Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-05-03
BOOST TEACHERS PAY
FROM INDUSTRY TAX
Measure Ready Tor Legislature
Provides 20 Per Cent In
crease in State
CITY WILL SHARE IN COST

School teachers and several other
classes Of school employees throughout
the state will be given 20 per cent in
crease in pay if the Legislature passes
new bill which is to be introduced
next week.
The measure embodies ideas contained
in several other suggested bills, and
while not an administration measure,
is expected to have the support of the
Governor. 1t is understood that the
salary raiser bill will be accompanied
by measure to bring in additional rev.
enue so as to meet the increased charge
to the state, probably by means of a
two mill tax on manufacturing corpor-
atoms.
The school employees benefited by the
proposed bill are the teachers, princi-
pals, supervisors, directors of special
subjects, assistants, clerks and stenog-
raphers. School nurses, attendance Of
ficers and janitors do not come under
the provision Of the bill.
Applies to Philadelphia
1t is proposed that st&te and school
district each pay half of the 20 per cent
raise for the school year 1919 1920. This
applies absolutely in Philadelphia and
Pittsburgh, which are school districts of
the first class. In districts of the sec
ond. third and fourth classes, where the
maximum legal school tax hsa been
reached, the state will pay 10 pei Gems
without the district furnishing the Cor
responding amount.
In these districts where the states
apportionment and the corresponding
amount appropriated by the district
does not come to 500 each for the
school employees, or where the tax rate
for the years 1918 and 1920 is the full
millage permitted by law, the state will
pay its 10 per cent and sufficient ad-
ditional to give every employe of the
classes specified an increase of $1OI q
year.
Equitable Distribution
The proposed law provides that the
money set aside by state and district
shall be distributed in just and
equitable manner" under penalty of
forfeiting any right to future appropria-
tions under the act,
1T is provided further that on or be-
fore August 1, 1919, each school board
shall certify its salarg schedule for 1918
and 1919 to the superintendent of pub
lie instruction, together with. the amount
available for the salary increase. If no
money is available, it must be certified
that the full legal nillage has been
reached. The states share of the raise
would be paid on certificativn from the
superintendent of public instruction.
Teachers Union Indorses Bill
An average of more than 100 new
members each meeting since it was
formed was the estimate given out
by the membership committee of the
Philadelphia Teachers Union. at a
meeting of the organization held at the
Women's Trade, Union League, PAS
South Eighth street, last night. AL
though there was not the usual outside
speaker at the meeting, the event was
filed with much discussion, the meet
ing lasting until nearly midnight. In
a report Of the legislative committee,
the work of the organization was
shown. No small part in the passage
of the Woodruff bill in the house, early
in the week, is claimed by the union.
Apart from the work cn the Wood
ruff bill. the committee has caused the
introduction If bi,l for the equaliza-
ZION of salaries of men and women
teachers. This bill has the distinction
of being the first piece of work at.
tempted by the Philadelphia Teachers
Union. The bill. it is cOntended, is
not in any way intended to hamper the
Woodruff bill. or to neutralize it in any
manner by lowering the salaries of
men teachers. The Teachers Union
is solidly behind the latter bill. The
plan of the new equalization bill is that
of equalization upward. 1t carries no
state appropriation with it. providing
for the local boards to equalize the
standard of women teachers up to the
mems minimum.
The union has adopted the follow
ing resolutions:
Whereas, the low salaries paid to
the teachers OF Philadelphia are re-
spousible for great hardships existing
among them, and are also resulting in
corresponding Generalization of the
teaching force, and
Whereas, it has been the experience
of every part of the labor movement
that the greatest handicap to secur-
ing really adequate pay for all has
been the lower pay that women have re-
ceived in hny type of work, and that
this has always been used as means
of keeping down the salaries of men,
and
Whereas, II Is recognized that be-
fore any material increase can be se-
cured for all teoclers. the extrcsnely
Low salaries OF The wonen must iFst
b sdfapeed 10 the standard for men