Evening star., 1948-12-23
- Letters to The Star,
Economy in Defense

Economy in Defense
| 70 the Editor Of The star:
It is essential that the ordinary citizen ui-
derstand that the military refuses to appreciate
that defense appropriations must be kept with
in the Nstion's ability to pay.
| Despite all presidential directives, the serv-
ices have been going forward with their propa-
ganda drive to break the Executives military
budget ceiling. The latest "oficial' effort oc-
Cured last week when the joint stats met in
an attempt to argue down the President, the
| Budget Bureau and the Council of Economic
| Advisors
The White House evidently Is aware that its
| directives are not going to head off lobbying
by the military for budget of at least $l8
| billion. 1t reasonably can be assumed that
Mr.. Nourse's original Of -the-record warning
at the Pentagon finally was released to the
| American people so that they would have q
better appreciation of the results which would
| flow from overburdensome military expendi-
| lures.
| The Army's recent wall that insuf1iciency Of
funds necessitated cutting draft quotas all too
clearly points up the PROPAGANDA approach.
In similar vein was the story that it would be
necessary to cut our Army divisions down to
six. Incidentally, this is situation that some
demotions quickly would remedy
| There is no question of the need for adequate
| armed forces to avoid war or fight a war. At
| the same time, however there must be an
awareness of the disastrous effects of top
| heavy military outlay on the national economy.
| The blunt truth Is that the armed services
| have little or no. appreciation of this fact
| although they honestly think that they have.
| This lack of understanding Of the practical
| limitations on the job to be done and the
| means for doing it within such limitations Is
appalling.
After years of wartime plenty, the top brass
| has become Injured to extravaganza in dollars,
material and personnel. Today the services are
fat and they are not conscious of 1t. Activities
| constantly are asking for more money and
personnel while present compliments are put
ting In only half q days work There, Of
course, are certain essential jobs which need to
be done and which are not now being done.
Some offices are understaffed and the per-
sonnel overworked, but these are exceptions
rather than the rule
The armed services are top-heavy in high
salaried personnel, both officer and civilian.
AS a result, many are performing routine
duties which would not tax the abilities OF an
81, 1,S0O-a-year clerk. Job invention goes hand
in glove with this situation as billets must be
commensurate with rank" Until the military
wakes up to the economic facts of life it is up
to the people, through Congress, to keep
close rein on appropriations. The alternative
Is a regimented economy or worse.
One simple fact, among Others finally must
be realized by our top planners. The present
war with Russia will last for years and per-
haps for generations. Wars are economic as
well as military. Under those circumstances is it
not essential that the Nations defense meas
ures be geared to this long-range siege? The
| only way that 1t can be done without bank
rupting us is the fostering of a well-trained
citizen reserve. which, incidentally, can be ac-
| complshed without the bribes Of benefits,
| bonuses, retirements, etc. HIM.
More Wages for Lower Bracket
| To the Editor Of The Star:
see in recent issue Of The Star that the
| salaries of high Government officials should
be increased and that this probably will be
brought before the new Congress for con-
sideration 1t is expected that the proposal
will be approved, and may say that am in
favor of 1t.
However am one Of the low-income group,
q mechanic in the Naval Gun Factory whose
salary is 81 so an hour. 1t can readily be seen
how we have to struggle along on these wages,
buying in the same market as every one else.
man who has young children really finds
1t hard to make both ends meet. So I hope
that the group to which I belong will get
just consideration, and be given adequate wages
to meet the high cost of living A. s.
Proposes Rating by Non.Superiors
To the Editor Of The star:
AS sociologist who has had number of
years experience in both Government service
and business, should like to point out one
possible improvement that might be made in
Civil Service ratings, which, my experience
indicates, would have a much more far-reach-
ing influence on the quality of Government
service than changing a hve-point or three
point basis of rating to two-point basis Of
merely Satisfactory" or Unsatisfactory" That
Is, adding to the present rating by "superiors,"
q rating by equals" and interiors"
What propose to all interested parties is
this: % Make q weighted list of all the
characteristics on which advancement or de-
motion should be determined. (2) Then, for
each characteristic, indicate your own judg-
ment as to whether the superior" would be
likely, in the light of your civil service expe-
rience, to give (x a truer Judgment, (y)
similarly true Judgment (z) q less true judg-
ment, than an equal" go Do the same for
the inferior" "a Finally, make preliminary
personal study of sampling of individual in
stances among your Government service ac-
quaintances. Then say whether you think the
matter should be studied by employees unions
representatives of executives and the Civil
Service Commission.
Possibly should stop right here. But, on
the other hand, as one proposing such studies
maybe I ane obligated to give reasons for so
doing. Briefly, have seen the inexpert the
inefficient, the lazy person, get credit for the
work of his interiors, by loyalty" apple pol
ishing" and refusing to be critical toward his
superiors. have seen these interiors" either
sink into ineffective complaisance because
they were unwilling to stick their necks out"
Or on the other hand, bolt the service en-
tirely because all this sort of thing was dis