The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-07-12
Censured for Cutting Down
Pay OfNeW Policemen.
LABOR PAPERS STRUCTURES
Tendency to Reduce Wages in All Gov
eminent Departments of Employees
Least Able to Bear 1t.

Cut Fifty Cents a Day"
The Fifty-seventh Congress. before
closing its labors March last. passed an
act which was approved by the President.
without that careful consideration with
which he is credited. for the appointmenL
Of forty additional members OF class
1" on the police force Of the District
OF Columbia. these appointments to be at
a reduction in salary OF so cents a day
Just how our national aw-makers ex-
pect the honorable Board Of Commits
sioners and the Major Of the Police De-
partment to comply with this law and
select competent, reliable and trustwor-
thy men 10 become guardians of the
lives of our citizens and protectors Of
millions of dollars worth OF property
while furnishing their own uniforms. on
a wage of $50 per month, is a question
that We cannot quite understand
Congress was fully informed that this
bill. while creating places for forty more
policemen. did at the same time reduce
their salary. as is shown by the Con
gressional Record" of January 20. 1908.
pages 1911 and 1912, wherein it was
clearly stated that il was contrary TO
law and not subject to amendment TO
add forty policemen to the roll at
reduction in salary. Congressman Bah
cock chairman OF the Committee on the
District OF Columbia, endeavored TO
overcome that phase of the question by
an amendment adding the forty add
tional members to class l." Con-
gresham McCleary. who evidently had
the bill in charge, under BabcOck's
L. H. ansH.
forty additional policemen OF class ].
who shall receive 1920 per annum each"
This amendment was ruled on as being
in order by the Speaker. and the bill
with this provision became a law.
Cost of Living Greater.
This law is unworthy of the men who
were responsible for its enactment.
They were entirely ignorant of. or
cared little for, the increased cost
of living that the people are required
TO meet under our boosted prosper
ity.'' Had they referred to Duns re-
view for January 4. 1902, authority at
that date. they would have learned
something as TO the necessity Of In
creasing instead OF decreasing wages.
Dun said, after referring at some length
" INC tbSA III the uttEHSaEleS OF me-
THE total shows that the cost OF living
was 40 per cent greater in 1902 than in
1897. This establishes ;ne cost OF liv-
ing at the beginning OF the new year
above all recent records"
It may be possible that Mr. BabcocI
in his cheese pairing process on wage
reductions, was basin= the salary OF
these men on what Is paid to the
r~rfarXare % 10 in Cd
towns or small hamlets in the Third
Congress district OF Wisconsin where
living, rent. and the necessaT- es or life
are much cheaper. and where any old
uniform will suit for the officers, pro-
viding the badge representing their au-
thority is on the lapel Of their coat
He has lived long enough In Washing
ton 70 have learned better. out per-
haps his interest in the Metropolitan
Railroad corporation, the Washington
Gaslight Company, and other large cor
poratiOns that are riding rOuEhshOd
over the people Of the District OF Co
lumhis has altered his views on the
question OF what is a decent salary for
workingmen.
Reductions in Wrong Place.
Why this tendency 20 continually re-
duee wages. not only in our police de.
pariment. but in other departments of
the national and city government?
These noted reductions generally fail
upon a class OF people who are least able
10 bear them. while the pets. favorites.
and those with pull" are continually
being elevated. so far as higher wages
arc concerned. until at the present time
q large number Of men and women are
drawing salaries from $500 70 $1,000 per
year and who II compelled to depend
upon their own resources and ability
without the necessary pull" could not
honestly earn. on an average. 50 per
week. We have in mind ar this moment
numerous cases such as have been refer
red to- end some where servants have
been promoted from doing the house
work IN a Conzressman's family to i'm
pCrtant positions under the National
Government. and are now drawing salary
far I'm excess Of what they could earn az
employment for which they are more
adapted.
Cut in Leaves Of Absence.
Another mode OF reducing wages has
developed within the past two weeks in
one Of the Government departments.
wherein the poorest paid labor has been
reduced. by order OF the superintendeHc
or chief Of the department. from thirty
days leave OF absence generally grant
ed the Government employees 20 that Of
fifteen days. II has taken this particu-
lar individual several years 10 bring the
leave Of absence down 10 q fifteen day
basis. by cutting a few days from each
OF the employees on the laboring .orce
yearly As this matter will be pre-
scented to the President however. We
viii omit. FOR the time being. the name
Of the gentleman and department where
fl this discretion" as 10 the leave Of
absence Us used
These facts are only referred 20 for
the purpose OF calling attention to the
gross injustice that IS being perpetrated
upon the men and women who work
Messrs Babcock and McCleary, who
forced the law through the last Con-
gress, knew 10 was a reduction OF wages.
The superintendent who issued bis
famous fifteen days reduction order
from the charwomen and laborers under
his jurisdiction. took advantage Of the
term may grant In the law. and while
all other departments outside OF he
Government Printing Office and the
Bureau OF Engraving and Printing have
the same discretionary power, yet no