The Oregon state employee., May 01, 1946, Page 5, Image 5

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The President's Message
It has long been an axiom in life
that you get just about what you pay
for. If you want a good product or
service you expect to pay a correspond­
ing price, and in an open competitive
market, which is the American ideal,
that principle is very close to the truth.
If a person goes to an expert physician
he expects and receives expert service
and advice, and expects to pay the ex­
pert’s price? If he seeks advice from a
lawyer, an engineer or other service
from a mechanic, painter, or profes­
sional person he gets the best, pays well
for it, and thinks nothing of it. A per­
son in conducting his own business
realizes that to get the best results he
must hire or consult people who are
trained and competent in their line of
work.
A contractor does not have to be re­
minded of the risk involved if he puts
untrained help on an expensive piece of
equipment. A banker realizes the finan­
cial hazards involved if mistakes are
made by his employees. In state busi­
ness as well as in private business, it is
absolutely essential to keep trained, re­
liable employees. If not, things go
wrong, costly mistakes are made, and
the taxpayers pay for mistakes of offi­
cials and employees in state business
just the same as the private employer
pays for the mistakes of his employees.
The state conducts for its people one
of the largest businesses in Oregon—
the business of government. This busi­
ness requires the services of over 7000
people, and upon the judgment and ef­
ficiency of these people depends the
economy and wisdom of the expenditure
of some $97,000,000 of tax money an­
nually. A part of this expenditure is
for expert, technical and specialized
services, another part is for just plain
work, the routine duties which must
be performed continuously and well.
These 7000 people are relied upon to
Floyd A. Query
administer the laws, protect the public
health and welfare, build highways and
bridges, care for the unfortunate, and
perform other important services which
are vital to the welfare of the people
of the state. The duties and responsi­
bilities imposed upon state employees
are increasing, standards of employment
and service are being raised, in other
words, more and more is being expect­
ed of state employees. To protect the
public interest and to make state service
more attractive the last legislature
enacted a, civil service law and a retire­
ment act, but the drawing and holding
power of these laws, excellent though
they be, cannot fully counteract the
magnetic influence of greater remun­
eration offered by other, employers.
This is particularly true in the case of
young men and women who are begin­
ning their careers. In the face of these
increased duties and responsibilities we
find the state is continuing to lose its
best trained personnel to private indus-
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