Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-29
TROUBLE At ASYLUM
Cut in Wages Made at st.
Elizabeth's.
employees GROWING
DIR. WHITE SAID TO HAVE SNUB-
BED ORGANIZATION.
Scale Fixed by Board Of Visitors Four
Years Ago To Become
Effective.
employees GROWING

A delegation of nurses and attendants
employed at the Government Hospital for
the Insane waited on DR.. William A. White.
the superintendent, yesterday for the pur-
pose Of protesting against the enforcement
OF an order. recently issued by DR.. White
which will effect cut in the salaries OF
these two particular classes Of employees of
all the way from $50 to $3.50 per month.
1t is understood that Dr. White heard the
protestants, but it Is said he refused to re-
scind the order. The visit Of the delegation
to DR.. White and the presentation of the
protest Is said to be result of the dssat-
lsfactIon of the employees with the general
condition of the arrangements at the hos
pital under the administration of DR.. White.
DIR. White has been In charge OF the
hospital since last fall. and, 1t Is said.
ever since his arrival there has been more
or less discomfort among the employees.
both high and low, on account Of the
IL eatment said to have been given them.
There are several hundred persons en-
ployed In various capacities about the In
stftutton Many Of these-a large ma
jority, in faet-are supplied with board
and lodging in addition to their salaries.
The money for the payment of the wages
Of the employees is appropriated by Con-
gress In lump sum and Is transferred to
the superintendent of the asylum by the
disbursfng officer of the Interior Depart
ment.
The superintendent has charge of the
payment Of the employees and can, with
the consent of the board of visitors fix or
change the scale of wages paid to ma ior
fty of those employed under him. The sal
airy Of the assistant physicians. pathologist
etc, are paid according to fixed rate, 1t
| Is said, but that Of the minor employees,
such as nurses and attendants, with the
exception of the head nurse, is fixed by the
superintendent with the approval Of the
board of visitors.
Fixed Scale of Wages.
In 1900 the board of visitors on the rec
onmendation of the late DR.. A. b. Rich
ardson, then superintendent of the institu-
ton, fixed a scale for the employees. 1t Is
understood that before that time the mat
ter of salary had never been systematized
for the minor employees, although there
were certain ratings which were generally
adhered to.
there was some little discomfort among the
employees. AT that time 1t is understood,
the announcement was made that faithful
and meritorious service would receive
prompt recognition by increases In salary.
This promise was kept, and from time to
time the wages were raised until the pres
emit rate was received At present the pay
of the nurses ranges all the way from
s24O to 900 per annum. $50 to $50 per
month The pay of attendants is from
$16s to $3.50 per annum, or $14 to $50 per
month. 1t is understood that this rate rep
resents increases of from s.. so to $3.50 Der
| month over the rate established in 1900 Ii
has been claimed for several years that the
rate paid was entirely Inadequate for tie
service rendered. and several attempts have
been made to have the wages made higher
but without success.
The order of Dr. White decreasing the
salaries all along the line restores the old
rate and disregards the increases that have
been granted.
Organization Recognized.
The organization effected among the en-
ployes of the hospital during the admins
tration Of DR.. Richardson was duly recog-
| nized by him a representative body and
was approved by him. Dr. White, it Is
| claimed. has ignored the organization en-
tirely since he took charge of the insti-
tuition. So far no one has been affected
outside the corps of nurses and attendants,
| tt is said, but they anticipated other reduc-
tons until the old scale should reach all
the employees in all the departments.
Did Not Want Publicity.
One officer of the association of employees,
who was seen today. expressed his regret
! that anything should be made public about
! the matter. as it might be taken as a re-
| Fiction on the officers of the institution and
| the association. A delegation of employees
| waited on DIR. White, he said and did not
| receive much satisfaction. The business of
the delegation related to the reduction of
| the wages. over which those concerned were
| considerably exercised. The matter of SAL
| airy is a vital question with the members of
| the organization. 1t was said. The wages
now paid are so low that it is extremely r.
| fcult to live upon them, and many of the
employees have families which must be sup
ported. The cut in the wages goes into eff
feet with the salaries received tomorrow
and Monday.
1t is understood that the reason given for
the reduction Is that tie board of visitors
did not authorize the payment of a higher
rate than the scale established in 1890 and
amended in 1907 and that the condition of
the Institutions finances does not warrant
the payment of higher salaries. The scale
which will go into effect is similar to
that paid in other asylums and like institu-
lions, it is said. and the superintendent
knows of no reason why a higher rate
should he paid here for the same service
when that rate is believed to be too high for
the services performed