The Washington herald., 1910-01-10


that, although the cost Of living has IN
creased to a considerable extent Cfrom %
to 40 per cent? within the last fifteen or
twenty years. the salaries of government
clerks remained the same | wish to call
attention to the fact that this is a seri-
Gus mistake and is an injustice to the
clerks
While there has been no general re-
vision of salaries. either UP or down,
little investigation on the part of any one
who may be interested win disclose the
fact that gradually from year to year the
average of salaries has been reduced. This
has been accomplished. not by a revision
OF grades which were established by law
many years ago. but by the addition in
almost every appropriation act Of statu-
| tory positions below what was originally
intended to be the minimum salary paid
TO government clerks.
Quotes Acts of 1896.
In the act of May Is. 1896. We find this
Clerks Of the fourth class, Sl.S00; third
class, 81 500; second class. 81, 400; first class
| $l.300. Fifth. To women employed In du-
| ties of a clerical character subordinate TO
| those assigned TO clerks OF the first class,
including copyists and counters, or tenn
porarily employed TO perform the duties
Of a clerk. $500" II would appear, there
/ fore, that the intention was that 81 200
should be the lowest salary to be paid 20
| clerks on the regular rolls, and that 5000
was to be the lowest salaries to be paid
| 10 copyists and counters (women) and
! those temporarily employed on work OF a
clerical nature
/ Since that time the entrance salaries
/ have gradually been lowered until almost
every bureau and office in the executive
departments has clerks working at any
where from $3.50 to $40 per annum as the
minimum salary, and they require a de-
! gree Of efficiency at least as high as when
/ the entrance salary was 81 900 and Sl.200
per annum,
! Thus It can be seen that while no gen.
eral classification has recently been made,
the same result has been obtained by
/ gradually adding TO the pay Eolls hun
dreds and hundreds OF low grade places.
several hundred dollars per annum lower
than was contemplated originally for per-
sons doing clerical and stenOgraphic work.
/ IN the mean time. the hours Of labor have
been increased, requirements have been
made higher. clerks have been forbddn
IN some cases to earn additional compen-
sation by doing evening work. and. with
/ the addition Of hundreds Of low grade
/ places without q corresponding increase
in the 81 900 and 81 so classes. the chances
Of promotion have been made very slim.
The argument is often put forward that
the salaries paid 10 government clerks
are higher than that paid to persons do
/ ing similar work Tor private concerns
and corporations. To a great extent this
may be so, and yet in a great many re
/ spects II is not so. The government work
cannot well be compared to work OF
/ business houses and corporations. The
| correspondence received and on file in
the government Offices bears silent testi-
mony to the superior quality Of work re-
quiTed by government Offices 20 that
which is required by private concerns.
And then. again. a man must be paid
/ something for giving up all ambition and
all hope OF ever making more shan a
scaut living IN the Office OF a corpora
ton every clerk, stenographer. or book
keeper has A chance Of becoming an Of
I fetal OF the company or possibly mem
/ Der Of the firm, with a salary larger and
/ privileges greater than those OF a bureau
chief or even Of a Cabinet officer, while
the highest possibilities held out 10 a
/ government clerk is a chief clerkship a,
from Sl,40O TO 5000 per annum. Not a
very brilliant career for young man
to may out for himself. Then, again, IN
entering a railroad Office. a commercial
house, or a law Office the young man has
a chance OF learning a business which
will make his services valuable 10 other
concerns o. a similar nature, and II he
is bright, willing, and energetic, openings
Will surely come 10 him. while the gov
eminent clerk learns nothing which
could be Of any value to him outside OF
government service and his motto IS
Abandon hope all ye who enter here"
should BE "a Model.
The Federal government should be a
model employer. efficiency and willing
ness to work should be required OF all
and the compensation paid should Do
such as TO make the government service
an honorable and desirable calling What
young man in the government service
who has been there long enough 10 learn
its limitations would not trade his po-
sitiOn for one OF similar salary with q
good substantial corporation or business
firm? But he cannot do this. for lie has
gained no experience or learned no pro-
fession which makes his services in de
mand He must work for the govern.
ment TO the end Of his days OF go out
and start all over again, just where The
high school boy must start Although
his services to the government are valua.
BILE, they are not valuable elsewhere, and
because there is no demand for such
services on the outside, Congress and tht
/ general public do not appreciate the
value OF the calling he has been so I'm,
fortunate as 10 choose.
In order to bring the average salary Il
what it used to be. and in comparison
with the present cost Of living, the salary
Of every clerk below $1,000 per annun
should be increased 10 $1,000 and q 20 pei
cent increase made all along the line
Beyond the silent vote. clerks must not
engage in politics. Executive order for
bids any attempt to influence Legislation
In our behalf We have no unions and
no committees TO look after our interests
We must depend upon public opinion and
the Justice of Congress to look out foi
our welfare. A GOVERNMENT CLERK.
Gives Congress IA Rap.
Editor TIE Washington Herald:
As this is my first offense in asking fOl