The Washington times., 1919-11-06
j. S. WORKERS
HAVE A "SNAP''
Small Salaries Offset BY Easy
Hours and Soft Jobs, Says
Engineer.

saved the Government in the past,
and may save 1t in the future, in re-
gard to the small salaries which 1t
pays. 1t does not drive its employees
as hard as those in private Industry"
This statement was made this
morning by Lieut.. p. Z. d. Maggie, tel
ephone, telegraph and cable engineer
of the Navy Department, before the
Congressional joint commission on
reclassifcation of salaries. Lieuten-
ant Nagle is chairman of the advisory
committee on wage scale of telephone
md telegraph employees of the Gov
rnment, which committee presented
Is arguments for increased salaries
0 the commission today. The COM
iittee represents approximately 500
mployes.
Cite Low Salaries.
The low salaries paid this group of
federal workers were pointed out. 1t
was stated that the present salaries
of telegraphers, including the bonus,
range from $1,000 to $4,000 a year.
Those of telephone operators average
from $500 to s1,340, which does not in
clude operators in the Shipping Board.
Railroad Administration, and other
bureaus which were not considered in
the recommendations for salary in
creases because they are only tenn
porary departments.
Many salary inequalities were en-
phasized., 1t tas declared that the
assistant chief telegrapher of the
Navy Department receives $500 a year
less than some of the men under him.
IL
ecutives getting smaller salaries than
those over whom they are in
authority.
Get More Than Their CAiefs.
This condition exists. 1t was ex-
planned, because their salaries are
fixed by law. Because Of the de-
mand for telegraphers and operators
during the war. IL was necessary to
go out and get them at any cos:,
with the result that in many cases,
they now are receiving more than
their chiefs.
The salary Increases recommended
by the advisory committee were not
made public.
In the hearing of the library EN-.
ployes yesterday. the question arose
as to whether 1t might not invoke
salary figures at this time. Senator
A. A. Jones Of New Mexico. chairman
of the reclassification commission
announced this morning that 1t mas
been deemed advisable to retain all
salary recommendations as conf
Dental until every group OF Gov
ernment workers has been given u
chance to be heard
Low Wage Schedule.
In respect TO salaries the brief pre-.
scntcd by the committee stated:
I'm general, it may be said, that the
salaries suggested or recommended
are lower than those indicated as de.
sirable by the employees themselves
and also lower than the salaries paid
for the same class of work in bust
ness and other organizations"
senator Charles b. Henderson of Ma
veda, member of the reclassificatior
| commission, asked Lieutenant Nagle
why his committee had set the salar.
les lower than the standard now pre-
vailing in employment outside the
Government
Lieutenant Nagle explained that be.
| fore the war the Government pal1
| higher salaries than those paid II
private Industry. but that the reverse
Is now true. He said the Western
Union and Postal Telegraph Compan,
les advanced their salaries about %
per cent during the war, and ths,
still further increases have been de
cided upon. He declared that IL the
Government were to meet the sa;
aries paid on the outside IL wCuIC
have to double present wages in some
instances, and the committee felt
| that such recommendations would bt
like sending up balloon
Many Outside Benefits.
Lieutenant Nagle explained ths,
in outside employment, teIegraphers
and telephone operators are offered
many inducements in the way of in.
surance policies, sick, funeral and
other benefits. while no such advant.
ages were given by the Government,
Night work is paid for at the same
rate as day work in the Government
he said. while outside the rate Is
double for night work.
1t was at this point that Lieut.
Nagle said that only the fact tina,
the Government did not drive its en-.
ployes too hard saved it from serious
employment problems
Senator Henderson asked Lieutenant
Nagle II he were getting less in Gov.
ernment service than he received
while occupying a number of execu.
tive positions in some of the Iarges,
telegraph and telephone companies oi
the country. Nagle replied that he
was receiving considerably less.
Government Pays Less.
I'm our line of work, IL is especi
ally true that the Government pays
less for executives than private CON
Germs pay. A superintendent of wire
communications receives twice as
much as the Government pays" said
Lieutenant Nagle.
1T is the case of the Governmen,
wanting a $4,000 a year man for
10000" Senator Henderson com.
mented.
The other members of the advisory
committee, aside from Lieutenant
Nagle. who appeared before the com.
mission, are S. ]. Gompers. chief clerk
Of the Department of Labor. w. G.
Ten Eyck, of the Bureau of Markets:
Capt. w. A. King. of the War Depart
ment: F. r. Calvert, assistant chief
telegrapher in the Navy Department.
and Mrs. Gertrude p. Corrick, of the
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