Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-13
CLERKS
SEEK INCREASE IN PAY
Local Branch OF National Federation
Indorscs the Shields
Bill.
TELEGRAMs SENT TO SENATOR'S
Louis Rosenberg Is Elected Presi-
dent, and Alexander Southwortl
First Vice Prcsidcnt-Prcse
Wage Scale Was Fixed in 1907.


tional Federation OF Postoffice Clerks.
Local 1919. held Saturday evening the
following men were elected officers
OF the local organization: President,
Louis Rosenberg: first vice-president.
Alexander Southworth; secretary, vice
president G. Leslie Williams; secretary.
l.. u. Godsey; financial secretary. T..
Dwight Thomas. and treasurer, w. \.
Grant.
The local organization is affiliated
with the American Federation OF La
bor and the most important business
coming before the body was the dis
cussion of the Shields bill. granting an
increase to all postoiiicc clerks. which
has already been passed by the House
OF Representatives. and Is now pend
ing before the Senate.
Resolutions were drafted and tele-
grams were sent to Senator's Martin
and Swanson urging their support of
the bill. The bill which is known as
the Shields bill attempts to classify
the automatic raises of postonice clerks
AT present the entrance salary OF Il
clerk in postoilice ranges from $500
and the max imum that can be paid him
is $1,000. The proposed bill attempts
to fix salaries ranging from $1,000
to $1,000. The bill also makes pro-
vision for the immediate increase Of
5000 in the salaries of postofice clerks
Under this provision a clerk now re-
ceiving salary of $1,000 would i'm
mediatcly get $4,000. However his
maximum would still remain at ST.
500.
MANY POSTAL EMPLOYEES
ARE LEAVING THE SERVICE
President Rosenberg yesterday an
nounced that he had received kilograms
from Senator's Martin and Swanson
stating that they would give It their
kindest and deepest consideration and
act accordingly. Mr.. Rosenberg made
the point that the small scale OF
wages now paid to postofiicc clerks is
res ponsible for the leaving OF many
OF them and the cause Of the difficulty
in getting new men.
" Why the scale OF wages under
which we are now working was created
In l9oi-just eleven years ago" said
Mr.. Rosenberg. Regardless Of the
ing. we have TO continue to live under
the same scale of wages as provided In
1907. Although all other employees
in different vocat!ons have long since
received large Increases TO correspond
with the rise OF the cost OF living, we
have been struggling along and at
tempting to do our hest
The proposed bill cannot be unrca-
sonable. No one can say that the pro-
posed Increase In the wages Of tho
clerks as provided for In the Shields
b'h Is outrageous. All OF us think
that 1t Is small. and no more than a
fair one, to say the least More than
that we think that the clerks in the
pcstofiice think that we will have
better chance II the proposed bill passes
the Senate and receives the sigma
ture of the President"
Many OF the members OF the organi-
zation expressed their surprise as TO
how the government expected them 10
live under the enormous Increase In
the nigh cost OF living and fulfil their
patriotic duty TO their nation AS
one OF them said. when we hardly
receive enough to live on how can We
be expected to buy Liberty bonds war
savings stamps. and contribute to RCD
Cross drives and to other organizations
attempting to relieve the suffcrings Of
the battle scarred?"