St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-11-22

OnlGeu OIaJeb ueCISaScu ~ pSA
cent. AS Of July /, ly4O, there were
-,yl0,0OU federal cIUIIan employees
m the continental United states.
AS of July /, last, there were g.
-y9, 900, aud by OCTOBER /, the num-
Ger mad dropped to 2,l64,O00.
In the same period Of time, an
.lual payroll costs Of the federal
government for civilian personnel
IN the United States have dropped
oy more than two billion dollars
during the l2-month period from
July, l945, to July, last--from q
Total annual payroll Of more than
seven billion dollars to hye billion
dollars.
Unfortunately, in the reduction
in-force program a disproportion-
ate number Of colored employees
are losing their jobs. That Is
chiefly due to the fact that most OF
hem in clerical and administrative
jobs were hired during the emer-
yency and were appointed for the
duration Of the war and six months
thereafter. They have no civil serv-
ice status.
COlOred veterans, who held
government Jobs before their In
ductiOn into the armed forces.
like similar white veterans, are
being restored to their former
Jobs or given equivalent Jobs
Apparently, however, some Of
the gains made by colOred workers
during the war period will be re-
tanned. A number Of agencies like
the War and Navy Departments
prior to the war employed cOIOreo
workers mostly as messengers and
in custodial jobs. Now, there are
large numbers Of eolored persons
occupying clerical and administra-
tive Jobs in those departments.
A number Of colored persons
holding various types Of jobs in
emergency agencies will also lose
their Jobs as the functions Of those
agencies are wiped out or the agen-
cies themselves are abolished.
OF course, the Truman admins
tration will be in charge Of the ex-
ecutive departments Of the federal
government for Two more years ~
least. President Truman himself is
taking the first steps toward re-
ducing government expenditures
which requires an elimination Of
some government functions and the
reduction Of federal payrolls.
II the Republicans should win
the presidential election in 1913,
colored persons, like white persons,
holding patronage jobs will be dis
placed by Republicans.
The custom Of rewarding party
workers with federal offices has
long been employed by both MAJOR
parties. President Andrew jack
son put the spolIS system In effect
as a measure Of reform. II has
been mOdiAed to a great extent 50
that today, except tor top officials,
government employment Is re-
garded as a career service. But the
historical func zion Of the spOllS Sys-
tenn was to narrow the gaps be-
tween the people and government.
The rotAtion-in-otfice practice
has its merits. 1t certainly prevents
a monopoly Of office by incompe-
tents and brings into office q fresh
and alert group.
II the Rev. Marshall Shepard,
Recorder Of Deeds, retains his Of
Ice until 1913, and the Republicans
win the presidential election, his
Job will 20 to q Republican, as will
also the other additionally "col-
ored" jobs. There is q 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 it is dollars to
doughnuts that Republicans will
seek to displace him.
President Truman has given to
colored men two jobs previously
never held by Negroes. They are
a judgeship Of the United States
Customs Court, held by Judge Irv-
ing Mollison, and the governorship
Of the Virgin Islands, held by Bill
HASTE. But these five jobs-the
MinisterShip to Liberia, a judge
ship Of the United States Customs
Court, a judgeship on the District
Of Columbia Municipal Court, the
governorship Of the Virgin Islands
and the Recorder Of Deeds Of the
District Of Columbia-are infn-
itesimal in comparison with the
large number Of Offices requiring
Senatorial confirmation which are
passed out to party workers.
II will be up TO the Republican
party to better its own record
and the record Of President Tru-
man in this respect IL Il wishes
to fully recapture and hold the
cOlored vote.
President Truman will create by
executive order commission on
civil rights which will be authorized
to hold hearings and formulate leg
islation broadening existing fed
oral civil rights laws for rresenta-
tion to the Eightieth Congress
which c~rvenes in January. J.
Finley Wilson. grand exalted ruler
NJ the Elks. il elated over the show
ing ne made in a white Democratic
district in the New York State
oo"atorial contest. He pOlled S.