The Washington times., 1917-12-05

| that We want to call to the attention
| OF Congress.
whether or not the Government
has paid its war clerks more than
they have deserved, and are capable
OF earning. is a matter for debate
That they have slighted their old
stand-bys is a cold fact. We do not
say these things in a grumblinG
spirit OF criticism. We know that
Uncle Sam stands for equity and jus
tice, and we simply want to tell him
of the situation, believing firmly that
he will promptly make proper adjust
ments.
Not Fancy Dressera.
I'VE often hear it said that Gov.
ernment employees are allowed to loaf
on the Job, that they are fancy dress
erS and Iivers on the bounty OF the
Governments money. II this condi-
tion exists at all. there are such rare
instances OF it that It surely cannot
be taken as the general case. A
short visit to any OF the departments
these days will convince one that the
Government workers are not loafers.
Neither are they as a rule fancy
dressers. This isl not an appeal for
luxury arIl fine clothes: It is an ap-
peal fer more of the necessities OF
life. We do not say that the average
Government clerk is poverty stricken,
but he does not get a return for the
amount of work he does In proportion
TO those In other lines OF work. Rare
cases may be exceptions to this rule,
but II Is generally undeniably true.
"The wage scale Of the Government
employe has not materially been in
creased since 1854, a period OF sixty
living has risen enormously. The in
crease granted last season by Con-
gress helped some. but not enough.
With the 10 per cent increase that
was allowed, the man who got 5000 a
year had an increase of IS a month.
The man with a salary Of $1,000 a
year got an increase OF $40 a month.
This bill was passed with the under
standing that IL was to be tried for
one year to see how II worked. 1t
did not work quite enough for the
man With a family.
No straInIBk of Facts.
1--WE know that Congress will do
the right thing. What we have to do
is to put the facts before the Appro-
priation Committee. 1t will take no
stralning OF facts to show that wc
are justified in asking an increase
for the Government workers.
at is unthinkable that Congress
will refuse even to maintain the
scale Of prices that have prevailed
under their bill that has been in
force during the past year.
MANY persons ask why the Gov
ernment clerks that are dissatisfied
do not stop. During the year pre-
vious to this, more did stop than
were employed. Many OF the clerks
are middle-aged and do not feel in a
position TO seek another start in life.
They are dependent upon what the
Government Is willing TO do for them.
Many of them have been in the en-
ploy of the Government practically
all their lives, and would make sad
attempts at any other kind OF work.
But why they do not stop is aside Of
the question.
I'VE are daily preparing figures
and facts in order that Congress may
see the situation clearly. When the
case is presented, we know that Con
gress and those in charge of the
Government clerks bread and butter
will meet the Federal employe face
to face, fairly and squGrely. as a fair
employer should meet his employees in
the presence OF an extraordinary sit
uation."