The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-01-10
EMPLOYEES RESENT
GILLETT'S LETTER
Member of Subcommittee on Appropriations
Held Responsible for the Increase in
Hours of Workday.

Yesterday was the last woodworking
day for the department employees.
1t was taken full advantage Of every
where. In not a few offices, the clerks
and other employees took part Of the
afternoon off to discuss the effect Of the
new order and take a last fond retro
spect of the six-and-a- half-hour day
that viii come no more.
The new order has been traced to
Representative Gnlett of Massachu-
sets. Mathematicians may be interest
ed in calculating, I'm view of this dis
covery, Just how long ii would take Mr.
Gillett to be elected to office IL he lived
In a bailiwick populated by department
clerks
Mr.. Gillett; His Letter.
He is a member of the subcommittee
of the Appropriations Committee In
charge OF appropriations for the legisIa-
tive, executive and judicial departments.
Recently he sent the following letter to
each head OF n department except the
Department of Justice:
Committee on Appropriations,
House OF Representatives,
washington, ID. c. Jan. 1, 1891.
Dear Sir: The subcommittee is now
preparing the legislative ETC. appropria-
ton bill, and 1 observe that you ask for
your department an increase i'm the num-
Der or clerks, and yet l understand that
your present force Of clerks is only en-
ployed six and one-half hours a day, in
stead OF seven hours, the minimum
liked by law. and are also given the
afternoons before holidays. and on Sat
urdays throughout the summer
This would indicate that you now
voluntarily dispense with about 10 per
cent OF the service which the law re-
quires you to exact. and that conse-
hn.r
more clerks.
II you will explain this apparent con-
tfadicuon as soon as possible. as we
hope to report the bill this week you
VIII oblEe yours respectfully.
FREDERICK II. GILLETT.
The Cabinet Acts.
The receipt Of this letter surprised
the heads of the departments. and they
were still further surprised to learn
the House Appropriations Committee
intended TO provide for a workday
from to 4:30 in the appropriation
measure for the executive departments.
The Cabinet concluded not to await
such legislation.
Nothing that has happened in the Dis
trict in recent years has caused so much
discussion in Washington as the order
which becomes effective Monday. In
measure, the change of working hours
affects almost every interest in the Dis
trict. 1t is the more important in that
II is likely to lead TO a provision In the
District appropriation bill requiring Dis
trict clerks to work from to 4:3O.
In some quarters a proposition to be-
gin the workday at $50 instead Of is
favored. This is especially the case with
a number of students Of Columbian Uni
versity. They have started a movement
&c this end. and talk OF holding a mass
meeting. Among the young men who
are studying law and working in de-
partments the idea OF beginning the
Gay at $50 finds much support.
Eight Hundred Students Affected.
More than SOC students Of Columbian
University have been affected by the
change Of hours for Government clerks
In order TO accommodate those students
who are Government clerks the hours
for afternoon lectures have been
changed. The first lecture VIII begin
at $50. instead OF 4.3o. as heretofore.
and Will be concluded at $40. The sec
ond lecture will begin Immediately and
win be over at $50.