The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-25
MINIMUM wage
SCALE LIKELY
Revelations of Poverty
Among Federal Employees
Make Passage Probable.
MAY PUT LIMIT AT So
Hearings on Nolan Bill Gain Adher-
ents for Measure to Aid Gov
eminent Clerk.
By JOSEPH II. AMIN.

startling revelations of abject, pride
destroying poverty among the lower
grades OF the government service In
washington promise to result in affirma-
tive action by this Congress on the Nolan
Dill establishing a minimum wage scale
or IS for government employees.
Hearings on the bill, which will be con-
inueo Monday by the Maher subcom-
mlttee Of the House Labor Committee,
nave developed conditions that even those
close to the government clerk did not
know OF. The extent of the poverty in
tne race OF scruplous economy has been
nuuen as lar as possible by the victims
themselves, willing to rap around them
the few shreds of self-esteem and hide
from the world their true condition.
Inc heating joint resolution appropri-
ating 5000 for an investigation by the
department Of Labor into the cost of lIv-
ing In the District is now on the House
calendar and may come up Monday after
the Ttnkham Juvenile Court bill is con-
Guided. The results OF such an investi-
cation, 1t is pointed out, would be of
tremendous value in establishing the
merit OF the Nolan minimum wage pro-
vision. Representative Nolan ard his
friends undoubtedly Will close in and nusb
the Heating resolution with this end in
view. ~
May Drop Horizontal Increaxe.
AS at present phrased, the Nolan hill
contains a second section providing for a
horizontal increase of 20 per cent in four
annual installments OF all government
salaries under the civil service. In tn.
interest or the lower grades, where the
uLssracetul conditions have been dis
closed this section probably will be
dropped. NC
MIR. Nolan said yesterday that ha va
confident of a favorable report from the
labor committee and that he would avail
hlmseh OF every parliamentary weapon
IN an effort to obtain a full and fsIr
discussion of the subject on the floor OF
the House. An attempt will be made IN
obtain special rule for the measure
ana IN the event OF failure other tactics
will be resorted to-
Before terminating the hes ring ~ 10 NJ
Nolan's purpose to obtain from the chief
clerks OF all departments and other adj
illustrative bodies OF the government
exact statistics as to the number of
workers who would be affected by the
provisions of his bill and the total cost
or the establishment of such a minimum
scale.
Wages Unchanged 81 Years
Washington is the only place in the
country where the scale of wages has
nothing in common with the Cost of liy-
Ing. AS the cost ofIiving has gone I'd
throughout the country-and it is virtual
ly the same throughout-wages have in
creased in proportion. except here in
Washington where government employees
are getting exactly the same wages
they received ffty-four years ago-and
working longer hours for them at that -
declared Mr.. Nolan yesterday The
government with the constantly increas-
ing cost of administering the affairs of
the nation has unwittingly adopted a
slave-driving standard Of labor. It is not
pretty story to tell the country, nor
one the country will approve Of"