Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-18
URGES STARLIGHT
FORD. c. SUFFRAGE
Representative Austin Tells
U. S. Workers They Should
Back Movement.
FOR ORGANIZED EFFORT

Uncle Sans army Of workers In
Washington were urged to get behind
the movement for suffrage for the
District by Representative Richard w.
Austin of Tennessee at a meeting OF
Federal Employees Union, Local No. z,
in Typographical Temple last night.
Mr.. Austin said the people of the
composed of the editors of the four
daily papers, the Gridiron Club. the
Press Club and the local trade bodies
and have that committee insist upon
Congress taking action. The repre-
sentative spoke particularly OF the
efforts Of Theodore w. Noyes to Sc
cure suffrage for Washington.
ENTITLED to Representation"
II believe the Capital city is en-
titled to representation in Congress"
said the speaker. This community is
without a voice in either house, and
that is the reason why you have diff
f1culty in getting through considera-
ton of matters affecting you. If you
had a delegate in the House and a
United States senator they would be
assigned to the committees on the
District and would have facts and fig
ures about their city.
Tread in an evening paper that you
are planning now to get jobs Tor
$4,000 District soldiers who went
abroad to fight for the right of all
people to govern themselves. and those
men must return to a city where they
themselves are deprived of that right.
You have larger population than
six states OF the Union which have
representatives !, in both houses of
Congress. Not only have you
taxes than some Of the states Arizona
pays $915,913.26 in taxes, Idaho S475,-
541.77, Nevada $173,511.3S. The Dis
trictof Columbia pays $2,575, 909.51.
What is true of taxes is equally
true of your support of the liberty
loan and war savings stamp cam
paigns, and I believe the time has ar
rived when Congress should recog-
nize the right Of Washington to
have the elective franchise"
opportune Time for Employees.
Discussing the wants of the federal
employees, Mr.. Austin said that no
time would be more opportune than
the present for a general reclassifica-
ZION OF JOBS ana salaries In the gov
eminent service.
The speaker said he hoped that be-
fore March 4 Congress would appoint
q commission to make such a reclasSi-
fication, the commission to be made
up of heads of departments, the
chairmen of the appropriation COM
mittees of the Senate and House and
representatives of the employees. :
Representative Austin said he be-
lieved a comparison of figures would
show that the cost of living is
higher in Washington than anywhere
on the American continent, and de-
spite this fact there has not been a
reclassif1catio of government salaries
foK nearly half century.
The representative also declared
himself in favor of retirement for
superannuated government employees.
Support Minimum Wage Bill.
On motion of Miss Ethel Smith, the
union adopted resolution urging the
Senate to hasten the passage of the
Nolan,Johnson s3-a-day minimum
wage bill.
Another resolution protesting against
the proposal to stop work on govern
ment housing projects both here and
throughout the states also was adopt
ed. Miss Jessie Haver, author of the
motion, said that unions have for
= S0 SSIeSA iooSih6 1ol
workers, and that the step which the
government took along this line dur
ing the war was now being hastily
shocked off by Congress.
A letter will be sent to Represent
alive Frank Clark Of the House COM
mittee on public buildings and
grounds asking the committee to op-
pose the effort of the Senate to stop
government housing projects. Miss
Gertrude McNally told of the need
which still exists among woman en-
ployes in Washington for the plaza
dormitories.
For $500 a Year Increase.
On motion Of John W. Ginder, the
union went on record in favor of a
fat increase of $3.50 a year for gov
eminent employees in Washington in
place of the temporary $3.50 increase
which was given federal workers dur
ing the past fiscal year.
Among others who spoke were Miss
Rose Moriarty, who came to Wash
ington to plead the case of the wom-
an conductors of Cleveland whose
Jobs are being sought by men; Miss
Julia o'connor, representing the
Telephone Operators Union, and
Luther Steward, president of the Ma
tional Federation of Federal En-
Moves w C. RYAN presided