Evening star., 1947-07-05
The Great Game ofPolitics
Sacrifices of Many in High U. S. Posts
Due to Imagination of Propaeandists

tcounts-first, the sacrifice" being
made to serve; and second, the
liability of the official to make ten
times as much" as his Government
salary-in most cases there is no
foundation whatever. No inconsid-
erable number Of those Of whom
we hear as able to make so much
more money than they now get,
are actually getting more now than
they ever made before-or could
make in private life-but for their
Government experience and con-
nections. q,
It is not an uncommon thing to
exploit and capitalize these after
retirement-voluntary or other
wise-from the Government, and
often it has been most proftably
done. The most notable recent in
stance is offered in the person Of
Mr.. Thomas Corcoran, once exceed
ingly close to the late President
Roosevelt. What is forgotten by
those who stress how much more
money could be-or is being made
by a Government official, is that 1t
is largely Government employment
that gave him his value. Certainly
that is true in the case Of Mr.. Cor
coran-and of many others-as well.
Fhis is too clear to admit of dispute.
Undoubtedly, there are men in
public Office who really have made
financial sacrifices" to be here
rich men who have large incomes
either inherited or derived from
their business or professional activi-
ties which they relinnuished when
they came to Washington. This, Of
course (anyhow, on the surface) 1,
was very, noble indeed. However,
when the financial sacrifice" is
stressed by their admirers, assuredly
the compensations should also be
mentioned. The greatest compensa-
ton is that they are transferred
from obscure rich men leading ex-
ceedingly dull lives, often with ex-
ceedingly dull wives, into a relative
ly glamorous public life, where they
have a chance to acquire fame, po-
sition and power.
As that great and wise man, for
inner Chief Justice Charles Evans
Hughes, said a long time ago, when
q man has made all the money he
can possibly need, and is still too
mentally and physically alert to be-
come q playboy or an idler, the mere
piling of more millions on the mill
lions he has becomes silly, tasteless,
sordid and futile. To such q man
there is nothing left save some sort
of public service.
Such Talk Ridiculous.
It is ridiculous to talk about the
sacrifices which such men make
when they enter the Government
service. 1t is worth many times
what they give up to escape from
their obscurity, achieve prominence,
make reputation and enjoy the
qualification Of doing something
other-and better-than gathering
dollars which they do not need and
cannot use The thrill OF function
ing In a new field, meeting new and
different kinds of people, feeling
themselves more or less as perform
ing a patriotic duty, enjoying the
prestige, perquisites, social life and
dignity of high official life-all these
things more than compensate to
them (and to their wives) for what
ever financial sacrifice" is involved.
Particularly is this SO when the
financial sacrifice" either makes no
real difference, can easily be re-
couped after retirement or is mini
mized by lower tax-bracket posi-
tion. The truth is this propaganda
about the men who made such great
financial sacrifice" to come here,
like that about those who stay while
they could make 40 times as much
money" in private business, has be-
come very tiresome. Clearly, they
did not have to stay. But while they
are here, they ought not to try JUS
tifying themselves that way. And
those whose press eulogists con-
stantly refer to them as 'indispens-
able" ought to resent 1t.
To apply that adjective in referring
to any official is to make him seem
pompous and absurd. There Is no
indispensable man and most per-
sons just snicker when one is thus
advertised.