The Washington times., 1911-01-19
Asks United Effort.


have sent the following letter to
NJ. F. O'Donoghue, president, and mem
bers of the Civil Service Retirement
Association, who will hold convention
on Friday:
In the convention that will meet to-
morrow In Grand Army Hall | want
your keynote to be harmony, and ad-
wise all who participate to seek for
general revision and increase of all
salaries paid 10 civil service employees
who are receiving less than 5000 per
annum, so that each of the $4,000 Will
receive at least an increase of 500 per
annum.
You know that l have given much
time and labor to all measures for the
betterment of United States employees,
and would not mention this fact here
except to emphasize the statement, that
after a careful analysis of the leSlsla-
ton that IS before houses Of Congress,
il will be almost impossible to secure
the passage of ary bill that will i'm
prove the condition of the executive
departmental service, unless there is
united effort for that measure by every
body.
And l am sure If your honorable
convention adopts this plan. and make
vigorous effort in its behalf. leaving
the question OF a suitable method tn
provide for the superannuated to Con-
gress, the salaries would be very sub
kstantiallv increased at once.
"Laborers, messengers, clerks. and
chiefs of divisions, as we'll as bureau
officers, the Cabinet, and the President
| himself, have placed themselves on rec
ORD as favoring an increase of salary.
1T has been the prayer of many fOI
years who have been serving in places
everyone knows should be paid a living
wage. that a Joshua would rise up who
would lead Congress in the right way.
| Unfortunately, Congress considers il
there are no strikes, no abnormal resig.
nations. that the service is all right.
In the hurry and strife that appears
| necessary to legislation in Congress, not
much attention is given to the bureau
or Cabinet officer who reports each
year that a more efficient corps of pub,
lie servants could be secured II they
were encouraged from time to time like
other human beings, or treated in az
| humane a manner as large private
manufacturing establishments trea
their employees.
congress will appropriate any sun
required for improved machinery, bu
1 II has not been thought necessary fo
f1fty-seven years to improve the condi
| ton of the human beings of the classi
fled civil service. who fortunately hat
| hAAn of orlro
adaptability and intelligence and sci
denial instincts, that they have beeI
able, not only to do the work requiret
of them as the years passed by, an
the necessaries of life increased 80 pc
cent, but they have actually contrivet
to exist with their families without an
increase in salary. while their brother
who were in Congress, or in the Cabine
or other places Of authority, who un
fortunately did not possess the adapta
bility to enable them to do the wor
required of them and at the same tim
exist on the salaries they were receiv
ing, did fortunately possess the powe
to remedy the poorly paid salary the
were receiving, and as Is the cas-
usually, when people are sitting In
| CON QTduSlI ana Ine door open VIII
the wind blowing direct on them, the
promptly arose and slammed the doc
shut.
The chance your convention has thes
two days will never occur again. Per
sonal views should be subordinated t
the general good. You all know the un
rest in the service, and what q benef
would be gained for the taxpayer b
the increased efficiency that would
caused by some slight encouragement
from Congress. and for this reaso
alone 1t appears to me you should fol
: low my advice.
II am sorry cannot attend your cor
vention. but after being elected a dele
gate 1 found that another would hav
to take my place, but I sincerely hop
that what you do will receive the az
proval of all, and you will make goo
history if you make the increase of a
salaries your appeal to Congress, an
if you do. before the end of the preser
session the proper legislation will b
U placed on the statute books. Very re
spectfully and fraternally yours,
JOSEPH w. BUCK.
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