Evening star., 1915-06-23
us. To RAISE PAY
AT INDIAN HEAD, MD.
Employees at Naval Proving
Ground to Get Average In
crease of 7.2 Per Cent.
1,272 NAVY YARD WORKERS
TO SUFFER A REDUCTION
Change in Wages Is Made Neces.
sary by an Act Of Congress-Sec-
retary Daniels Explains.

Exactly 1,c72 employees of the Wash
ington navy yard out of about $500
Will have their wages reduced cents a
oay, beginning July 1. in order to give
an increase averaging 7.2 per cent
10 800 employees at the naval proving
grounds at Indian Head, Md An in
crease in wages amounting to $4,000
annually was voted by Congress two
years ago for employees at both places
But no representative of the Indian
Head employees was on the board which
recommended the increase on account
OF the higher cost of living, and the
increase for those employees was not
made effective heretofore
The n2Hal appropriation act of the
recent Congress made it mandatory that
the Indian Head employees share in the
distribution of the additional funds, and
Secretary Daniels today said he has
no discretion in the matter. The wages
at the Washington yard and at the
Indian Head station are higher than at
other naval stations. due, it is ex-
planned, to the higher grade of skill
required in the making of guns at the
local yard and to the manufacture OF
powder at Indian Head.
Mr. Daniels Explanation.
Secretary Daniels made the following
statement in explanation of his action:
Beginning July 1. change will be
made in the wage schedules at the
Washington navy yard and naval prov
ing ground at Indian Head, Md.
"In 1912 the Secretary of the Navy.
at the request of the naval committee
OF the House of Representatives.. ap-
pointed board. consisting of three
naval officers and three mechanics
from the Washington navy yard, to
investigate the cost of living and
wages paid at Washington and various
cities designated as In its vicinity.
$24O,OOO Added to Pay Roll.
"As a result Of the report of this
board and recommendations of the Sec
retary of the Navy. an amount of 3240,-
900 was added to the naval appropria-
June 80, 1914, and June 80, 1915, for the
purpose. as stated by the report Of the
committee, to provide for the increase
of the wage scale of the mechanics at
the Washington navy yard and prov
ing grounds at Indian Head AS. how
ever. no investigation had been made
OF the cost of living at Indian Head
and as no representative Of that place
was on the board, 1t was decided that
the employees there were not TO be in
SiuOeu III the increase, ana the total
amount was given to the Washington
yard employees. making an increase of
7.S per cent in the wage of each en-
ploye, as nearly as this could be done
In accordance with law.
The same amount was included in
the naval appropriation act for the
fiscal year beginning July 1, 1915, but
the report of the naval committee made
1t mandatory that the Indian Head en-
ployes receive equal benefit with those
of the navy yard.
1T has. therefore, become necessary
to revise both wage schedules, reduc-
ing the percentage increase received
by the men at the navy yard from rs
to ~. and increasing the wage of en-
pioyes at Indian Head 7.2 per cent.
Ihis necessarily slightly reduces the
pay of most of the employees at the
Washington yard, but. in accordance
with the expressed intention of Con-
gress. gives to the Indian Head en-
ployes the same opportunity to share
In the two-hundred- d-and-forty-thou-
sand-dollar increased appropriation"