Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-16
SHORTER WORKDkY
At HIGHER SALARY
Benefits to Government Clerks
Through installation of
TabuIation Machines.

Twenty five per cent increase in pay
with shorter working hours has been
given to the employees of the office OF
the auditor of the Post Office De-
partment during the past year. This
was brought about through the in
stallation of mechanical tabulation for
auditing postmasters' money order
accounts.
At the time Congress authorized
Auditor Charles A. kram to install the
taouiating machines provision WAS
made for converting the salaries of
zo' money order assorters and skilled
laborers, with average salaries OF
$3.50 per annum. into a lump sum for
the payment of machine operatives on
a piece-work basis
Following the Inauguration of this
system it was found that as proficiency
was gained in the operation of the ma
cnlnes fewer employees We're needed to
handle the work. and it was therefore
decided to allow all vacancies as they
occurred to remain untitled. so that
at the present time lit machine opera
tives are drawing the salaries formerly
paid to 2O7 money order assorters and
skilled laborers. The average machine
operative on pieca-rate basis re-
ceived S945 per annum, as conN,ared
with former average annual salary
of $3.50.
Fixes Maximum Output.
For administrative reasons it was
deemed advisable to fix a maximum
daily output of a machine operative
and no employe is permitted to perform
work outside of the regular govern
ment office hours. Under this limita-
ton male employees engaged on the
large asserting and gang punching ma
chimes can earn up to S1.320 per an
mum. while female operatives on the
key-punching machines receive high
as s1,140. Fully one-fourth of the
operatives complete the maximum days
work in six hours.
The question naturally arises to
whether or not few rhenomenally
pense Of the large body of their less
skillful coworkers. The auditor states
that of the LII employees affected all bat
twelve have received substantial in
creases, and of the twelve only. three
receive as little as 500 per month.
A large proportion of the employees who
have thus benefited We're formerly print
erS' assistants in the bureau of engrav-
ing and printing. and ineligible under
civil service regulations for promotion to
ployes was appointed In 1896 as 4 print
er's assistant at s1.2o per day, and in
the succeeding eight years was advanced
to the grade of $500 per annum.
Increases in Compensation.
In 1903 she was transferred 10 the
auditors Office as a hand money order
assorter at $500 per annum, and re-
NAMED at that grade until transferred
to the piece-rate operative roll in No
vember, 1917 Her compensation for the
month Of June was at the rate of 81, 1I
per annum. Another employe WAS ap-
pointed as a money order assorter in
April, 1912. at $500 and transferred to
the piece-rate roll in November of the
same year, since which date her compen-
sation has averaged $50 per month.
While the installation of the mechani-
cal system has resulted in increasing the
salaries OF the employees, it was not
adopted primarily on that account. the
auditor stated. but for the purpose OF
securing a more prompt and accurat
audit of pOstmasters' accounts. The in
PRODUCTION of the machines has practi-
cally eliminated the opportunity for cler-
ical error, and the cards can be handled
so rapidly by means of the automatic
machines operated by electricity that it
is possible to complete the audit of post
masters accounts in a much shorter
period of time than was formerly deemed
possible.