Show Where Your Taxes Go How I Uncle Sam Spends Your Money in Conducting Your Business By EDWARD G. G LOWRY Author Anthor W Washington Clo Ups Close Up e-Up B flanks nV and nd Financial System etc Contributor Political and Economic Article to Leading Periodicals Periodical and a Writer of Recognized Authority on the National Methods Copy right Welte Newspaper Union XIII UP TO YOU AND CONGRESS At AI the present time It would be a misnomer to 0 speak of ot the national t I having hn a n personnel sy tern tem at gt all The reform accomplished by 11 the establishment of ot the civil service lee ice commission and the merit system has lias touched but one phase of ot the personnel per per- problem and that but partially Into the government ice Practically nothing has been done In the Ya way of ot erecting the government go sen services Ices Into careers that will attract and retain tain efficient men Bad Dad as conditions con con- were Yere In this respect before the have ha become times war they man many WOl wage orso e during and since that event The correction of ot these evils pre pre- presents seas sens a ft problem of great complexity It cannot be achieved by t if halfhearted half half- hearted or way half way tinkering with the present system Nothing but a thorough thorough thor thor- 1 ough overhauling o of the whole personnel personnel person person- nel nci s system stem and the est establishment of oC ofa a nr n nv v tw system covering all phases of the question lon ant and embodying the most approved principles of personnel ad ad- ministration win will me we or of meet needs the tle situation Fortunately a be beginning begin begin- ln n ning n has lias bc been n made In this direction It it Ht furnishes a starting starling point for fur uc lun looking to the giving gl to the theion ion government of the personnel system tI Thal li II must have If It government go work Is to Ie Le measurably well done I 1 T T. sl r o sitt situ situation tl n noW v Is that there Is Is nn nu demand lemand on the part of ot the public public- that the whole tion-of tion pf If the he hc national I government be put upon n a more efficient basis and that the thc pr pre nt tIt waste of public funds re- re from Crom present defective organ- organ I mine i ml methods shall cease that congIe IlS s' s is alive to this demand and has Ims n a start to ard meeting It tint that the time Cund fundamental mental defects in the theu u I existing system stem are well well known known and andt thi t I the direction efforts looking to toI I reform should tal take e. e are are clearly establIsh lIsh The responsibility Is thus ely up to congress If Hie problem that confronts con congress l I gress In this laudable endis analyzed It will be ie found that that the fundamental reforms are alb atThe The re reform reform reo re- form liy II congress Itself of ot Its own or or- lion and methods of procedure the revision rc of the present system i tern tem m under which the financial needs of h the Hie pt government eminent are determined and plO the setting up of ot an agency procedure through which the ex- ex ps pt II of public c funds may be beis is apel II ty controlled and congress be given I runt Mint Information n regarding such expenditures whIch it Il must have If it Is to assure Itself that Its Us agents the administrative c services are properly performing their duties and to act Intelligently In In respect to the future I Siant ant tant of ot funds the provision pro of an ani i organ through which the President II may In fact tact as ns well as In name die charge his duties as head df the administration ad ministration the reorganization of ot the administrative e branch of ot the government government gov gov- so as to eliminate the present present pres pres- ent nt widespread overlapping of Jun Juris Jurisdictions e- e dictions and functions and Indefensible ble bie duplication of ot services organization tion plant and work and the complete complete com com- recasting of ot the present s system stem under which the personnel required to man the governmental plant Is secured secured secured se se- cured compensated promoted assigned assigned as signed to particular tasks and con controlled controlled trolled to the end that not only Justice Justice Jus jug tice will be done to the several cia classes of ot governmental employees ees but that thata a personnel system will be established that will Insure a n maximum of oC efficiency effi elii clency in the actual conduct of t public affairs l A study of action actually had or now under Yn way shows that steps have been heen taken toward the accomplishment of ot each of these hese fundamental reforms The Introduction of of a budget s system stem is a n long step forward I dont don't menu menn In the least to give the Impression that all private business Is perfectly run and that only government government govern govern- ment business Is badly managed or that all the efficient people are In tn prIvate private private vate employ and only Inefficient In th tho public service N Neither of ot those eon con con exists In the common phrase you have ha got gotto gotto gotto to hand band It to AIex Alexander Hamilton for tor devising a scheme that has stood up since revolutionary days das It has not been Deen fundamentally altered since his day There has been no readjustment of ot salaries In the departmental servIce service service ice for sixty years Jears That Implies a certain loyalty and faithfulness on the part of ot the workers My only desire is to disclose th the present condition of ot government em employment employment that good men are leaving ind find that the present tendency If It not checked will Inevitably Ine drive out of ot the service all of ot t the c efficient and leave cave only the mediocre and I have said little myself but have lui chosen to let the men wo working for tOl the government tell the story Every Every Every Ev Ev- Ev- Ev ery assertion of ot fact In these articles comes cones from some responsible source or authority within the service I am amnot amnot amnot not making a criticism or attack from the outside but merely serving as aa a mouthpiece for your hired men |