Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-13
WANTS MORE PAY
Herbert Putnam, Librarian of
Congress, Before Committee.
ARGUESFOR HIGHER SALARY
Request Denied on Score of General
Demand for Economy.
NEEDS BIGGER WORKING FORCE
Statement Made in Support of Plea
for an Increase in Com
pensation.
ARGUESFOR HIGHER SALARY
NEEDS BIGGER WORKING FORCE

Herbert Putnam, librarian of Congress,
has failed i'll his effort to Induce the ap-
preparations committee of tho House to
| increase his salary from $4,000 to $500 u
year, the committee at its last hearing
having decided not to include in the ap-
preparation bill d provision for the in
crease. But Mr.. Putnam presented many
admittedly excellent arguments why this
should be done.
The appropriations committee feared, it
is said, that if Mr. Putnam We're recon-
mended for an increase every other head
of an Independent government bureau
the public printer, for instance-woud
step to the front with the same sort of
demand. And this, in view of the present
general inclination toward economy,
would prove embarrassing, to say the
| least.
Increase Justified.
"The position justities the Increase
Mr.. Putnam said, frankly, to the appro-
| priations committee in his own behalf.
| land really in its own interest perma-
nently requires it. / have occupied this
| position for twelve years now, and al
though it is not for me to say this. per-
| haps reasonably filled IT. The third real
J.
| but that is IA consideration that the COM
mittCe, of course, has no concern about.
Representative Livingston Of Georgia
| interrupted to say that IF you cannot
live on $1,000 Il year, Mr.. Putnam
| you ought to have the increase
Il receive $4,000 now, Mr.. Putnam
| replied. and / have no other source
of income. 1 left a position at $4,000
| twelve years ago and took this for a
| year at $4,000. at that temporary sac
rifice. Ii I had stayed there 1 suppose
| should have received $500.
Required Qualifications.
THE qualifications which this place
requires cannot be q determining con-
sideration with the committee, yet it
must be conceded that 1t is an Office
requiring the kind of executive ability
and some other of the qualities that
have a considerable commercial value.
cannot say it requires vast learning.
because if it did require tat, 1
haven't it: but it does requires sub
stantial general education, Il sufficient
knowledge of the technique to enable
the incumbent to understand 1ntelll-
gently the problems and to select the
right men to handle them, and these
men are specialists. which means on
the part of their chief IL sympathetic
understanding of the specialists as
we'll of the problems. 1t requires
the ability administer Il business
which is considerable
AT the same time the Library of
Congress is an institution which now
has a prestige throughout the world.
1t is necessarily visited by every for
eigner who comes to Washington, emil
nent professionally Or in literature,
science or affairs, or merely as tour
list. These men must be met suitably.
1.-The library is the ranking library OF
this country. ard the liDiar.ansni., is the
ranking .librar anship. Librarians in gen.
eral are not people given to luxurfes; they
are content to live modestly; but they
ought not to have to live psnuriously.
The librarian of Congress does not have
to entertain largely, but he ought to be
able to show some attention, because
when he goes elsewhere In behalf OF the
government he receives attention. The
merely moderate necessities of such po-
D .ioII, IL SEEMS to me. would justify
salary of 81 500 as against $1,000
Il could not save out Of salary of
$4,000. and 1 have family. These con
siderations apply to many people in the
think the Guardianship of our national Ii
brary. the ranking librariansh p of this
country. should be paid as much as tn
librarianship Of the city of Brooklyn"
Larger Working Force Needed.
Mr. Putnam urged a number of in
creases in the working force of the Ii
prary, claiming that the volume Of bust
ness had increased SO much the present
staff was inadequate to handle it prop
erly.
DO You find that your popular service,
the evening and general daily service, has
Iincreased?' asked Gen Bingham of Phila
dephia. the subcommittee chairman.
Yes Mr.. Putnam replied, 1.-The even
ing service represents the heaviest pres
sure of the day: the reading room is luli,
and the periodical room ALSO in the even
ing. Sundays in winter we cannot ac-
commodate the crowd applying"