Evening star., 1918-01-11
MINIMUM WAGES
FAVORED IN REPORT
Nolan Bin Now Before House
and Chairman Maher Hopes
for Early Vote.
BENEFITS U. S. WORKERS

Tho House labor committee today made
a favorable report on the Nolan minimum
wage bill. which has been before the
House for action for five years 1t was
put on the calendar today.
Chairman ]. P. Maher of tho labor COM
mittee said he expects to get action on
mittee on labor has the call. The Nolan
bill applies to all government civilian
employees who have been In the federal
service for more than two years and who
have attained the ago Of twenty years.
1t fixes the minimum wage at not less
than $1,0S0 per annum il employed by the
year; not less than $50 a month If en-
ployed by the month and not less than So
a day or not less than 37A cents per
hour IL employed by the hour or for a
fraction Of a day.
This bill was reported unanimously in
the last Congress by the committee or
labor. Action could not be had on account
OF congested program. It carries the in
dorsement Of the National Federation OF
Postal Employees and the National Fedora
ton OF Federal Employees and other or
ganizations OF government workers.
Many government workers in Wash
ington are affected by this bill. A
delegation representing employees Of the
District whose pay will be increased by
this measure, both men and women
were present at the hearing
Agree Wages Should Be Raised.
The committees time was taken UP
principally with a cross-table discus
sion between members of the committee
as to the abvisability OF reporting the
bill. All agreed that wages should be
increased. but one or two hesitated
about establishing a minimum wage.
Chairman Maher called attention to the
fact that the country is in desperate
straits for unskilled labor for two rea-
sons: first. because during the period
OF the war there has been no immigra-
ton to supply the increasing needs for
unskilled labor; secondly, because the
draft is exempting skilled laborers en-
gagged on necessary war work, but 1t is
not exempting unskilled labor. This has
caused a premium to be placed on un-
war continues another year unskilled
labor will receive a higher wage than
skilled labor.
He called attention to the fact that
in New York unskilled labor is now
being offered As cents an hour; that
Yaphank unskilled labor was paid $4
a day and that the mayor of New York
had recommended to the board of al
dermcn that a substantial increase In
laborers. He said that the govern
ment must reckon with the abnormal
times and provide now for adequate
wage, or the government business will
be handicapped by the fact that Its
unskilled labor is offered much larger
pay in outside business.
Representative Nolan started imme-
diately today upon the preparation OF
his report, which he hopes to have
ready and printed for the House by
Wednesday.
Pledges Assure Passage.
There are enough written pledges
in favor of the three-dollar-a-day min
imum wage bill to insure it's passage
said Representative Nolan. I'VE had
this assurance last Congress, but the
parliamentary situation was such that
a vote could not be taken. We are
trying to prevent like situation in
this Congress by getting the bill be-
fore the House in ample time.
EVERY argument advanced for passage
ago apply with double force today. sincs
the cost Of living has been 30 tre-
mendously increased The price Of the
poorer paid government employe, the men
year-and there are thousands Of them
is deplorable. With the basic necessities
Of life soaring skyward, these workers
can scarcely keep body and soul together
For Congress to ignore their pleas would
be inhuman and unjust
THE government is asking private
employers having war contracts to
take into consideration increased 1ir-
ing cost. fl king wage standards; it
should do no less itself in its capacity
as an employer.
Congress is the agent to which
these poorer paid government workers
must appeal. They are doing SO in an
orderly fashion. II we fail to respond
We are putting the government in a
position of sweating it's employees, a
practice the government has denounced
In private employment.