Evening star., 1917-12-14


f them propose to draft a bill pro-
! viding for such an increase.
The question Of increase in salaries
for the employees of the District govern
ment is being discussed at hearing
granted to the District Commissioners
and other District Of Columbia officials
by the subcommittee on the District
budget from the House committee on
appropriations. This session is execu.
tive and is likely to continue all day.
Commissioner Louis Brownlow is
handling the case for the District and
to bring the wages of the District en-
|pioyes up to a level with the employees
Of other government departments.
Commissioner W. Gwynn Gardiner,
Brig Gen. John G. D. Knight, U. s. A.
retired. the Engineer Commissioner;
Alonzo Tweedale. the District auditor,
and Daniel e. Garges. the chief clerk
Of the engineering department. are be-
fore the subcommittee to give testi-
mony as called upon.
Plea for Botanic Garden Employees.
Increased pay for the superintendent,
Of the United States Botanic Garden
was asked at hearing given to George
w. Hess. the superintendent by the
legislative and sundry civil subcommit-
tees Of the appropriations committee. It
was brought out at this hearing that
the salary of the gardeners at the
United States Botanic Garden are now
much lower than in the commercial
greenhouses throughout the country.
Members of Congress. who are grow
Ing more interested each day in the
question Of substantial increase for
government workers, are expressing
the opinion that under the appropria-
tions tI COMMITTEES. or possibly through
post roads committees from both tho
Senate and the House, a committee
should be authorized to hold public
hearings and go into the question of
the departments. 1t is argued that in
this way Justice could be done at one
swoop 70 all the government workers
and that duplication Of testimony could
be avoided. whereas now each different
department will be heard before q sDe-
cial subcommittee.
Representative sherley's View.
Representative sherley, who has been
chosen as the new chairman Of the ap-
propriatfons committee to succeed Rep
resentative John J. Fitzgerald the last
OF this month. said today: ~
The committee on Representations
Will, as In the past. endeavor to ascer-
tain AL the facts requisite to reaching
lust decision regarding the allow
anees necessary for salaries Of govern
ment employees" 1t Is known, how
ever. that in spite Of his non-committal
attitude. Representative Sheriey recox-
nizes the justice OF the claim made 6y
government workers for substantial
increase, inc snns e., ana that that he VIII support a
nearly meet the increasing cost Of
living.
District Employees Considered.
The federal pay roll is now occupy-
ing more attention than any other
item in legislation not strictly a war
measure. Commissioner Brownlow yes
terday won Representative Sisson OF
Mississippi to the cause of a general
increase In wages for all District en-
ployes. The Mississippi representative
Is one OF the strict economists OF the
Representative Sisson is the new
chairman Of the subcommittee Of the
House appropriations committee, which
is considering the District budget.
This subcommittee will take up Inn
mediateiy the consideration of the Dis
trict bill and pass upon the recon-
tmendations OF the Commissioner.
which aggregate s17.5o2, 24.s9. II Also
probably will be first to act upon the
retention of the and 10 per cent in :
lcrease of pay allowed the federal clerk,
last year. Also 1t will act on the prop-
osition to increase yet further the nav
tof clerks and per diem men in the Dis
trict service.
Early Report Expected.
It's report on this subject may be
the first to go TO the House, IL accepted
stood that the members Of the sub
committee favor the retention of the
increases of last year. and they will
not be adverse. II further increases are
allowed the federal clerks, to allowing
similar increases to District employed
Commissioner Brownlow, in his con-
ference with Chairman Sisson, urged
upon the attention of the committee
employes is less than that of employees
of the federal government
! Therefore be desires the committee
to increase the base pay. without ref
ercnce to last years increases or other
! Increases that may grow out of the
present agitation for higher salaries. In
fact, Commissioner Brownlow thinks
that the pay of clerks at the Municipal
building should be put on the same
basis as those Of the federal govern
ment, regardless of any ernerRencv In :
creases due to the high cost Of living
or conditions caused by the European
}war.
Plea Made for Postal Employees.
There were occasional references To IN,
question OF increased salaries for nosta
employees during the debate on IN,
tpostal appropriation bill in the Hcus,
yesterday. One of the most striking q
these was when Representative Hui a.
Iowa said: 2
There are several Thousands ~ th..,