Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-06
HAVE GOOD CHANCE
FOR BIGGER RAISE
Clerks May Get 10 and IS Per
Cent Salary Increases In
stead of 5 and 10.
HOW COMMITTEE STANDS

Prospect of the government employees
getting 10 and Is per cent increases in
salaries, rather than tho 5 and 10 per
cent graded increases for all under
81, 800, was the big development today,
following the assurance given the thou
sands of clerks yesterday by The Star.
due to canvass of Congress, that they
would not have their pay reduced by the
looping off Of the increases given them
after July !, 1917.
While Congress generally and the
appropriations committee in particular
faces the duty of economizing all along
the line, yet there is a strong feeling
growing in Congress and in the appro-
priations committee that the govern
ment clerks must be taken care OF
Justly. even IL the government at this
time cannot be generous to them.
mittee, which is soon to consider the
clerks salary question. decline to dis
cuss the subject for publication. but
subject has discouraged the view that
the clerks should get still further
increase. They quite frankly state that
there is no doubt that the committee
will see fit to ask Congress to con-
tinue the and 10 per cent graded in
crease. They say also that there Is
strong possibility that way may be
found to raise this to 10 and 10 per
cent.
One very prominent leader in this
COMMITTEES said today that he thought
it would be quite proper at this time
to give the government workers ~
and Is per cent increase, and that he
would not be at all surprised to see
the subcommittee advised to figure on
such increases seszs..5-..s,:s,........-'.. o..
Byrns to Lead Fight.
With Joseph W. Byrns of Tennessee
to lead their fight the government
clerks are strongly intrenched. AL
though the committees have not been
announced. there is little. II any, doubt
that Mr.: Byrns viii be chairman OF the the
handle the salary increase question be-
fore Congress. The thousands of
clerks may rest assured that every
dollar he can get added to their sal
aries will be worked hard for by Mr..
Byrns.
Thomas U. Sisson of Mississippi is
strongly mentioned as likely to be
made chairman Of the subcommittee
on the District of Columbia under the
appropriations committee. The and
10 per cent graded increases received
Mr.. Sisson's very strong support last
year, and there is every assurance that
he has not changed his mind.
There Is particularly bright sunshine
flooding the pathway of the clerks In
the Department of Agriculture. Asbury
F, Lever of South Carolina, one of the
most influential men in all Congress.
of "a
agriculture. which will consider the
question of salaries as paid in the de-
partment.
continued" said Mr.. Lever today.
Talks with other members Of this COM
mittee showed a strong feeling in favor
Of increasing salaries up to Is per cent.
fortably even then" said one OF the
Congress leaders today. Il feel sure
that strong effort will be made, both
in the committee and on the floor. to
give the people who are in Office help
ing Uncle Sam do the war work all the
encouragement that we possibly can
under existing circumstances"
Miss Rankin for Biggest Raise.
Actuated principally by the fact that
there are SO many thousands of young
women in the government service and
that more of them are coming here
each day, and desire to see their best
interests safeguarded. Miss Jeanette
Rankin of Montana, the one woman in
Congress, today declared her strongest
support to any effort to get larger sal
aries for the government workers.
The S and 10 per cent graded in
crease on all salaries under $1,S00
should be continued and I will vote and
work for It," said Miss Rankin.
'I will vote for further increases just
as high as the members Of Congress
will permit. I believe especially in a
larger increase for the lower paid
clerks. I would give the $500 to $1,000
clerk the 10 per cent increase in pref
erence to the $1,000 to $500 clerk
but want to see them all get 1t. For
the great, broad principle of Justice I
want to see all the clerks get all they
earn.
1T believe that the government should
set a notable example Of paying a liv-
ing wage to women"
Heads of the various government de-
partments are submitting for the in
formation and guidance of the appro-
priations committee statements show
ing the number of persons employed.
the grades or character of positions. the
original rates of compensation and the
increased rates of compensation
The latest reports of this kind are
from the Secretary of War, the Secre-
Hary Of the Teasury, the Postmaster
General and the Secretary Of the Navv