Evening star., 1947-02-05
i. 5. Jobs Here
Seen Holding af
100000 Mark
Top Officials Predict
Personnel SIushes
Won't Go Lower
By Joseph Young
By Joseph Young

S0PAoS A4S0FJ 4oFOA 1A1A1NA1S
personnel slashes that, lie ahead,
high Federal officials predict
that the number of Government
employees in Washington won't
fall below the 200, 900 mark. The
number now Is 221 1000.
This prediction comes from men
who are familiar with all aspects of
the Federal employment scene. They
believe thousands of employees here
will be fired in months to come, but,
when the smoke clears, there will
still be somewhere around 200, 900
Federal workers in Washington.
The officials say the 100000 mark
will be the minimum, no matter
what Congress does about personnel,
and they add that they are not for
getting the avowed intention of
Chairmen Taber and Knutson of
the House Expenditures and Ways
and Means Committees that 1,000,-
900 more Government employees
should be fired.
responsibility TO FeOplc.
To start with, these officials don't
believe that 100000 more workers
can be fired If the Government is
to carry out its responsibilities to
the American people. In this view
they are backed by Chairman
LANCER. of the Senate Civil Service
Committee and Chairman Rees OF
the House Civil Service Committee
Both men have confided to associ-
ates that while they think the Gov
ernment should fire thousands of
employees, the 100000 figure is far
too high.
Aside from this, however, Govern
ment officials interviewed said that
the whole Federal employment situ-
alton is favorable as far as Wash
ington is concerned. For one thing,
Federal employment here consti-
tutes less than one-tenth of the
total Government payroll of 2,276,-
900 workers, and is concentrated in
the administrative branches of the
Government. The bulk of the per-
sonnel cuts to come will be made
outside of Washington in the field
with Army and Navy establishments
feeling the brunt of the reductions,
it was said.
Federal agencies always tend to
hang on to their headquarters per-
sonnel as long as possible, prefer
ring to get rid of field employees first.
For this reason and the fact that
the bulk of Federal workers are en-
ployed outside Of Washington in
|arsefla1s, Navy yards and field sta
tions of old-line agencies, the per-
sonnel cuts in Washington haven t
even reached 10 per cent of the total
reductions.
Down Trend Started Here.
In this connection, the officials
point out that 1t is well to remember
that Washington reached its Fed
Feral employment peak and started
the downward personnel trend long
before the rest of the country. The
top Federal employment here was
287 900 in 1914, but because of in
adequate housing conditions and
the general congestion at that time,
the Government assigned new activ-
tiles elsewhere and war service ap-
pointees were shifted to other cities.
Thus, Washington had two-year
start on other cities when it came
to reducing its load of Government
employees.
This is reflected by figures show
ing that in the last year, when the
Government started reducing its
personnel in earnest, Washington,s s
Government employment decreased
by only 5000. or just one per cent
of the 100000 dismissals in the Fed
eral service during the year. This
ratio may be revised upward some
what in the months to come, but
not by much, Government officials
believe.
Then, too, Al agencies and parts
OF agencies were transferred out of
Washington in 1912 in a war de-
centralization move. Several Of the
bureaus have returned, but the bulk
OF them with an estimated $4,000
employees are still out of town. All
of the agencies may not return, but
some will and this will offset to
some degree the reductions of war
service personnel being made here.
Federal officials also point out
that Whether we like it or not,
the Government is assuming greater
responsibility in many things.
Reason for Increase.
These officials believe that WASH
ington will retain its wartime
growth. There were 10000 Federal
workers here in 1888 and the num-
Der increased to 127, 900 in 1910. Now
(See FEDERAL, EMPI yOYES A-5