Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-07
Government Clerks and Government
Mechanics.

To the Editor OF The Evening Star:
The article in your issue of November g.
entitled The Saturday Half Holiday in
the Departments and signed Z. NJ. s.,
has caused me to feel though / would
like to use your columns in order to COM
pare the duties and pleasures df pleasures
there are any of the department clerks
and the mechanics of the Washington navy
yard. 1 likewise say,"All hail to Mr. Camp
bell of New York." but would say it with
mere fervor had he included the mechanics
of the navy yard in his amendment. From
past and present indications the mechanics
are looked upon as machines and not hu-
man beings. they do not even get half
hour without being locked for it, and il
they are not on hand promptly at am
or 1890 pm. they have to lose half the
day, while f.. NJ. S. and his clerical COM
panions can go to office a few minutes late
or leave few minutes early and in the
majority of cases nothing is said, but we
cannot even take off our overclothes until
the bell rings, and il We do We run the
risk of reprimand and probably dis
missal. In the middle of the hot summer
while the department clerks are at the
sea shore, mountain resort, or at home, and
drawing salary while they are absent, the
mechanic is tolling and latoring with the
large guns In the navy yard. He can hard
ly get two weeks for recreation and pleas
ure, and II he is fortunate enough to get
leave of absence that long his pay ceases
until he returns to work again. We me-
chanicS would be satisfied and think We
were fortunate IL We could get the half
holiday on Saturday or any other day. A
mechanic who works as fine as a thousandth
of an inch, day after day as we do, needs
relaxation from duties equally as much as
the clerk or stenographer. What can we
do in the evenings after 4:3O. when all
places of business are closed? We, like our
brethren in the departments, have business
with banks. building associations, real es-
tate and stores, but we have to lose time
to transact our business. We cannot get
an hours leave after We go to work, un-
less we tell our foreman we are sick,
ana by that means We get a pass
out during working hours. Once
We get inside the Enclosure of the navy
yard we are guarded like a lot Of desperate
criminals until 4:30. and then we feel again
like human beings We don't have the
chance that E. NJ. s. has to sneak out dur
ing working hours, We stay until the last
minute. The employees of the Washington
navy yard are above the average mechanic,
and they, too, have homes and thou
sand and one household cares to look after.
but cannot attend to them until after 90
pm. Had We the opportunities we would
enjoy visiting the libraries. galleries and
museums, and take as deep interest in them
as any body of intelligent men does. The
Saturday half holiday would be a boon tn
the mechanics in the Washington navy
yard. We are not altogether like E NJ S
and his colleagues, as we want time 10
read and rest. and then come in contact
with the world during business hours Moth
ing can be done before s am. or after 4 80
pm, except marketing. l say let Mr.. Camp
bell of New York amend his amendment
by including the mechanics OF the Wash
ington navy yard in his half-holiday amend
ment, and then his name will be blessed
in the other half of the households of the
District. W n Y