The Washington times., 1901-12-29
SHORTER HOURS;
BETTER WAGES.
Aim Of Women in Bureau Of
Engraving and Printing,
IRE STRUGGLING TO ORGANIZE,
Encouraged by President Roose-
velts Remarks in His Message to
Congr5 5ss-Results Achieved by
Female Employees of the Govern
ment Printery.

y
A portion OF the Presidents message in
regard to the Governments employees has
| given an impetus to a labor organization
that exists among the women employed in
Uncle Sans currency factory. 1t appears
I TO the women that the old gentleman has
I a kind of a trust himself Besides the ex-
/ elusive right OF making money he will al
, low no factories Of any kind but his own at
/ the Capital, because he does not want the
, town a smoky one.
At the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing he already practices part of what the
/ President breaches. but it is that part that
benefits himself. The President said:
The National Government should demand
Z the highest quality Of service from its en-
ployes. and IN return it should be a good
employer So far as practicable
under the conditions of the Government
work, provision should be made to render
the enforcement of the eight-hour law easy
and certain. In all industries carried on
directly or indirectly for the United States
Government women and children should
be protected from excessive hours of labor.
from night work, and from work under IN
sanitary conditions"
Trying TO Organize.
In the Government factories the first
part Of the instructions, the quality Of SER
vice. il is not necessary further to inspire.
Perfect is perfect: there is no such thing
as more perfect. Everything done in them
is perfect. But in its money factory the
Government is not. in turn, a good en-
ployer; that is. OF women, and hence their
attempt TO organize. The men. by their
unions, which are. 1t is said, the strongest
in the country, make the Government pay
them fair wages.
Civil service examinations are held
throughout the country twice yearly, and.
thinking all Government positions are
snaps" and, like the new moving stair
case, get on at the lowest step and you
will go uD without lifting your foot" ap-
plicants are exceedingly numerous.
To pass an examination requires a fair
education, and considerably more than the
average factory worker has With most
it is first hard study, then a trying ex-
animation, then wait OF from eight to
ten months for the papers to be exam
ined, for the Civil Service examiners are
generally about that far behind.
One-quarter OF the applicants do not
pass. 0ne-quarter OF the others. those
who pass the highest. arc appointed
within another eight OF ten months. Some
times It is sooner. but sometimes it runs
to twelve.
Not Very Remuncrntivc.
These women come from all over the
country and pay their own travelling ex-
penses. They are started to work at
S1.25 oer day. Out of their wages they
have to pay board. which cannot be had
respectfully for less than s25 per month.
Those whose families live in Washington
OF course. fare far better.
AT first all have some influential ac-
quaintance whom they expect to go out
OF his way for their promotion, but few
women who. of necessity, have to take
positions as laborers. really have in
fluence with those who have influence
with the Government. At any rate. there
are very -ew departments under the civil
service Va -re influence is of value. Pro-
motions are supposed to come. and al
most invariably do. from length OF serv-
ice. Promotion by merit is allowed That
may be influenced little.
The women start in the press room as
assistants to the printers Ali day they
scrub" as they call it, the sheets OF
paper to be printed into money, stamps.
revenue. etc. and place them on the
presses. 1t is firing work, wetting each
sheet, then drying it to just the proper
dampness to take the proper impression,
and their hands are wet all day.
Long Working Hours.
After they are employed six months
their salaries are raised to S1.50 per day.
They work from in the morning to
o'clock in the afternoon, or from till
II at night. These are the regular hours.
but as the paper money has SO often to
be replaced and as the demand for stamps
and other documents is so large. many OF
them have to work ten hours without
leaving tho building, resting half an hour
for lunch.
The women at the presses work stand
ing Next month 1t is expected they will
have to work from 8 to 6.
10 one leaves the building without a
pass. which is only given an employe
when every sheet OF paper handed out to
her in the morning is accounted for. II
there are any losses the printer stands
two-thirds and the girl one third.
In the department OF the Treasury
where the old money is turned in for
redemption and counted, woman once
robbed the Government OF several thou
sand dollars by taking "a little piece
from each of the hundred,dollar bills she
handled.
at the Bureau OF Engraving ind Print
ing II the half of a one cent stamp is not
accounted for at night no one leaves that
room until it is found.
Another inspiration to the members OF
the union at tho Bureau of Engraving and
Printing is the success with which the
union OF the women at the Government
Printing Office recently met. At the
Printing onice the women organized
seven years ago. and each member cre-
ated herself missionary TO secure con-
verts.
Good Results Accomplished.
Four months ago the number had grown
to 300, about a quarter of the female en-