Evening star., 1917-12-26
STRONG APPEAL FOR
LOW-PAlD WORKERS
Clerks, voteIess, Giving Best
Years on Small Salaries, Mr..
HiIIiard Says.
SEES HOPE IN CONGRESS


more concern for the starving in Po-
shop conditions in some big cities when
right here in the National Capital is
the largest body of poorly paid people
in the world, who must in dress, in their
habitations and in the basic matter of
food live always beyond their means?
Representative Benjamin c. Hilliard
of Colorado. a member of the House
committee on District affairs, made this
reference today to the plight of the
thousands of government clerks in
Washington who are hoping for
happy New Year through action by Con-
gress for their relief.
No Voice in Government.
"If it is because these federal en-
ployes have no voice in government to
demand for themselves a fair living
wage it is time that the residents of
the District of Columbia should have
national representation" continued Mr..
Hilliard. eff Congress has delayed ac-
tion because it felt that the question is
purely local and that the rest of the
money was being spent here at the seat
of government, that is all foolishness.
There are thousands of these men,.
and some women. too. in the govern
mcnt service working in department
offices in Washington, who have the
voting right in their home states Many
of them retain a voting residence. They
have a right to expect Congress to act
in support of their rights to an honest
he cor
ployes from all over the country are
personally concerned. Each member of
Congress is receiving scores of letters
every day from constituents telling
what this proposed increase means in
the home district.
Takes Best Years of Life.
1T is not giving these people fair
chance to make an honest living If
the government takes the best years of
their life, when they could be making
progress toward competence in other
lines Of work, and then forces them to
accept salary on which they cannot
pay their honest bills.
"The salaries paid the government
workers today are in fact much lower
than they were ten years ago. The ques-
tion Of salary will always be based
in proportion to the cost of living. Dur
ing the last few years increasing costs
of food and clothing have put these
wages. The abnormal increase which we
are feeling now has reduced the pay
of the government workers below the
starvation level Something must be
Want to Live and Let Live.
The spirit Of human kindness and
sympathy is not dead in the breasts of
congressman. They are all very
human. They want to live and let
live They want to help the poorer
brother better his condition. They want
to be just to it's tried and proven-effi-
cient employees. They want to bring
the efficiency Of government service to
the highest possible plane.
''In all of these laudable ambitions
there is no better opportunity for real
work than in supporting the effort for
substantial increase in pay to gov
ernment workers all along the line in
the National Capital and back home.
feel sure that now is the opportune
purely strategic standpoint. know
it must be done now for the welfare of
these thousands of workers, for their
welfare physically and morally.
For New Lease of Life.
Sentiments that I have heard ex-
pressed by members of Congress in
CoHfcI6dtloh SioW INC tIidI IneTe is a
general disposition at this time to give
the federal clerks a new lease of life
by giving them salaries equal to the
American standard Of living.
II am for the Keating bill if that is
all the clerks can get. l think that 30
per cent increase is little enough for
those who are getting under $1,000, and
I'd like to see them get that much in
crease all through the service. 1t
would not even meet the increases they
have to pay for food, coal and clothing.
I am supporting the Keating bill be-
cause l am confident it can win. 1
will do all l can to make it win.
The government employees can take
all the comfort they can from this
statement-I'm for them"