The Washington times., 1917-12-17
FAMILIES CAN'T live.
ON THEIR SALARIES,
u. c. CLERKS ASSERT.
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hour today. as the hearing on the
Heating bill was not officially begun.
/ They are being heard prematuTely "a
, they had to leave town.
Push Heating Bill.
The executive council is composed
OF the following:
President H. NJ. McLarin, W. +.
Junker, OF Brooklyn: Luther c.
Stewart, OF Kansas City, Mo-; W. J.
Burke, of Boston; f. ]. Newmeyer.
and Miss Florence Etheridge, both OF
this city; W. p. Griffith, of FL Paso,
Tex! Martin J. German, OF Mon
treal; Charles F. Nagl, and Il. E. Pea
body, organizer.
Congressman Edward Heating Of
Colorado. father of the bill under
consideration, providing graded in
creases of from to 80 per cent.
stated to the committee that the bill
was in the nature of a bonus for
this year only to meet the high cost
Z of living, and was not an attempt to
: permanently revise the base pay OF
! the Federal employees.
, He said that while only the mem
bers of the executive council testi-,
/ tary OF the American Federation
/ OF Labor, was on hand, but would
prefer to testify at the subsequent
hearing.
Only Want Enough"
| Luther c. Steward, of Kansas City.
! No, was the first witness. lie told
/ the committee the employees did not
expect or want to buy limousines or
! diamonds, but merely wanted to he
paid enough money to buy necessary
| food and clothing.
The meeting TO-DAY was held behind
| closed doors. but it was announced
that the subsequent meetings would
be public.
Mr.. Stewart cited the employees Of the
Bureau Of Animal Industry. meat in
spection service. Kansas City. as typi-
cal OF the underpaid Government clerk.
He said large proportion Of the men
working in the packing plants under
Idisagreeable and trying conditions were
paid so per month. and Were trying to
maiUtain their families on that meager
allowance. He said OF the men in the
meat inspection service that the only
the line OF duty and that was raw meat.
The easiest thing for the Govern
ment employees to do he said. is t.
keep the Hoover food pledge"
William ]. Burke. OF Boston. repre-
senting the employment service. told
the committee Of conditions under
which the employee Ia IN" Fisheries
Bureau lived in Woods Hole. Mass.
He said that many Of the employees
in this branch were compelled to per
form responsible work FOR TenumeIa-
ton as low as $50 per month. The
rates Of pay are so low that MANY
OF the men and women engaged In
this work are compelled to work out
side the fisheries in order u keep
their families together and keep their
children in food and clothing.
wives Must Work.
He cited several cases Of married
I men whose wives are Obliged to OBJ
tain outside work to preserve their
homes.
the United States Department Of La
bor i'm Ell Paso, Tex presented an
ANALYSIS Of prices Of commodities in
FL Paso for the years 1918 and 1917.
The increase this year over 1913 was
81 per cent for necessarles- lie sald
cbarwomen in the Government serv
ic.. there were compelled To exist on
a wage as low as S25 a month. Watch
men. many with large families to sup
mort. are paid only $55 a month.
Charles +. Nagl, custodian Of the
Chicago postoffice. testified as TO con
ditions that have come under his OBJ
! seryation in the Chicago postOffice.
He presented a great number OF resiG
nations in duplicate Of employees in
the Chicago postOffice who had en-
tered other fields OF endeavOr. These
employees could not AFFORD to remain
\ in the service because of the low rate
Of pay.
Mr.. Nagl said that many char,
women in the Chicago postoffice who
we're being paid $27 per month for
five hours every night were com
PEELED to get work in department
stores, factories, and other places
where they worked all day in order
to make enough TO keep body and
soul together.
Tells Home Troubles.
Howard r. Peabody. general or
ganizer of the Federal Employees or
ganlzation, who has travelled exteh'
siFsly throughout the country investi