Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-11-22

cent. As Of July ], lp4b, there were
-,gl6, 900 federal cIVIIIan employees
IN the continental United states.
As Of July !, last, there were B.
10 900, and by October /, the num-
DER had dropped TO 2,l64.00O.
In the same period Of time. an
luAI payroll costs Of the federal
government for civilian personnel
IN the United States have dropped
oy more than two billion dollars
during the I2-month period from
July, lo46, 10 July, last--frOm
IotAl annual payroll Of more than
seven billion dollars 10 Ave billion
dollars.
Unfortunately, In the reduction.
in-foTes program . dispTop0Ttion-
ate number Of eolOTed employees
are losing their jobs. That 10
chiefly due 10 the fact that most Of
them In clerical and administrative
Jobs were hired during the emeT-
geney and were appointed for the
duration Of the war and StE months
thereafter. They have no civil serV-
leo status.
COlOrsd veterans, who held
government jobs before their In
dHetlon Into the armed forces,
like similar white veterans, are
being restored 10 their former
Jobs or EiVsa equivalent Ioba.
Apparently, however. some Of
the gains made by eolOred workers
during the war period will be re-
tanned. A number Of agencies like
the War and Navy Departments
prior 70 the war employed eOIored
workers mostly ~ messengers and
In eustodiAl Jobs. Now. there are
large numbers Of eoloTed persons
occupying clerical and administTa.
tive Jobs In those departments
A number Of colorsd persons
holding various types Of Jobs In
emergency agencies will also lose
their Jobs a. the functions Of thoss
agencies are wiped out or the ARen-
ciSa themselves are abolished.
OF course, the Truman admins
trRtiOn will be In charge Of the sx-
SeutivS departments Of the federal
| koNhNUhANlk AbA kWO ulONN INANN -
least. President Truman himself 10
taking the first steps toward re-
ducinR government expenditures
which requires On elimination Of
some government functions and the
reduction Of federal payrolls.
II the Republicans should win
the presidential election In l0tS,
colorsd persons. like white persons.
holding patronage jobs will be dis
placed by Republicans.
The custom OF Tew0rdinR party
workers with federal offices has
long been employed by boLh major
paroles. PTSSIdsnt Andrew Jack
son put the spons sysIsm IN effect
40 . measure Of reform. 10 has
been modinSd to . great sxtSnt %
that today, except tor top officials,
government employment " re-
KATdod - q career service. But the
historical func lion Of the spOilS syB-
tenn was to narrow the gaps be-
tween the people and government.
The rotAtion-in.o office practice
has It's mCTitA. II certainly prevents
q monopoly Of Office by iReOmps-
tsnta and brings into Office . fresh
and alert group.
II the Rev. MArShAll Shepard.
Recorder Of DOedA. retains his Of.
Ice until i94a, and the Republicans
win the presidential election. his
Job will 20 10 Q Republican, As will
also the other additionally "eol-
ored" jobs. There IL . possibility
that Judge Almond W. Scott Of the
Municipal Court Of the District Of
Columbia may retain his post be-
cause Of his exceptional work on
the bench. but II 10 dollars q
douRhnutS that Republicans will
seek to dlsplAcs him.
President Truman has given Il
colored men two jobs previously
never held by Negroes. They are
JudEsship Of the United States
Customs Court, held by Judge lrv'
Ing Mcllison, and the RoVsrnorshiT
Of the Virgin Islands, hsld by Bill
HASTE. hut these Ave ioba--ths
Mlnistsrship 10 Liberia. Q Judge
ship Of the United States Customs
Court, . judESship on the District
Of Columbia Municipal Court, thu
goVSTnorship IL tho Virgin lslands
and the Recorder Of Deeds Of thS
District 81 ColumblA-aPe inhn'
Rssimal IN comparison with ths
large number az GtRSess requiring
Senatorial confirmation which arr
passed out to party workers.
II VIII BE- up to the Republican