Evening star., 1914-10-09
INCREASED PAY SOUGHT
FOR WHITE WINGS HERE
Commissioners Urged to Give Matter
Consideration in Framing Dis
trict Budget.
William NICK. Clayton Presents Rec
ommendation Approved by Citi-
zens' Associations.

Increased pay for white wings" en-
ment may be provided for in the next
estimates of the District. This recon-
mendation. originally approved by the
Brightwood Park Citizens Association
through a resolution presented by
William Mex. Clayton. and later by
the Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions. has been made to the Commits
sioners by Mr. Clayton and is being
considered by them in connection with
the framing Of the budget.
Inc statement is made by Mr. Clay
ton in his letter to the District heads
that a score of American cities pay
their white wings" more than Wash
ington does and that the wages OBJ
tanning here can scarcely be consid-
ered living wages. He figures out
that each man receives a net income
of about 1898 a year.
ine white WINGS" states the COM
lmunlcation, nnu are reported to average
- sv ~orking days In the year, which,
II true-and many of them assert they
work and are paid for less-at the rate
Of S1.50 day, would amount to s435.
They pay for their own uniforms. for
their washing and repair. The average
run about sS7. Deducting this from
the annual gross wages received
leaves a man net 1898 year"
Realize Only $1.oe Day.
Mr.. Clayton points out that the entire
output of the white wings" labor
sold to the District realizes him but
$1.09 a calendar day.
Are you aware, Mr.. Commissioners" )"
he asks, that the men who sweep the
pavements around the United States
government buildings receive s55 a
month. or $3.50 a year, nearly twice
what you pay our city sweepers?
Mine states of the Union. including
Massachusetts,. have enacted laws, after
careful investigation of living condi-
tions, fixing a minimum rate of wages
for working women, and in each case
the amount upon which a single wom-
an can live properly and BEAUTIFULLY
is fixed higher than the sum realized
by laborers working on the streets of
the capital of the United States.
"If $3.50 a week is the least upon
which a working woman. sometimes
slip of a girl living with her parents
at home, can live, how about a robust
man keeping his wife and several chill
dren in the District of Columbia on
less than So a week?
ut is not a question, Mr.. Commits
sioners, of the District not having suf-
f1cient funds to pay these men just and
honest wages?
Recalls Building of Bridge.
I'VE will spend this year in rebuild
ing a bridge across Rock creek ten
times the amount needed to pay these
men an additional 25 cents day the
coming year.
Congress was pleased last year to
create from our annual revenue a sur
above million and a half of dollars
tax money that we needed spent upon
the welfare and upkeep of our city
will you say to Congress this year,
speaking for some of the people of the
District, that they insist that suf-
f1cient amount be appropriated for the
street-sweeping department to enable
you to pay these men living wage?
I'VE beg it not as an honorarium, but
demand it as right.
Many of us believe that the mimi
mum daily wage of unskilled labor en-
ployed by the District government
should be fixed at S1.75 day (the petit
tion presented deals alone with the
white wings and names a smaller fig
ure) and we have faith and confidence
in the present board of Commissioners
that it will so impress Congress with
the humanity and justice of our re-
quest that these laborers in the future
will receive equality of treatment and
honest recompense for their daily toll"