The Washington herald., 1918-10-17
LABOR SEEKS
BETTERMENTS
Federal Employees Starting
Drive to Secure More De-
sirable Legislation.

A systematic drive for legislation
to improve the government service
and the working conditions of gov
ernment employees Is announced by
the National Federation of Federal
Employees. following meeting OF its
legislative committee at national
Headquarters I'm the A. F. of L. Build
ing in Washington last night.
Civil Service Needs.
In order to focus public attention
upon the conditions and needs of the
Federal okyil service, the legislative
committeehor the employees organiza-
ton, according to the national presi-
dent and chairman, Luther c. Stew
ard, proposes to set up co-ordinated
system of legislative committees
throughout the country.
Each of the 1u5 local unions in the
various States will be called upon to
establish a committee, auxiliary to
the national legislative committee.
and to put organized effort behind the
legislative program The national
committee will meet every week at
the Washington headquarters. and
will maintain a close and quick intel
ligence service with the field.
First on the list of new measures
to be asked will be a law abolishing
statutory salaries and establishing an
adjustment board. through which to
obtain for workers in private employ
an equitable relation between salaries
and cost of living, and a reclassifica-
tion Of the entire civil service. In
line with a resolution adopted at the
recent annual convention Of the fed
Grafton, Congress will be asked TO
stipulate that the employees shall have
representation upon the proposed ad-
justment board equal to that OF the
administrative officials.
Old Age Insurance.
The Johnson-Nolan bill, provid-
ing So per day. or 371z cents per
hour as the minimum wage for
government employees, including
Washington school teachers. has al
ready passed the House OF Repre-
sentatiyes, and early action in the
Senate is sought by the Federation.
The McKellar-Keating retirement
bill establishing an old-age insur-
ance system for federal workers, is
expected to come to vote in the
Senate within a few days, with ex-
cellent chance Of passage.
These two measures, which in
some form have been before Con-
gress for years. are regarded by
government employees as vital REM
edies for existing defects in the
civil service, as well as in the gov
ernment's attitude toward its work
ers. Notwithstanding the increase
in living costs, thousands of gov
ernment employees are still receiv-
ing wages as low as $55 and $50
per month, while the lack of a re-
tirement plan has forced upon the
government a virtual pension list
Of 5000 aged employees who have
passed the period OF their useful
ness
The national legislative commit
tee is composed OF the resident ma
tional officers OF the Federation in
Washington two from nearby To-
Gals. and two from the Washington
local. as follows: Luther c. Stew
ard, national president and ex Of
ficio chairman of the committee; Z.
J. Newmyer. secretary-treasurer
and John S. Beach, executive secre-
tary OF the national; S. Tyson Kin
sell of Philadelphia and Charles S.
Wiegand of Baltimore. national
vice presidents; w. Carson Ryan.
Jr.. president-elect OF the Washing
ton local, and Miss Ethel NJ. Smith,
also of the Washington local, sec
retary Of the committee.