The Connecticut labor press., 1919-10-11
WAGE INCREASES
 FOR POSTAL MEN
 NOT SATISFACTORY
Graduated Scale of Wages Recon mended by Sub Committee
 of the Senate.
FLAT INCREASES WANTED
Postal Organizations Hope Sen ate Will Care for Employees
 as Planned.

Washington, D. C., Oct. 1O.-The Senate committee on post offices and post roads adopted without important changes the recommendation of the subcommittee fixing a graduated scale of wage increases for all postal em- p1oyees in lieu of the $50 flat increase passed by the House
 Senator Moses motion to 1iberalize the subcommittee recommendation failed by an 8-5 vote He and other senators who favor larger increases may file minority report and carry the fight to the Senate floor. The par1ia- mentary situation with the Peace Treaty having the right of way, is such that united committee action will probably be necessary to get consideration of the postal wage measure within the next month. There is the further fear that opposition to the committees report by those who favor more liberal increases may unduly delay Senate action and perhaps result in the ultimate defeat of the emergency measure.
 The departments influence in the Sen ate will be against any wage legislation that provides increases for all em- p1oyees. The postmaster general only wants authority to grant individual in Creases in certain localities.
 The Senate measure differs from the House bill in a number of respects Employees above g. 800 are excluded also those employees who have received increases of more than $500 during the current fiscal year. For the largest groups of post office clerks and city carriers, who are in the $1,5OO grade, the Senate bill is the same as the House, namely $50 raise.
 In part the Senate bill reads:
 "Postmasters at offices of the third class, assistant postmaster and clerks including special clerks, finance clerks, bookkeepers, and other employees Of offices of the first and second class, let ter carriers in the city delivery service employees Ill governmert-owned auto mobile service, supervisory officials railway postal clerks including substi- tute temporary and auxiliary clerks, and the assistant agent and clerks at the postal stamp agency, Dayton, Ohio. who receive compensation at the rate per annum of
 "(n $1 900, to be increased $40, ll2) SLIGO, or s1,2oO, to be increased
 (3) $500, $1,4OO, $500, or s1,6Oo to be increased $50,
 (4) Not less than -$1, zoo, nor more than $2,500 to be increased $100.
 "Watchman, messengers and 1aborers who receive compensation at the rate of $1,035 to be increased $205; printers, mechanics and skilled 1aborers who re- ceive compensation at the rate per an- mum of $1, 150 to be increased $50; $1 ,265 to be increased $135; $1, ,380 to be increased $70.
 Rural carriers are increased On graduated scale from $75 to $200, ac- cording to length of route and ire quency of service. Employees at stamp agency and those at division headquart- CTS of post office inspectors are in creased proportionate1y the same as postal employees. Fourth class post masters are increased 10 per cent. i'll excess of present compensation"
 If the measure as reported to the Senate from the post office committee becomes a law the percentage adjust ment advocated by all postal organiza- tions will go by the board. It may be imagined what effect the above informa- ton will have on the New Haven mem bers, who had assurance from very high senatorial sources that they would in sist on the percentage raise as the most equitable law which would leave no room for the evasion of the plain intent of congress to provide for the extra ordinary expenses of the war period.
 It was argued that the same reason existed for the percentage raise that existed for the old grouping of em- p1oyees in the classified service. It was that before that plan was adopted 1t was possible because of tn ; influence or that to retard the advance tnent of worthy clerks. So as to pre- vent this discrimination, it was decided by Congress to group all postal en- ployees into the classes that now exist,
 Notwithstanding the. recommenda- ton of the postal committee to the sen ate it is hoped by members of the postal that the full Senate will decide to care for all of the employees as originally planned.