committee is the
proper agency"
Representative Michener said the
Nation should know the truth about
this civilian army and emphasized
that Chairman Ramspeck has the
confidence of civil service employees.
Much Criticism Reported.
He asked If it would not be helpful
for Mr.. Ramspeck to take the floor
and show the condition rather than
wait for long investigation. I be-
lieve that this is constructive criti-
cism and that Mr. Ramspeck would
make good sounding board"
Representative Smith, Democrat,
of Virginia, pointed out that he
and probably every member of
Congress had heard criticism OF
overcrowding in Government offices
and that many were not doing any
worth while work:
Several members of the commit
tee said study should be made
of the reports that many were get
ting jobs in the War and Navy
Departments to dodge the draft.
Chairman SABBATH said, There are
undoubtedly thousands on the pay
roll who are not needed and should
not be kept there"
The hearing will be continued
tomorrow, but Chairman SABBATH
said he would delay action on Mr..
Ramspeck's request until he had
conferred with the chairmen of the
Military and Naval Affairs and
Merchant Marine Committees on