The Washington herald., 1916-03-22
Government the Worst Offender.

Government the Worst Offender.
All of the discussions Of the advsability OF the
enactment of laws establishing minimum wages il
the District of Columbia point with certainty tc
at least conclusion and that is that it is within
the power of the United States government tc
provide in large measure the remedy for conditions
which are responsible for such discussions and that
plain justice to thousands of employees in the Civil
Service demands that their pay be substantially
increased. When the government fairly compen'
safes its servants there will be far less reason for
minimum wage law for Washington, if such
legislation should still be deemed necessary, the
danger of inflicting hardship upon those whose
welfare is the object sought will be greatly re-
duced.
Amazing disclosures have been made in recent
wage discussions At a meeting of the Monday
Evening Club, at which Rev. John A Ryan, pro-
lessor Of political science at Catholic University
declared that the minimum wage upon which a
woman in Washington subsist is So week.
Representative Nolan made an assertion that there
thousands of government clerks working for
$40 year. while many who have been in the
service forty years are now receiving but S45 and
$50 month. Yesterday Thomas Flaherty, sec
Tetar y-treaSurer OF inc NdtOndl FeQeTdton VI
Postal Clerks informed members Of the House
Committee on L.bor that, according to an csti-
mate made by X. r. Kein professor OF economies
OF the George Washington University, no family
in which there are three children of school age
can live in anything like comfort less than
SS30.So year. And then Mr.. Flahcrty made the
charge that 10000 employees of the postal service
arc receiving wages below Prof. kein's minimum.
H added that in postoffices substitute car
ricrs are unable to average more than
ST a day Other witnesses told OF the miserable
earnings of employees in the lower grades of vari-
GUS branches OF the government service, in Wash
ington and elsewhere.
Obviously, with the government paying less
other members OF their families must contribute
to their support whenever it is possible, children
being compelled to seek employment at as early
an age the law permits and thus the supply OF
workers exceeds the demand; tending to keep
down the scale OF wages in private employ. The
justice OF law compelling employers to pay boys
and girls just out of school wage large enough
to enable them to be self-sustaining is debatable,
though that is problem that very likely would
adjust itself to the dctriment Of families depend
ent upon the younger members to contribute to
their incomes.
1t would appear that in advance Of any CAM
paign in the direction of minimum wage law
for the District. the energies of its public spirited
citizens should be concentrated in effort to
convince Congress that the government itself is
flasranty fault that by paying its tens of thou
sands OF employees in the Civil Service living
and fair wage it will not only set example to
private employers, but it will afford relief for
present conditions in far greater than
would be indicated by the actual increase in dis
burscmcnts of salaries. Applying a minimum
wage law to the government seems absurd its
face when the fixing of the wage scale is
wholly in the hands OF the makers OF the
laws but at the present time, it must be confessed
there is need of it for the protection OF
government employees than in the of workers
in private enterprises.