The Civil Service and Politics.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16152, 5 March 1918, Page 6

The Civil Service and Politics.

In the current issuo of the ''Public Scrvico Journal" there appear very definite signs of the Public Scrvico Association's intention to become a factor in our politics. During the election campaign in Wellington North the soeretary of the Association sent to cach candidate a series of questions 011 matters affecting tho pay and conditions of service of the State's employees. Answers were returned by all four candidates, and so |

far as wc can see these answers did not furnish tho Association with any strong ground for recommending any candidate above tho others, for tho candidates all appeared anxious to I)lease the Association. Wo may believe that their answers expressed their real opinions, although wo should say that thoir unanimity in agreeing to "full political rights" for public servants shows that they were all alike in giving insufficient consideration to the enquiries. The '"Journal," in an editorial, explained why tho Association interested itself in tho election. Tho civil servant, it said, becomes a civilian the moment he leavos his office for the day, but he is denied the "full political rights" to which it is assumed ho is entitled." In the meantime, the argument proceeds, the civil servant has tho right" to vote, and "this right "naturally entails tho privilege of " obtaining some indication of the " views of Parliamentary candidates "on matters affecting his working and " living conditions." The Association, it is claimed, has kept within its rights in bailing up tho Wellington North candidates, with the objoct of obtaining "'definite statements from members of Parliament as to what they "would do with tho Public Service if " opportunity camo their way." On

this occasion, it is fair to say, the j • "Journal" did not place its mark of ' approval on any one of tlio candidates, j but this resulted from tho almost com- j plctely satisfactory nature, from tho ] Association's point of view, of the ro- < plies of all of them. It is no doubt , i quite natural that tho Civil Service { ' should like to know tho views of rnli- 1 tical candidates on questions affecting tho Service, and perhaps tho "Jour- , nal" is a suitable medium for the publication of those views. At tho same 1 time it- is quite certain that tho Association would have its members make a candidate's opinion in these matters the sole test of his fitness for election so far as they aro concerned. The sending out of tho enquiries could have no other purpose than to allow members of tho Association to know for -whom they should vote and to convoy to the candidates, if not a threat, at least a hint of the existence of a Civil Service vote. The procedure adopted by tho Association is perfectly adapted to meet- a caso in which one particular candidate, or one particular party, is to bo selected for the united support of the; service, and in point of fact we have little doubt that in duo course the Associa- i tion will take an active part in political contests. Its little essay in tho recent contest may bo regarded as a notification to all who may be concerned that tho Civil Servico vote will go to the man or the party who cares to earn it. The vast extent of the Civil Service, and its organisation, into one hody, will constitute a strong temptation to tho unstable politician to promise the Service whatever it demands ; and the number of unstable politicians, who are more concerned about -winning votes than about defending principles, is unhappily very great in tho present age. Hitherto, we believe, a largo proportion of the public servants have been influenced, in casting their votes, by larger considerations than their own narrow personal interests, but with tho close organisation of tho Service and its t gradual domination by men whose only interest in politics is the furtherance of their own immediate ends, tho Civil Service vote will become an increasingly '"class-conscious" one, and its magnitude will mako it a very disturbing and undesirable factor in our politics in tho future.