Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-18
Be RAISED
Proposed Increases for the
Government Clerks.
OPINIONS OF BUSINESS MEN
Commissioner Biddle and Others Give
Their Views.
HIGHER COST OF LIVING
Employees Of Uncle Sam Should Be
Afforded Means to Keep Pace
With Other Workers.
3HER COST OF LIVING

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The agitation In favor of increasing the
salaries of clerks in all branches OF the
government service seems to be spreading
more and more widely In the capital, and
Endorsements of the proposition are being
heard on all sides. Business men,, working
men. students Of economic conditions. OFF,
Gals In and out Of the service-ali who
have given thought to the plan to secure
more adequate compensation for the faith
full workers of Uncle Sam unite in eXpia-
sizing Its necessity. Those actively cham
pionIng the movement are not slow In
pointing out the wage increases that have
obtained among the railroad employees and
among workers in many other fields. and In
insisting that the government clerks de-
serve an equal amount of consideration.
Rents and the prices of foodstuffs, CLOTH
ing and other necessities Of life have IN
creased by leaps and bounds scores of OBJ
servers of current conditions say. ana some
of the clerks in the government employ
have prepared statistical tables to show just
how their money goes each month and how
salaries have slowly, but none the less
surely. proved unequal to the task OF meet
ing family demands Indications are. toe,
that more interest than for years past Is
being aroused in and about the legislative
halls of Congress in the matter OF better
salaries for government clerks. One or TWO
bills to the important end In question nave
already been introduced, and 1t Is said TO
be almost certain that more will follow:
and out of the whole 1t Is hoped that some
thing satisfactory to all concerned IN the
way of legislation will be evolved. Surely
If the general sentiment manifested through
out the District of Columbia counts for
anything. the measure or measures provid-
ing for remuneration for government en-
ployes more in keeping with the services
rendered will be enthusiastically supported
when they come up for action this winter.
"At the last session Of Congress the Dis
trict of Columbia was much the gamer by
the passage of bills carrying increases of
salaries for the local police and fire depart
ments and the public school teachers" one
of the workers in the ranks declared this
morning, land it can surely be shown that
the employees in the United States govern
ment departments are deserving or similar
consideration
Other opinions along the same general
line were expressed today.
Views of Commissioner Biddle.
Col. John Biddle, Engineer Commissioner
of the District, said that he had never stud
led the salary question in It's relation to
the government employees and was not in
position to intelligently express himself
upon the proposed legislation. but inasmuch
as the rate of living in the, capital has ma
terialy increased he said he sees no reason
why the salaries should not be raised. COL
Biddle expressed the opinion that II the
government employees are given the pro-
posed increase the same consideration
should be shown to the District employees
because the pay of the latter on the aver
age is smaller than that of the former.
R. Ross Perry. ST., stated it as his opinion
that it Is only just that the proposed In
crease should be given to the government
clerks. He also used as an argument the
fact that cost of living has increased while
salaries have remained at standstill.
What Merchants Say.
Mr. Arthur c. Moses of w. B. Moses &
Of the government clerks should be in
creased "In our line of business" he ex-
planned, prices have been raised by the
manufacturers twice during the past thir-
teen months. In both instances we were
notified that the advance was fixed at 10
per cent. To meet the increases in this line
as well as others it must be hard for all
people except those with large incomes"
When Mr.. r. c. H. Vance. president Of
the Greater Washington Realty Corpora
ton, which has dealt largely in local sub
urban tracts recently, was approached. he
said that in his estimation the government
employees should be given the 20 per cent
increase. ut is all right" Mr.. Vance re-
marked, "for when you come to consider
the increase in the cost Of living in the past
ten years it looks no more than proper that
those who serve the government should be
advanced in salary. Business houses have
advanced the pay Of their employees. The
government should be the leader in the
movement and not the exception. In our
suburban realty transactions we have on
more than one occasion noticed the scarcity
Of money with government clerks"
More Salary or Less Food.
"They will have to have more salary be-
60 Nv no DIV,
justice Of the peace and president of the
Columbia Heights Citizens Association.
commented when asked by a Star reporter
today for an expression as to whether or
not the bill should pass. Judge Bundy said
that the pay should be increased to meet
the Increased cost of living. He also stated
that he is sure that the cost of maintaining
a household has increased one-third and
that he Is glad to see that an effort is being
made to raise the salaries of the govern
ment clerks.
Mr.. William F. GUIDE of GUIDE & Bros,
florists, and Of the Business Mems Associa-
ton, is in favor of the proposed increase in
pay for government employes-'first, last
and all the time"
Why" he said, "all of the business
houses are raising the salaries of their en-
ployes and the government should do like
wise. The standard of service furnished by
the majority of the government employees Is
such that they do not receive what they
would ordinarily be paid In other lines of
business.
From my own experience I know the
cost of living has gone up" Mr.. George H.
Judd of Judd & Detweiler, printers, said. II
believe that the salaries of the employees of
the government should be raised to meet
the increased cost Of living"
Only Justice to Clerks.
I'm justice to them they should be al
lowed the 20 per cent increase in their sal
aries. as the cost of living seems to be
growing higher as the days go by" Mr.. j.
[. Leverton of Leverton & Co., dealers in
ladies' suitings and cloaks. said. In our
own business the cost Of cloaks and suit
ings has increased. and the profit Is no
more than 1t was before believe that the
government employees should have their
salaries raised. IN order that they may
keep step with the people in other voca-
TONS
Mr.. 8. Kann believes that the pay OF the
clerks should be raised. Incomes in all
trades and professions" Mr.. Kann said,
have advanced. and the government clerks
should also be given an increase. The cost
of living has increased. and the salaries
which formerly seemed adequate are hardly
so at the present time. I would be glad to
h. nloA