Evening star., 1914-04-07
Mr.. Austin Would Rearrange
Salary Scale of Govern
ment Workers.
DEMANDS HOUSE CONSIDER
PENSIONING OF WORTHY
Mr.. Fowler Delays Appropriation
Bill by Fight for Raises for
Department Employees.

Claiming that the government of the
United States should rcarrange the scale
Of government clerks salaries. Repre-
sentative Austin of Tennessee today told
the House of REPRESENTATIVES that the
cost of living had increased while the
salaries of clerks in government bureaus
and departments in Washington had re-
manned the same for many years. This
Wss during the discussion of the legis-
lative. executive and judicial aopropria-
ton bill, which made but little progress
This afternoon owing TO frequent inter
ruptions. Il long discussion regarding the
federal reserve board selection of CEN
tIsl cities and also due to well organized
campaign by Representative Fowler of
Illinois who made a bitter fight for more
money for various employees throughout
the departments who. according to Mr..
Fowler. arc underpad.
Mr. Austin also recommended that the
House should Immediately take UP the
consideration of general plan for tho
retirement and pensioning of superannu-
ltcd employees of the government.
Mr.. Fowler Opens Debate.
representative Fowler opened debate
by pleading for $ 500 for the chief en-
=ineer of the Treasury Department. III
place Of S1.400 as carried in the bill
He said the law had placed the amount
at s1.60o. Representative johnson. haN-
ing looked up the law. said the salary
was fixed at Sl.600 in 1875 but for
about twenty years the salary has been
II 400, and no one had ever asked for
more money for the engineer.
He has charge of heating plant
only" said Representative johnson.
Enwlar rrn
1T is easy to increase these officials
salaries when they get UP into the thou
sands.' said Fowler. But no one wants
10 increase the lo~-sslaried men. Give
them a little better chance in life Why
don't you be fair to them2 Give them
some Of the good things of life.
The gentleman from Illinois is not the
only friend of labor in this House." said
Representative Byrnes of Tennessee.
IT didn't think the committee would
abuse these low-salaried men by cutting
them down" said Mr.. Fowler.
That statement is not borne out by
the facts
Representative Fowler tried to increase
The salaries of two lieutenants of the
watch in the Treasury from $500 to 81 .o0O
In the ensuing debate Representative
Fowler gave indications OF being able to
tie UP pending legislation for several
days OH protests for more wages for
many employees.
Current Law His Guide.
Representative johnson of South Caro-
lima. chairman of the subcommittee
sadi he was not personally acquainted
with the thousands of clerks provided for
in the legislative bill. and consequently
followed the current law in making bills
each year.
He said the committee takes the tcsti-
mony of the department heads and he
repudiated the statement that the COM
uittee was cutting down small salaries
The only two salaries cut are large
pnes in the Post Office Department.
Salaries should be larger" said Rep
resentative Austin of Tennessee. Cost
Of living is higher. yet these salaries
nave been the same for many years.
The time has arrived to reclassify the
government sala ries and in doing SO we
should take care of the old and super
animated employees
He said il was cruel not to take care
o. the older employees
The amendment to raise the two sal
aries in the Treasury watch force was
lost