Evening star., 1918-02-24
SALARY HEARINGS
BEGIN TOMORROW
Representative Witnesses to
Be Heard in Behalf of Gov
eminent Employees.
INCREASES ASKED FOR

Long-looked-for hearings on gen
Aral increase in salary for all government
employees are to start tomorrow morning
at 1880 O'Clock before the subcommittee
OF the House appropriations committee,
Of which Joseph W. Byrns of Tennessee
As chairman These hearings are osten-
ably on the bill for graduated salary in
creases of from to 80 per cent. which
was introduced by Representative Edward
Keating OF Colorado, after conferences
with the National Federation of Federal
Employees. These heafings will be used
by the subcommittee as basis for pre-
eenting an omnibus salary increase meas
ure.
Chairman Byrns of the subcommittee
says that as the members of the COM
mittee and of Congress are familiar with
the general conditions affecting the sala-
rfes of government workers, and as agents
of the employees federations have advised
them at length regarding the needs Tor
increased wages, only those VINO nave
something special to TESTIFY VIII De neard.
II is expected that the hearings Wilt last
not more than three days, as II is the pur-
nose of the committee to settle the matter
a soon as possible in order that the
needed increases may be soon avallabie.
Representative Men to Testify.
H NJ. McI.arin, president of the Ma
tional Federation of Federal Employees
said last night that after conferences
with Representative keating and other
leaders for labor legislation in Congress.
the following have been chosen TO tes-
tify:
5Representative Edward Keating of Col
crado, James l.. Wilmeth, director bu-
reau of engraving and printing samuel
Gompers, president American Federation
Of Labor; Frank Morrison, secretary
American Federation of Labor; Grant
hamilton, legislative representative
American Federation OF Labor; IL NJ
NcLarin, president National Federation
az Federal Employees: Miss Florence
Etheridge fourth vice president Ma
tfonaI Federation of Federal Employees;
John B. Beach. president Federal EN-
ployes' Union. No. .; 2. B. Noyes, chlet
export division. fuel administrator: j.
a. Whisield president Old Dutch Mar
ket; w. H. McReynolds. United states
bureau of efficiency; Miss HaVer. secre-
tary Consumers League; Miss Lillian W.
Erich. Treasury Department.; j. w. D.
Briscoe. Treasury Department; Thomas
=. Flaherty. secretary-treasurer Ma
tional Federation of Postal EMPLOYEES;
Miss Gertrude aicNally. secretary Bu-
reau Girls Union: n. P. Atlas. presi-
dent machinists' union; A. L. Thompson.
District branch. Federal EMPLOYEES
Union. No. 2; T. c. Parsons. Typo
graphical Union, government printing
office; William Wallis, president School
Teachers and Janitors' Union: Edward
y. Gainor. president National Association
Of Letter Carriers: Edward j. Ryan,
president Railway Mail Association
Increase Asked For. in Bill.
The graduated increases asked for by
the federation, through the keating
bill are:
Thirty per cent to those receiving
$500 or less, 25 per cent to those re-
eeiving more than $500 and including
more than $1,000 and including s1.5oo;
10 per cent to those receiving more
than $500 and including $4,000; per
cent to those receiving more than
$1,000 and including $4,000.
These increases apply to all of the
employees of the United States. includ-
ing those in the District and in the
postal service. Provision is made for
eomputing the increase to per diem
employees on a basis of 312 days in a
year as provided in the existing law
Regarding the 5 and 10 per cent in
creases.
Arguments Based on High Prices.
las the question of increased cost of
living is a serious consideration in the
adjustment of salaries for government
workers, particularly in Washington,
copies of advertisements, reports of the
tics and direct testimony of dealers in
tecessities of life are to be presented
10 the committee. The argument of
the federation officers in this respect
About one-half Of the pay check is spent
for food, which has advanced S61s per
cent in three years
Assuming that all other items in the
family budget have remained stationary in
Irice, it would require pay increase of
- per cent to break even, as against the
cost Of living in 1914.
What has happened to the cost of coal.
ehoes, clothing and about everything else
= only too well known
Advance of rs Per Cent Noted.
sConseryatively figured. the cost of liv-
ing has advanced in the past three years
4bout rs per cent.
Were it not for the wise and energetic
york of the United States Food Admins
ration many of these prices would now
y very much higher than they are This
= particularly true Of -four. bread, sugar
and all canned goods
In arguing for increases up to 80 per
cent H NJ NIcLarin, president of the Fed
grafton Of Federal Employees, says the
essential facts are these:
Latest figures on the average pay of
government employees show that the
average annual pay is S94S, but it is
probably less than this now because of
The great number of employees, placed
in the service within the last few years
et salaries lower than 5000. The SAL
aries now paid to government employees
were fixed by statute in 1854 and have
not been generally changed since, ex-
eept to add to the number of low-paid
tositions-those receiving less than
1,200 a year-and the 5 and 10 per
cent increases granted by the last Con-
Gress for this year only. The United
States bureau of labor statistics. in it's
report of the cost of living in the Dis
trict of Columbia, shows that $1.082. so
- the least possible amount on which
= family could live decently in 1916.
This necessarily means that with an in
grease of more than 80 per cent since
1915. the majority of the governmen ent
employees have lowered the standard of
living greatly, they are not living de-
gently, that they are piling up debts
which they have not any hope Of pay
ing. and that literally thousands are
Eorking nights and Sundays to make
ends meet.
SWEDEN GUARDS ALANDS.