The Washington times., 1919-11-05
LIBRARY PAY
BOOST URGED
Committee, Headed by DR.. Bow
erman, Tells of Need Of In
creased Salaries.

That the future efficiency of the
libraries in Washington. as we'll as
the Libraries throughout the country,
depends upon substantial increases
In salaries OF employees, was one of
the outstanding features of claims
presented to the Congressional Joint
Commission on Reclassification of
Salaries. at hearing this morning.
The advisory committee on library
wage scale in asking that library en-
ployes' salaries be materially in
creased. declared such increases az
might be granted could not be per-
manent in view Of the Increasing costs
of living. It was recommended that
authority of the committee be con-
tinued to meet the necessity of re.
establishing salaries later on.
Headed by Bowerman.
This advisory COMMITTEES was the
first of a number of committees. rep
resenting various groups of Govern
ment employees, to appear before the
commission.
The committee was headed by DR..
George f. Bowerman, librarian of the
Public Library, who acted as spok es-
man, together with Librarian Her.
bert Putnam, of the Congressional
Library. The full reclassification
commission was present. Senator
Jones Of New Mexico presided.
Dr. Putnam appeared as president
lf the District of Columbia Library
Association. In his remarks openinE
the hearing he declared that the com.
mittee had been handicapped in two
respects.
One OF these was that because q,
the brief time afforded data could no
be collected from the outside in aio
of its recommendations.
DIR. Williamson Present,
To overcome this handicap, DIR. C. c
Williamson, of the New York Publ,
Library, who is a member of a com
mittee of the American Library Asso.
citation especially created to comuni
cate wage data, appeared.
DR.. Williamson declared that ON
ployes in the New York Library had
received an increase of 30 per cent a
salary since 1914 and that recon-
mendations for further increases arI
being favorably considered
DE said that there was time whei
employee OF the Congressional Librar,
received higher salaries than thoss
paid In New York for similar employ.
ment but that the reverse now wa.
true.
Must Equal Othrrs.
1t was emphasized by the advisor,
committee that for its professional
service the Government cannot ex-
pect to compete with public institu-
tions. 1t was declared that to do this
1t must pay, not the average salary
paid elsewhere, but a salary at least
equal to the highest paid for similar
work in any such institution plus an
NJ fpr
and the incidentals of living and en-
ployment here.
The salary recommendations of the
committee were not made public
There was lengthy discussion as to
whether it4would be advisable at this
time to disclose the increases asked.
The committee took the position that
their publication nav perhaps would
provoke premature discussion. Th,
commission announced that il would
consider any wish of the committee.
While no figures were given out, il
is generally known that the basi,
salaries of library employees averages
$500, which has recently been in
creased by the $40 bonus.
E1r. True, of the Department OF Ag-
r. 9Sture. impressed upon the com
nj IN the necessity of having com
petent library employees. He pointed
out that the accuracy of the man,
scientific Investigations conducted BY
the Government depended upon their
efficiency.
Harry o. Hall pleaded and indiyid
ual case to the commission. He sal,
that while he was in charge of In.
library in the Surgeon cneraTs of.
flee, one of the largest medical n
braries in the country, he WAS unI,
rated as a second class clerk with .
salary of $500 a year. He said
he has been connected with this IL
brary for forty-six years.
Senator Jones commended Dr
Bowerman and his committee for tbs
careful preparation of their brief and
the helpful suggestions offered by il
Tomorrow morning the commits
sion will hear telephone and tele.
graph employees.