Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-15
10POSS|BLE BASIC.
PRINCIPLES IN j. s.
PAY ARE REVIEWED
RecIassifiers Consider List
in Preparing Measure
for Congress.

Ten basic principles for the re-
classification of the 10000 employees
of the federal government here today
lie before the joint congressional
commission on reclassifcation of SAL
aries in the District. All of them are
being considered in the preparation
of the bill which the commission Is
drawing up for presentation TO con-
gress. The ten basic principles are;
l. An so per cent increase Tor all
federal employees.
2. A 1920 minimum wage
3. Enlargement of the Civil SerV-
ice Commission.
a. Establishment of a permanent
wage board and tribunal
5. Lump sum appropriations 1or
the government
g. A system of merit promotions
1. The principle of equal pay LOT
equal work.
s. Establishment of training
school under the Civil service
Commission.
9. Thirty-day annual leave as
legal right.
TO- Elimination of the inemcleht
and lazy.
These are the propositions whicn
the commission has had reconlInenuiou
to II and from which the commission
is working in preparing a Dill LOT
Congress. Just how large proper
ton of the ten basic recommends
lions will be incorporated INTO tne
report is not definitely known oul
is believed that most OF the reco"'-
mendations will be accepted.
Exnmple of Coal Decision.
Action of the government in the ca Sc
of the coal miners has heartened those
in the government who are anxious lot
the so per cent increase. 1t is pointed
out that former Fuel Administrator
Garfield, in recommending pc.
cent increase for the miners TOOK mo
account the other increases anI that
miners had in pay since 1918 anu th d
these increases amounted to ABOUT 90
ner cent. Thus Sc per cent Plus II per
cent gives 80 per cent. %
This first official sanction OF tne eo
per cent increase. which Is recomInenu
cd nv economists. notably by Dr. Royal
Meeker of the bureau of labor statls-
tics, has made bright the hope among
the government employees tnat on per
cent will be granted them.
The tremendous inequalities in sal
aries. however, as revealed by the COM
mission in the case of telephone opera
tors and translators, and as Will De
worked out for the 10000 employees.
make certain that an average saiaIy
will have to be struck for each OF the
1900 classes of employees, II an oo
per cent increase is to be given.
recommended minimum Of $1.32O Will
be accepted. This minimum, II Is
learned, is absolute. and does not ap-
ply to any particular class The recon :
mendation has been maze n;.h,. tna1 no Pee be-
employed by the government mere.
and that the lowest paid adult worker
receive 81 ,320 year. .,sss4S,
May Have Time Extended.
Thu concentration IL blowing ahead
with the determination to make Its
report to Congress January IL, II
necessary, although commission MEM
bers and experts are Looking 81 Ma dorwas ss
asked in resolutions introduced. into
the Senate by Senator A. A. Jones OF
New Mexico chairman OF the reclassi-
fication commission.
District firefghters will appear be-
fore the commission at $3.50 o'clock to-
morrow morning to present their
claims for increased salaries. It is ex-
pected that lively debate will ensue
as to the wisdom OF the class speci-
fications as drawn up by the COM
mission for the positions in the fire
department.
The question at issue is whether it
is better to have but two classes OF
privates or four classes. 1t is under
stood that some of the newer fire
privates, and that all the men are
supposed to be able to handle all the
classes of work in a fire station or
at a fire.
Specifications as drawn up call for
four classes of privates. being more
detailed, and culling specifically for
some detailed duty. The question Is
whether or not a man who steers a
big electric truck should be classed
for that specific duty. or given a more
indefinite classification. which might
call upon him to shovel coal upon de-
mand.