Evening star., 1919-12-30
ASKS H|GHERPAY
FOR R. R. TRAFFIC
TARIFF ADJUSTERS
Committee Tells RecIassifiers
Force Is Being Decimated
by Low Salaries.

fOFCe is. 6cIng UeClnldteu
by Low Salaries.
Only six applicants throughout the
United States took an examination
held by the Civil Service Commission
entrance salary of $1,000 a year, a
committee on traffic and transporta-
tion rate work told the joint congress
sional commission on Redistribution
of salaries in the District today at the
hearing of the specialized business
service.
A special examination was held for
ex-service men in October and only
former chief examiner of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission, told the
commission. L. E. Wiltberger of the
Navy Department was chairman of
the committee, and H. P. PETERS of
the Department of Agriculture sec
retary.
Urges ReclasslAcation.
Unless some reclassification of this
class of employees is made speedily,
it will not be long before the ranks
are completely decimated." declared
the brief, which was read by Mr..
Carmalt- Mr.: Wiltberger told the
commission that he feared further
depletion of the government ranks
when the railroads are given back to
the railroad properties in March.
THE government must compete
with the railroads and industrial con-
Germs for employees for this service,
declared the brief. TT cannot expect
men to come here in the first place.
or to stay in the service, il the emolu-
.ments of employment are less at
tractive than in the commercial serv-
ice, and it must be borne in mind
that the government service requires
a wider experience than does outside
employment, because the govern
ment's transportation problem Is ma
tion-wide and necessitates knowl-
edge on the part of its employees OF
the tariffs. rules and practices of the
railroads in all parts OF the country,
whereas tie ordinary railroad or
commercial rate man needs only to
know the tariffs and practices of the
particular section of the country in
which he is employed"
Changes Near 100 Per Cent.
The labor turnover" in the pas
senger division Of the zone of finance
office of the War Department during
the last two years approximated 100
per cent. according to the brief. THAT
the percentage Of employees leaving
the service in the last two years has
not been larger is due primarily to
the patriotism OF the government en-
ployes. who hesitate to leave the serv-
ice during its period need" was as
serted in the brief. Furthermore.
there has been a confident belief that
the recommendations of this board
win lead to substantial improve
ment in present conditions"
The expenditures OF the government
for transportation in the past two
years have been enormous. running
to hundreds of millions of dollars an
nually, the brief stated.
When it is considered that the
government transportation involves
very many special features-such as
special rates, land grant deductions
and other matter not involved in the
ordinary commercial transportation
contract-it must be realized that the
government cannot afford to have it's
TRANSFORMATION questions handled by
other than the most skilled and ex-
perienced rate men that are available
in the country" said the brief. Fig
ures were presented to show that rate
employees in commercial and railroad
service are receiving higher salaries
than similar workers IN the govern
ment service. -.-
Herbert C. Marshall Files Plea.
Herbert c. Marshall. assistant chief
of Agriculture. told the commission
of the work being done by the bu-
reau in keeping the public advised
of the movements of fruits. vege-
tables and live stock throughout the
He presented a salary-scale request
as follows: Senior marketing spe-
cialist, $500: marketing specialist.
IS, 400 to $1,000: associate marketing
tn iofo =
marketing specialist, $2.400 to $3.50.
and junior marketing specialist. $500
to S2.22e.
Query by C0mmissi0nef Hamlin.
Commissioner Hamlin. who presided
at the hearing. said that he appre-
ciated the splendid purpose of the
work of the bureau Of markets, but
asked Mr.. Marshall If the figures OF
fruit and vegetable movements
wouldn't help some dealers to advance
aren't you furnishing them the
very material they need to advance
prices? Commissioner Hamlin asked
NO declared Mr.. Marshall. 1T
why isn't it so?' interrupted Mr.
Mr. Marshall explained that a short
age in any. city would be known any
way, and the effect of the mark eting
service of the bureau was just the
opposite of that feared by the com
missioner. Commissioner Cooper
agreed with the witness.
states Effect Of Daily Reports.
The effect of the widespread in
formation given out daily by the bu
reau of markets. Mr.. Marshall con-
tinued. is to equalize prices of com
modities throughout the country. He
told the commission that rollers, -
as they are known-cars filled with
produce without any specific destina-
tion-are stopped by telegraph as
they roll along and sent to various
cities where there is a deficiency of
any particular vegetable or fruit.
They are not sent to any city where
there is a giut.
Employees in the fine arts service
of the government, including work
ers at the bureau of engraving. and
printing. and employees in the foleirn
relations and history services are
being heard by the commission this
afternoon.