The Washington times., 1919-11-20

Jump 50 PCT.
Subcommittee Recommends In
creased Basic Pay With
fluctuating Bonus System.

Government employees are entitled
to an increase OF 80 per cent In their
salaries over those received In 1919.
Such. In substance, Is the report
made this morning to the Congress
lonal joint commission on reciassifi-
.ation of salaries by the subcommit-
tee on the feasibility Of periodical
wage adjustments on the basis IL
cost of living index figure.
An increase In the base pay which
would be relatively permanent and
4 supplementary bonus, which instead
of being a fixed sum as now would
be a certain percentage applying
throughout the salary scale, is rec
commended.
Fluetuating Beaas.
Such q bonus could be altered from
year to year. whenever the cost of
wing or other Conditions changed
substantially. without changing the
oase pay. 1t is pointed out. The
subcommittee says that IL prices de-
creased considerably in the next few
years the bonus might disappear al
-ogether III prices increased, the
the bonus should follow suit.
The subcommittee mentions the
sact that the Bureau of Labor Statis-
les hnds that the cost Of living in
Washington has increased 80 per
cent since 1913, and says:
''If, therefore, employees are to have
wages that afford an equivalent pur
chasing power to the wages Of 1914
here should be . permanent increase
in general of, say. so per cent, and q
bonus Of 50 per cent which would be
20 per cent OF the Increased salary
This bonus may be uniform through
out or be scaled down In the higher
ranges Of salary. as the commission
may decide"
The subcommittee advances two
reasons for the Recommendation that
IN increased base pay be supple
irst Is that Ii gives a relatively per-
nanent list Of salaries and permits
he changes from time to be made ir
he percentage bonus. (which woul6
be much more convenient in practice
than to change all salariee.''
The second reason given Is tha,
ie increase in prices that has
Cured Is probably due In large par
to causes that will continue to &C,
for many years, but in part It L.
due to causes Of temporary charac-
ter"
Pernanent Wage Board.
The report further recommends that
a permanent wage board be estab-
lished by Congress to study questions
OF salaries and classification and re-
port annually to Congress, recon-
mending: "(a) Change in or additions
to the Glasses Of positions az the
needs OF the service require, (b)
changes In the entire salary scale
in accordance with variations in the
purchasing of the dollar, and (c) ad-
justments in particular groups OF en-
ployes to correct inequalities or com.
pensate for changes in competitive
or other conditions Such a board,
appointed by the Presi-
ent, should have upon il representa-
tives both Of the executive depart
ments and the employees, and possibly
also of the public"
These recommendations are made
or the increased cost Of livin. alone,
a. that was the only question re-
fcrred to the subcom rnittee.
The members of the subcommittee
Al q DR.. e. B. Rosa, chairman, of the
Bureau Of Standards; DR.. NJ. jacobson
economist OF the Federal Reserve
Board: DR.. Royal Meeker, head of the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Miss
Ethel NJ. Smith, of the woman's Trad,
urion League and the National Fed
Grafton Of Federal Employees.
The reclassifcation commission an
nounced today that the hearing of the
on Saturday morning will b.
held in the office OF Senator Selden
p Spencver, room 426, Senate office
The hearing of the Office
appliance service will be held tomor
row morning at o:30 o'clock in the
Offices of the commission, Fourth
roA< and Nfaanurt owao,>