Evening star., 1948-10-16
Only Hope 10 Reduce
Federal Payroll Held
ToLie With Dewey
Failure Of Reorganization
PIon Could Mean Lost
Chance to Trim Costs
By Frank X. Kent


that there is really no big issue
between the two parties. There art
marked differences in the calibel
and quality Of the candidates, ir
their methods of campaigning and
general outlook. There Is, of course
room for criticism and attack but
no great gap exists between then
on vital public questions. Certainly
this is true in foreign policy and
despite conflicting views on the
Taft-Hartley Act. measurably. true
in domestic affairs.
Except in one significant respect
This concerns the size, cost anc
efficiency Of the Federal Govern.
ment. Those who have followed the
utterances Of President Truman
and Gov. Dewey can hardly fai
to note the acute contrast in theil
utterances on this important mat.
ter. For example, Mr.. Dewe!
has dwelt on 10 many times. Re.
peatedly he has promised the great.
est 'unsnarling and untangline
operation" ever heard Of. He has
pledged himself to shrink the
great, swollen Federal bureaucracy
eliminate waste, reduce size anc
cut the costs.
On the other hand, MIR. Truman
and those who oratorically ane
journalistically support him, com.
pletely ignore the whole business
Though it is impossible to deny
that the Government is too big
too expensive and consequently tor
inefficient-no Democratic candi-
date, even lightly. touches on these
admitted facts. They do not deny
them; they do not admit them;
they just do not mention them
The reasons are clear, but it is
absurd they should be able to gel
away with it.
Federal Employment Scars.
In the first place, the terrific in
crease Of civilian Federal employees
has all occurred in the last 16 years
Of Democratic power. The total
now is close to 100000. This is
more than twice the World War ]
peak. It is more than three and
one half times the total at the end
Of 1882. 1t is more than twice the
peak prior to the war emergency
in 1899.
In the civilian agencies the total
is $4,000 more than at the World
War II peak. The military estab-
lishment now employs three times
as many civilians per uniformed
man as at the World War II peak
More than 100000 civilian employees
were added in the year ended July
!. Since January, civilian jobhold-
ers have increased at the rate of 500
daily.
BY July I, 1s4s, at this rate, there
will be 2,300, 900 civilians on the pay
roll at q cost upward of $1,000, 900, =
600. This compares with 929 900 at
a cost of $1,850,000,O00 in 1899
These figures come from Dem
ocratic Senator Byrd, who asserts
that the present totals can be re-
duced 30 per cent without Gripping
any agency and at an annual saving
of $4,000, 900 900.
ALI of this appalling growth has
come since 1888 and the vast bulk
of the 2,000,000 civilians on the pay
roll are Democrats. That ex-
plains Mr.. Trumans utter lack of
interest in reducing size and costs.
It also explains the utter lack of
interest on the part of Democratic
members of Congress-always ex-
cepting Senator Byrd. It also ex-
plains why the full weight of the
Democratic White House was back
of the powerful Federal employees
lobby In frustrating the effort Of
the Republican Congress last ses-
sion to cut and reduce.
Explains Dewey Enthusiasm.
On the other hand. it certainly ex-
plains Gov. Dewey's enthusiasm for
cuts and reductions. It also ex-
plains why the Republican leaders
generally support him In his pledges
Such is politics in our country
In such matters one party is no
better than the other. 1t is inevita-
BILE that the Republicans should be
for pruning a Democratic pay roll
and shrinking a Democratic bu-
reaucracy. 1t is inevitable that the
Democrats should resist. Neverthe-
less, reduction in size and costs has
become so vital to the health of the
Nation that every intelligent citi-
zen should be deeply concerned
about 1t.
Under the best conditions 1t is
an exceedingly dificult> thing to
bring about. Actually, it is only
possible when a party long en-
trenched in power goes out and
the opposition with definite COM
mitments comes in. This being 50,
obviously the only chance of reduc-
ing the Federal machine to man
ageable proportions is in the elec-
ton of Gov. Dewey and Republi-
can Congress.
Even then it will not be easy. But
II Gov. Dewey becomes President in
January, he will have one great ad-
vantage in the fight he must make
to keep his "unsnarling and untang-
ling pledge. He will find in his
lap and in the hands of Congress
the report of the Commission or
Reorganization of the Executive
Departments appointed two years
ago under a resolution sponsored
by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge and
headed by Herbert Hoover.
Free From Politics.
This will be the most thorough
complete, nonpartisan study evei
made on this subject. It's pres.
entation should stir the Ameri.
can people out of their lethargy
Its recommendations for stream.
lining the Government will be sup.
ported by many of the leadin,
men Of the Nation who have givel
without stint of their time ant
energies to this job.
Their work has been kept who'll,
free from politics. Undoubtedly
their plan will have great public ant
press support. Also 1t will hav'
violent opposition from the job
holders and their congressional
sponsors, But, it can be put through
zW#@zzzZWz=z zXZzzzzzzzXzMZWzzNz