The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-01-20
URGE MORE PAY FOR /
POSTOFFICE CLERKS
Tavenner Believes Railroads Not En-
titled To Increase Money And That
Employees Should Get Better Pay
REFERS TO SALARY LIMIT
Suggests It Be Raised To 81 400, And
Has Method Of Increasing Wages
Parcel Post Surplus -
From Congressman G. H. Tavenner.

From Congressman G. H. Tavenner
Washington, January 20-Aftel
80 years the Post Office Department
under Democratic administration
has shown a surplus. This year il
is $3,S00,000, according to the esti.
mate made by Postmaster General
Burleson, and David J. Lewis, the
post office expert of the House, esti-
mates that the surplus next year will
be something like 100000.
Parcel post is doing this. The par
Gel post rates, in spite of the fact
that they are far below express rates
in most instances and are constantly
being lowered, are profitable, and
the parcel business is continually
growing heavier.
The railroads have noted this fact.
They are beginning to growl. They
are carrying this vast increase in pos
tai tonnage without much extra COM
pensa ton, and they are demanding
their share Of the post office surplus.
There is a considerable sentiment in
Congress toward giving them greater
remuneration.
My suggestion would be--take
care Of the post office clerks before
the railroads. The burden of hand
ling the extra business caused by the
parcel post falls chiefly upon the
post. office clerks. Their wages have
not gone UP, and if this surplus is
to be used in providing greater re-
enumeration for handling the parcel
post business, the post office clerks
should get the first share
Thomas r. Flaherty, secretary
treasurer of the National Federation
Of Post Office Clerks, is now in
Washington to fight the battle for
the clerks. He has brought some
salient facts with him. He shows
for instance that the parcel post has
meant for the clerks only heavier
and faster work. There has been no
extra money in it for them. And
everyone knows how at Christmas
when the new service in the larger
cities was threatened with being
swamped by the packages, the clerks
turned to with will, worked all
hours in a day and got out almost
every package that was mailed.
The pay of post office clerks is
now stopped at $780,. That is
the limit Of promotion for most of
them. Most Of them live in the
larger cities, where the cost of living
is particularly burdensome, Their
wages have not gone up for years,
but the cost of living has been stead
lily climbing. 1t has been the same
as diminishing wages.
The organization of clerks pro-
poses general increases of wages un-
til the limit of $1,400 year is
reached. This can be done, the
clerks contend, out of the increasin g
post office SURPRISES of the future.
There are now 1900 clerks who
have reached the $1,000 grade. Pro-
motion for all Of them is not asked. If
half tbs number can be rased to
$1,000 this year and boosted again to
$1,400 next year, the other half fol-
lowing along after them a year later
the clerks will be satisfied. This
seems to be a reasonable demand
since it will take less than $1,000
900 to do it.
The parcel post is creating a sur.
plus out Of which this money coulC
he paid. The faithful, conscientious
service of the post office clerks is
making the new service a success
They are entitled to the benefits be-
fore an additional benefit is given tt
the railroads.