The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-01-09

A. Lisner. who was chairman of the
special committee Of the Chamber of
Commerce appointed a short time ago to
look into the question Of salaries Of
government employees. said:
Tho Washington Herald is doing
great work in trying TO get better pay
for the clerks. Our investigation showed
that the remuneration OF the clerks.
which averages only Sl,1O0 a year, is not
sufficient TO enable them to live as they
should in these days OF high prices for
the necessities Of life. Some people say
tho government employees ought 10 ar
range their expenditures 80 as 10 live
within their means. That is all nom
sense. Take a man with & wife and four
or five children What can he do II
members OF his family are taken sick
and doctor bills have to be met? In
cases like this II frequently happens that
what little he has been able TO lay aside
is swept away.
In order 10 supplement their incomes,
many of the clerks engage in some out
side work after hours. AS a result of
this their attention becomes divided, and
they do not give all their energy 10 their
regular duties. Uncle sam thus SUI
fers."
Report Of the Committee.
The report Of the committee, which
Was adopted by the Chamber or Com
merce December "A last. recommended
that the average salary be raised SO 1-3
per cent Copies OF Il have just been
sent 90 every member Of both the House
and Senate. The report said IN part:
According 10 Bradstreet. commodities
wers higher October I. 1859. than at any
corresponding preceding date, except IN
1877. In September. out Of 1ol staples.
forty-fve increased. and only eighteen
declined. The indications are that the
price OF grain and cotton will increase
a magazine Of reputation IS responsible
for the statement that the prices for rs
leading commodities for the past ten
years have risen 30 per cent
This increase in values has enriched
manufacturers, farmers. and most wage
earners. But the government employees
barring Senators and Representative
have had no increase. The average sal
airy or a government clerk IS still only
SLIGO
The Roosevelt Homes Commission
shows that last year, in the various de
parnents, l.033 married men were earn
Ing less than SEQ q year. and SIS less than
500
I'VE advance IN every direction. except
that OF humane treatment OF the govern
ment clerk We make laws FOR the pre-
vention OF child labor, for compulsory
education. We make grants OF money
for the prevention and cure Of diseases,
and all the time keep 2S.947 men on such
low salaries that through care and anx-
iety, and often from lack Of proper food
and housing. they are unhealthy and IN
happy
Live in IuSanitary Apartments.
Examine the s99. S35, and so apart
ments IN which many Of our clerks are
obliged TO live, and see how few OF their
bedrooms have adequate light and venti-
lation.
What private employer Of any stand
ing takes thirty. forty. or even fifty
years Of a mans faithful service and
then sets him adrift, penniless. or cuts
his already paltTy salary to a mere
mOckery Of a living wage2
Besides their ordinary expenses. many
Of the clerks have 10 spend their money
and time 20 take trips home TO vote for
the very men who appear to be indiffer-
ent to the just claim OF their supporters
for an adequate salary
1T is time that Congress reflected that
these men, SO helpless slngly. have at
last organized. The Clerks Civil Serv-
ice Retirement Association last year
numbered 1900 members. By its next
convention It hopes to increase its mem
bershiD 10 100 90 ."