ROSA: REORGANIZED CIVIL SERVICE 543 



8. PROMOTION ON MERIT 



Promotions should be made when merited. In the case of 

 younger employees, at least, frequent promotions by small steps 

 are better than infrequent promotions of larger amount. Pro- 

 motions are made in recognition of increased earning power and 

 to avoid losing employees through resignation. The government 

 is in competition with business and educational institutions both 

 in appointing and holding its employees. In most cases it pays 

 relatively low salaries for special qualifications, and imposes 

 conditions as to hours of service and limitations as to one's free 

 time which are often a real hardship.*^ Moreover, men in the 

 scientific and technical branches of the government service 

 acquire information and training of great value in the business 

 and educational world, and they are eagerly sought for at a 

 much higher rate of compensation. This is one of the most se- 

 rious obstacles to efficiency and success in the government ser- 

 vice and must be faced squarely if the government's work is to 

 be conducted on a high plane. 



It is not expected ever to have salaries so high in the govern- 

 ment service that such a flow of able men out into commercial 

 and educational work would be prevented. Indeed, it is not 

 desirable to try to prevent it altogether. But enough good sal- 

 aries should be provided so that a reasonable proportion, at least, 

 of able and experienced men could be retained, to serve as ad- 

 'ministrators and educators to the rising personnel. In many 

 cases the work is so important or so technical that only men of 

 special training and considerable experience are competent to 

 undertake it. In these cases the salaries should be such as to 



8 Scientists and engineers in the service of the government work six days a week, 

 eleven months in the year or more, often putting in a great deal of overtime without 

 extra pay, and are restrained from accepting retainers or extra compensation from 

 outside sources which would be perfectly proper in private employment. The 

 absence of Sabbatical years and of the generous retiring pensions of the colleges 

 are a further deterrent to men of standing from entering the government service 

 from the colleges. These facts in conjunction with the inadequate salaries of the 

 government explain why it is generally impossible to recruit the higher positions 

 from the colleges, and why administrators are so anxious to retain able and success- 

 ful men who have been developed in the government service, and why it is so im- 

 portant to be able to select good material for the entering grades. 



