Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-03-09
Government Clerks Pay
BY Ralph Smith

wv ASIuNGTON, Jan. 27--Not the least difficult OF
w the problems confronting congress is the com
pensaton Of gQvermeut clerks. The senate
tussed with the question for several days in consider
the legislative, executive judicial appropriation
bill, carrying salary allowances large percentage
Of the government officers and employees from the
president down the line to of the humbest
laborers
Much was said sides the question: and in
the end nominal horizontal of 10 per centum
was voted for all employees receiving less IMAM PIOVV
annum. This provision probably will be enlarged
include all clerks receiving $500 before the
bill finally to the president for his signature
The Democrats, a rule, opposed the horlzohtal
increase primarily, because treasury deficit that
makes rerenchment in the matter of expenditures the
of wisdom, and secondary, because they oeheVe
the question clerical compensation should De al
jUsted a scientific rather than an arbitrary OASIS
They sought demonstrate that in many instances
government clerks well paid for the services they
render.
The two arguments used extensively and most
effectively support of increased compensation Were
first the higher of living, and, second the alesa
ton that the scale of pay government clerks hasn't
been increased fifty years. no effort was aue
to these propositions, because hey rest upon
The of living is !hgher anu INC
salary scale government employees in gene'al mas
undergone revision or change in half a century
Senator Thomas Of Colorado advanced unique
argument against lie suggested that it
would really prove of little help to the clerks and
employees as the Washington landlords, boarding
houses and merchants would contrlNe 10
charges just enough absorb the increase allowed by
the government. Persons who have had experience
with these classes in Washington are prepared "
accept Senator Thomas statement something more
than a joke. The city of Washington lives OH 'ne
government, and its wards or employees
Notwithstanding the higher or living and the
fact that salaries haven't been increased
for over fifty years, fact remains that the AVER
AGE government clerk and employe in washington is
better paid than clerk anywhere else in the
country according the contention of senator's
opposed to the increase
Senator Hoke Smith from a knowledge gathered as
secretary of Interior opposed the increased COM
pensation. He showed that the messengers In the
executive departments receive $50 $40 month
which he insisted was good pay for the service
rendered He said regretted that anybody had 10
work for as little per month but he argued that
the women who off exhibits in the patent ONCE
most of the girls work in stores and whose hourS
longer. 49,.
The Georgian insisted that the messenger boys
who receive $3.50 a year, we'll PAID consoeli"9
what is required OF them and the opportunity '"eS
have for study
Friends of the departmental clerks stressed the fact
that the members house voted to increase the
nav of their private from $1,000 to SZOOo
wear II is a fact, however that the average private
secretary a congressman works from tweiVe 10 10
fifteen hours per day, whereas the government ceiN
works only hours per day
Although the senate voted slight horizontal
increase in the compensation OF clerks receiving @ooV
ord less it voted also reduce the salary OF the
o+sr,, Of the federal farm loan board from $4,000
=, ca 600 per wear rhe salary in the first instance
was fixed by the farm board The senate thought II
ZOO high considering that the chief clerk Of the
treasury department receives only $a'5Oo'