nations or retirements whenever the
work thus relinquished can be as
signed to other persons than the out
going incumbents. In other words,
the department heads are requested
to add to the duties of their remaining
forces. But it would seem from the
fact that In July only a net reduction
of six persons was effected that this
practice is not being generally fol
lowed. Indeed, It Is questionable if it
can be followed effectively. Other
wise there might have been a reduc
tion of 1,000 or more month before
lost.
Government clerks are not under
taxed with work as a class. There
are some cases where only light duties
are assigned to or exacted from the
personnel. There are other cases
where the clerks do more work than
is required of persons in similar
private employment. The average of
efficiency and of Industry In the Gov
ernment offices Is high. To carry out
rigidly a policy of doubling up the
work in order to effect a large reduc
tion in force would In a short time
make sweatshops of the Government
offices, in which the scale of pay pre
vails that compares unfavorably with
the scales that obtain In most of the
large private establishments of this
country.
Another year will no doubt find
New Jersey trying to revive the sea
serpent as a publicity influence. The
old sea serpent carries with him a
thrill of terror, but he is harmless
enough and never Involves the ob
serving crowd in any such grand jury
complications as have attended the
Hall-Mills case.
