The Washington times., 1910-06-24
ORDER BY DURAND
PLACATES CLERKS
Restores Peace, Temporarily
AT Least Among Women
Threatening Strike.

A possible strike among the women
tabulating clerks IN the population al
vision Of fEe Censas Bureau was avert
ed today when Director Durand issued
an official order which has met with
the temporary approval Of the clerks IN
question
These clerks had been protesting
against being paid under the piece sys-
TEN instead Of at d monthly rate as was
the understanding when they were en-
ployed. Mr.. Durand's pacifying order
gives the clerks the option Of working
or the piece work scale or at the month
rate scale for thirty days, st the expira-
ton Of which time all Will be paid by
the piece
Mr Durand said today that he is de-
sirous Of being as reasonable as posi-
Bile He explained that IN thirty days
all these clerks. viii have become pre-
hcieut in operating the JabulaUng ma
chimes and win have acquired a speed
in turning out cards which will enable
them to earn at least 50 to 75 per cent
more than they would receive II they
were working at a stipulated monthly
salary.
Says They'll Alter Views.
these clerks viii agree with me at the
end OF thirty days They viii hnd that
they have become fairly expert at Oper-
atina tile machines and 1 feel confident
that they win not find il difficult 10 earn
SO or $50 a month. Their pay, accord
inc to the monthly basis, would only be
$50 a month
The labuIating division Of the Census
3 a
for more than a week. The majority
OF the women were new to the work,
especially those operating the new elec-
trlC tabUlaung machines. They con-
tended that they were placed on piece
work basis too soon. They had not had
time TO get the swing SO to speak,
AMI a number Of them said today that
they have undergone physical suffering
during the present hot spell trying 70
tabulaJe enough cards to keep their pay
somewhere near the amount they would
I have resolved had they been on salary.
Complain of Ineffciency.
They also complained that they were
further handicapped by the alleged in
efficiency OF some of the men known as
section chiefs WHO have supervision
over them The women explain that
these men are newly appointed and
are "dreadfully green" as they ex-
I pressed it. and instead OF being a help
TO the clerks, they are, on the contrary,
a drawback.
One woman. who for reasons that are
natural, did not care to have her name
made public. said today that yesterday
she lost an en-ire days work because of
an error on the part Of her section
chief She said today that she had
tabulated over 400 cards when she dis
covered that an enumeration schedule
fTem which she had been working w2s
not complete. thus making il neces-
sary for her 70 do her work over again.
This mistake, she said, was due TO the
negligence Of the section chief.
This matter was brought to Director
DUrand's attention today and he said
the matter would be investigated and
that the young woman in question
would be paid for her days work. He
said that in all such cases where the
clerks are set back or otherwise ham
pered in their work they viii be re-
I imbursed.
AnOthe- clerk said today that she
was pr pairing TO give up her position
in the bureau before she learned Of
Mr.. Durand's S order today. because she
found IL impossible to make enough
money at the piece work scale to war
rant her staying.