Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-21
INCREASE IN COMPENSATION
NOTICE TO MACHINE OPERATORS
IN G. p. o.
Advance of Ten Cents an Hour to
Each-Public Printers An
nouncement.

Public Printer Leech today gave The
dressed to the linotype operators and
monotype keyboard operators in the gov
eminent printing office on the matter of
Increased compensation. A committee
recently waited upon Mr.. Leech and re-
quested an increase in the pay Of the
operators.
In the letter written by the public
printer he says the experimental stage
OF machine compensation in the gov
eminent printing Office has passed, and
proficient operators In this office are not
receiving compensation equal to that paid
by commercial Offices in the larger cities
throughout the country, and in his judg
ment the compensation paid by the gov
eminent to linotype operators and mono
type keyboard operators is insufficient to
insure the continuance in the service of
capable operators. and, consequently, not
such as the interests of the service de-
mand
Approved by the President.
1.-THE matter has been considered by the
President" he adds, land it affords me
great pleasure to be the instrument in
his hands to inform you that the Presf-
dent approves an increase in the COM
pension of all linotype operators and all
monotype keyboard operators now en-
ployed or to be employed in the govern
ment printing office. and you are there
fore advised that the scale OF wages paid
this class of employees shall, on and after
October 1. 1908. be increased from so
cents to so cents ger hour"
Directly the public printer assumed con-
troll of his office he began an investiga-
ton Of the scale of wages in force at the
during this investigation that the ques-
ton OF the pay of job compositors was
called to his attention, and in reply to an
inquiry addressed by him to the deputy
public printer. under date OF June 10. 1908.
calling for statement as to the authority
for paying Job compositors tmposers pay
the deputy public printer said there is
no authority for doing this under the law
the controller of the Treasury requesting
decision on the subject, and again
showed his interest in the employees by
making the statement to the controller
which it was hoped would result In justi-
flying a decision that the scale of wages
hitherto paid to job compositors should
be continued by authority of law.
Controllers Reply.
In answer to his communication the
controller replied that:
"A person who thus sets type on job
work Is printer and compositor. and, In
my judgment, you are not authorized to
pay him more than so cents per hour (the
regular rate) for time employed in COM
position. because as an incident to said
composition he imposes the same"
On account Of this decision Of the con-
troller the public printer was obliged to
reduce the compensation of job COM
posters to the regular scale of COM
positors' pay. But in connection with
this decision the controller advised that
the compensation for machine compost
tors was a matter that was left to the
discretion Of the public printer, and by
this assured that the granting Of an in
crease to linotype operators and mono
type keyboard operators was legal. And.
having satisfied himself by careful re-
search and investigation that the inter-
ests Of the government would not be sac
rif1ced by such increase he proceeded to
perfect a plan whereby the increased
scale could be put in operation, and his
letter Of today Is the result.
The change will affect eightyfour lino-
type operators and 137 monotype key
board operators, and will involve an addi
tional expenditure for salary Of $54. 900 per
annum. but 1t is confidently expected that
this amount will be more than compen-
stated for by the beneficial results which
are bound to follow the proper recognition
Of faithful and efficient service.