Evening star., 1949-06-24
Truman S Comparison
Of Federal, Business
Pay Held UnreaIistie
Top Executives Chosen
For Party Reasons Alone
Aren't Worth Big SoIories
Bv David Laurence

7fSu WYNN SsS Sot'~~
By David Laurence
President Truman must certain
Iy live in a vacuum. His message
to Congress urging increases In
pay for the heads and assistant
heads of departments and other
executive officials contains an un-
realistic comparison with the pay
received by executives in private
industry. But Mr.. Truman doesn't
seem to realize the difference.
In private industry executives
are chosen for their efficiency and
for the record they make over a
period of years.
In Government, top executives
are chosen for political reasons.
, Government by crony." which
has been introduced by Mr.. Tru-
man, differs very little from the
! political spoils system Of past ad-
ministrations. Men aren't worth
big salaries Just because they have
, big titles and serve q political
, party.
Criterion of Eligibility.
In an era In which the size Of
campaign contributions is the de-
termining factor in selecting am
bassadors and ministers and when
. the criterion of cabinet eligibility
is too often the amount Of money
an individual raised In the presi-
Dental campaign. 1t Is not sur
, prising that good men will not take
subordinate positions in the Gov
ernment. n
"1t is customary" wrote the
. President, "in private industry for
, an executive to be paid many
times as much as he would be
paid for comparable work in Gov
ernment service. Salaries Of
$4,000 to 100000 q year in pri-
vate industry are not uncom-
mon -.
when 1t is considered that
the responsibilities Of many top
Government executives are far
greater than those Of any private
executive in the Nation. 1t is evi-
dent why the Government has
great difficulty in obtaining and
keeping the best men,"
But a record of appointments
to cabinet posts in recent years
shows few changes. Mr.. Truman
wouldn't have the slightest diffi-
Guilty In getting men from private
business to become cabinet men,
bers. 1t Is a safe bet, however.
that he never would offer such a
post to any of the top executives
who have made good in the big
companies to which he refers in
his message.
Yardstick of Ability.
Anybody in an executive ca
pacity earning $4,000 to 500, 900
a year or more must perform to
the satisfaction Of a board of di-
rectors which measures results by
the yardstick of incomes and prof.
its made and by individual Ca
pacity. The fact that an execu-
tive is a hail-fellow-well-met or
that he tells good stories or Is a
boon drinking companion doesn't
get him very far In those large
businesses where the peoples mon
ey Is. invested. q" pas .s.5e s,5,,' i
Somehow or other, In. Govern
ment, it's another story. The
President often appoints and the
Senate confirms men who would
never be able. to earn In private
industry the equivalent Of their
Government salary. ..-.- a.
There are many capable men In
the Government and they deserve
salary increases. Many of them
could make more money in private
life-ard many of them do leave
the Government service and would
leave no matter what the raise in
pay given them. They find the
red tape of Government irksome
and the opportunities for ad-
vancement not at all attractive.
They become disguised with party
politics and the waste Of public
money.
The problem Of efficiency in
Government will never be solved
Just by increasing the salaries Of
its policy making executives. The
Nation will never get the best
men to serve at the top level until
men are elected to the White
House who do not play fast and
loose with public authority by
nusing 1t to foster personal friend
ships or to pay political debts.
swhen there is public confidence
lin the executive attitude toward
s'public service, there will be a
corresponding recognition Of what
1t Is proper to do with the salary
scales of executives throughout
the Government.
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