The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-01
Be Fair, Mr.. Borland.

1t is altogether improbable that members OF
Congress- when they are called upon to vote on
the Borland amendment, will be misled by its
author and his few supporters who are attempt
ing to place the employees of the civil service in
Washington in the position of lazy shirkers who
view the prospect of an extra hour of work each
day with horror because it reduces their hours OF
dleness The clerks are righteously resentful of
the Borland proposal because it seeks to impose
new, unjust and unnecessary exactions upon them
at the very time when, after years of waiting, they
had reason to believe that Congress was about to
adopt a policy the very opposite of that advocated
by Mr.. Borland. They had hoped that, even if
there was to be no readjustment of a salary scale
adapted to living conditions thirty years ago, but
shamefully inadequate now, Congress would at
least take preliminary steps toward establishing a
pension and retirement fund, SO that clerks worn
out in the service would not have to face actual
want in the end. Instead, the member from Mis-
souri, offers what he calls eight-hour amend
ment but which is nothing OF the kind, since 1t
makes eight hours the minimum instead of the
maximum of daily service, the effect of which is
to lengthen the workday Of every employe on
those days when they arc not required to work
NO'o'
Thus clerk might work nine ten hours day
for a month, and when period arrived in which
circumstances would permit him to complete his
task within the regular departmental hours, Mr..
Borland would add an extra hour reward. He
would have the clerks give all and the government
give nothing, but exact everything.
If Mr.. Borland sincerely desires to have an
eighthour law enacted for the civil service let him
revise his amendment so that it will require a
maximum of eight hours service and provide for
extra pay for overtime, in the proportion adopted
by the union labor organizations. Mr.. Borand
would thus clear himself OF the suspicion OF a
hypocritical playing to the voters of Kansas City,
though it is inconcevablc that Congress would
consent to placing the executive departments on
any such basis The effect would necessarily be to
increase the expense and reduce the efficiency.
If Mr. Borland wants to be fair let him prepare
a bill providing for substantial horizontal in
crease in the salaries Of all clerks now receiving
not moro than $4,000 say, establishing a pension
and retirement system similar to that adopted by
scores Of the big corporations and fixing eight
hours as the maximum OF days work That
would be nothing more than justice. Does Mr..
Borland or anyone else believe that there would
be complaint from any Of the clerks against such
a measure with its cight-hour provision? Govern
ment clerks are not afraid Of work, but they have
a right to expect fair treatment. As the years
have gone by and the pay OF clerks in private en-
ploy has been steadily advanced to meet the great
changes in living conditions, the government serv-
ice has become less and less attractive, and now
Mr.. Borland proposes to exact another hour Of
service 1t is no wonder the clerks up in
arms. They have asked for bread and Mr. Borand
offers them a stone with an insult.