Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-29
STANDARDS Of LIVING
FOR j. S. EMPLOYEES
Writer Thinks One Clerk Should
Not Pose as Another's
Critic.
Holds Flowers and Music May Be as
Necessary as Beef and
Potatoes.

An argument for higher pay for govern
ment clerks and straight" or non-con-
tributory pension plan is advanced by
woman government clerk who has written
to the Star to comment on other letters
on the same subjects published recently
The other clerks who have written to
The Star have received $1,000 a year or
more. but this woman receives 5000 a
year.
Her letter follows:
at would be tragic if we were all alike
in this world would it not? But as we
are not it is amusing to me to read
the different communications from clerks
and other working people as to how much
salary it takes to live, and as to whether
the average clerk can live on the salary
that Uncle Sam pays. One correspondent
says he spends nothing for toilet articles:
does he never use a tooth brush?
Some Need the Movies.
One says he spends quite a bit on the
movies. and is censured by another for
wasting so much money; but the fellow
who put down so much for the movies
probably included what he paid for vari-
Gus other entertainments perhaps an
opera, a good play, as there was no
such expenditure listed. and it is one that
nearly every up-to-date inhabitant of a
city has. The. critic who censured him
may not need the opera or the movie or
play. but he, perhaps. in their stead needs
a bigger piece Of meat for his dinner than
the other. If one Is to say what is nee
cessary for another to live on. it involves
a great deal Of discrimination as to what
are the necessities of life. For instance,
can live without meat and pie. and in
fact on one meal day, with no discom-
fort, but 1 would be hungry in my heart
and something gone out of my life if
could not stop occasionally and buy a
bunch of sweet roses from the wayside
vender.
"a lady l heard of the other day
changes her underclothing three or four
times day and deems 1t a necessity. The
majority of clerks. I dare say. would not
agree with her. There are two of us
myself and an afflicted child. We get
along on 5000 year because We board
with a lovely family. But after having
tried it | could not live otherwise in a
respectable place in this city and only half
take care of my child. let alone give him
medical care on that salary, and my
feverish desire and mightiest effort are
toward keeping my place through chang
ing administrations until the child can
receive an education for. support COM
patible with his affection, gathering what
flowers we can grasp along the way.
Clothing Individual Question.
THE controversy about clothes is anus
ing, too. In the Office with me is wom-
an who has variety of clothes that
would put to shame a secondhand store
display She wears several suits and
dresses. lot Of different waists and hats.
and is supposed to be an excellent and
economical manager of the clothes prob
lem. Now. l have been in the govern
ment service for years and have never
had a tailored suit-never felt that I could
afford one. being so unshapely of figure
and extraordinary Of size as not to be
able to be fitted in ready-made suits. And
yet to the casual observer 1 am the most
extravagantly dressed person in the room.
because I cannot bear unbeautiful things,
and so buy little piece of goods and a
pattern and make up something pretty
and becoming after Office hours. then
month in, month out. wear and wear and
wear and clean and clean and clean