The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-15

a good deal more. No legislative body,
no body of humane men ever proposed
such a thing"
Makes BorIand Uncomfortable.
Touching on the exacting nature OF the
work required Of government clerks, Mr..
Mann spent some few minutes making
the gentleman from Missouri decidedly
uncomfortable.
Government clerks must be accu-
rate" he declared. IF the gentleman
from Missouri who has offered this
want of accuracy, he would be out
of a job now"
Mr. Mann suggested that govern
ment clerks might suffer from brain
flag" which he supposed was respon-
sible for the failure of the gentleman
from Missouri to include two all-fm-
portant words in his proposed amend
ment.
IF a government clerk should do
that he would be discharged" declared
the minority leader. IF the gentle
man from Missouri will restrict his
hours of labor to seven of solid work.
he will not make foolish mistakes like
that"
Representative Madden, Of Illinois,
called attention to another of Mr.. Bor-
lands frequently reiterated "inaccu-
racies;" that the rider proposed to do
away with a discrimination in favor
of government clerks in Washington
by putting them on the same eight
hour basis as government clerks in
the postal and other services outside
Of Washington.
Points Out the Injustice
Mr. Madden pointed out, as was we'll
known to Mr.. Borland, that the law
providing for government clerks out
side of Washington prohibited their
employment for more than eight hours
a day. except when extra compensa-
tion was provided for overtime. As
Mr.. Madden pointed out, the Borland
rider proposed that they should work
not less than eight hours in any one
day, and offered no added compensa-
tion for the overtime work which is
admittedly so general in the depart
ments.
Representative Mudd, of Maryland.
formerly Assistant United States At
torney for the District of Columbia,
painted an intimate picture of the
government clerk as he knew him.
when a man accepts what Is known
as q permanent position in the Civil .Serv-
tee he said. particularly If he Is a
young man starting out in life, he cannot
resist the thought that the door of OPP
portunity is closed against him. He
full business career. dedicates his efforts
to the faithful performance of the duties
assigned to him. and contents himself
with the doubtful prospects OF continued
occupation. He is fortunate II he dies in
the service having faithfully performed
his duty day by day without promotion
in pay or rank up to the time Of his
death.
Would Not Aid Efficiency.
I do not believe that the addition of
an extra hour TO the days work OF the
employees win increase efficiency in the
departmental service. especially since no
measure has been introduced looking to a
readiustment OF salaries II the statement
is true, and 1t has not been denied, that
there has been no readjustment Of wages
for the past fifty years or more In the
government service to meet the high cost
of living, while IN all other branches
salaries have been fixed according to the
existing necessities Of mankind, then the
present status Of the government employee
should be seriously considered.
As long as am q member Of this
House will advocate and vote for any
measure that has for It's purpose a con-
ststent increase In pay where It Is war
ranted. or the promotion OF the welfare Of
the government clerk when he arrives at
an age where his services are no longer
desired by his government"