Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-29
TWO congressman
BEFR|END CLERKS
Mr.. Graham and Mr.. Kettner
Ready to Vote for Substan-
tial Wage Increase.
THINK TIME OPPORTUNE

That the United States government
should pay fair living wage to its
employees and should set an example
to all other employees in this respect is
the opinion voiced emphatically today
by Representative William j. Graham
OF Illinois. member of the committee on
expenditures in the War Department
and Of the committee on food control,
and Representative William Kettner Of
California. a member of the rivers and
haroors committee. from which each
member Of Congress expects TO get an
appropriation for his district.
Both or these members expressed an
eagerness not only to vote at the prop
er time for very substantial increase
in salaries for the thousands of gov
eminent workers whom they saw are
fairly starving on the mere pittance
they are now receiving, but to go out
and work for this just raise in pay.
Time opportune, Both Say.
They both feel that this is the oppor-
tune time for the government workers
to get big increase in salaries, and
that it is in justice due them. They
feel also that Congress, as a whole.
was never so ready to see that the
worker got the hire of which he or she
is worthy. since the increasing cost of
ilVing has been brought home to each
member since his return to the cap;fal
Representative Kettner said u stand
as nave always stood for substan-
tal increase for the government clerks
me members of Congress know my
convictions and my expressed senti-
ments on this subject / am for the
clerks all down the line. ] want them
to get enough to live on decently.
neileve the Heating bill is the best
measure at this time to which tbe
friends of the government workers can
swing their united support will
vote for 1t and work for it,"
Representative Graham has investf-
gated the subject of increased cost Of
living thoroughly and has made a care
full study Of living conditions among The
federal employees. He is prepared to eive
testimony before the subcommittee Of
the appropriations committee when il
holds hearings. and will speak before
the subcommittee of the post Office and
post roads committee next week when
1t reassembles at the call of Represen-
tative Thomas NJ. Bell of Georgia. who
Is chairman
Could Live Cheaper at Home.
Representative Graham says: Il think
we are going to raise the salaries of
the thousands of trained government
workers. who have been called TO
Washington from all the states in the
Union on account of their particular
fitness for the work they are perform
ing. They could have lived much chen n
er back in their home towns. bur thew
have answered the call of the govern
ment to service. We must give them an
increase IN salaries at least equal to
the increase in cost OF food and clothing
1T is sorry spectacle for the govern
ment to expect for one moment that its
trusted employees should work on star
vation wages. We are the richest gov
eminent in the world. the most prosper
ous and efficient government We are
quite ready to show our sympathies for
the downtrodden and suffering of All
other countries, and we must Ike care
Of our own.
There is no class of workers in the
world who deserve substantial in
increases more than the thousands ~
government clerks right here In wash
ngton who are giving the best wears
81 their lives to the government.
Should Be Given Increase.
They should be given an increase
commensurate with the cost of living.
and this should be done right away.
These clerks are gentlemen and
They are mostly well
educated. They are ambitious They
want to live properly. They see the
pest people of the country coming to |
Washington. They feel commendable
bride in living in the nations capital. |
They want to do credit to the capital |
They want to be neatly dressed. to have
heat homes They have every right TO
expect an opportunity to have ali these
:ondittonS while giving honest and IN
1ustrious services to the government. |
want TO see the government do IT. |
'eiI justice as a model employer I want
Q see decent living wage given To |
hese thousands of voteless citizens + |
want to see their condition such that
hey VIII be examples to all the young |
men and young women of the country
" what II means to give Uncle Sam the
,est that is in you.
These are war days. and the soyerp
nent has found very few among its en-
,loyes who are not athrill with patrio- |
fc zeal for service. There is mohilige6
great army of clerical workers who
ire doing great big bit toward win
ling the war. Many of them have sturl,
o the government Offices even when of.
cred much higher salaries elsewhere |
( this is war Congress. where wart
measures are to get first consideration. |
see none more deserving of an early
'ote than the one that will pay a de- |
ent living wage to those who are help-I
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