Evening star., 1919-03-17
SAYS WOMEN WILL
GET SQUARE DEAL
Mr.. Heating Predicts Equality
With Men in Salaries Un-
der Redistribution.
PLANS OF COMMISSION

ment are to be given a fair chance to
receive the compensation due for
their work and a fair chance for ad-
vancement where they show them
selves worthy of advancement. if the
reclassification commission can bring
it about" said former Representative
Heating, member and secretary of
the joint congressional commission
appointed to reclassify employees OF
the federal and municipal governments
in the District of Columbia, discussing
that phase of the question today.
THE women of the country have
done everything they were able to do.
and that was a great deal. to help win
the war" continued Mr.. Keating
should receive just as much scom-
pensatfon as the men il they do the
same character of work and do it az
we'll. The only question, after all, Is
can a woman do the work? If she can
do 1t, there is no. reason. why she
doing the same kind Of work. In
fact. there is every reason why she
should receive it,"
Alleged Discrimination.
Mr.. Keating said that he had been
receiving communications from a
number Of woman employees of the
government pointing out that they
have been Disseminated against in
the past. the men being paid more and
given promotions over the women.
Here is a letter from one woman
who has been in the government serv-
ice for about eighteen years." said Mr.
keating. She is a stenographer. and
she writes that she entered the service
at about $40; that in seven years she
was advanced to s1,2e0, and that for
the last eleven years her salary has
remained stationary. She frankly
points out that men doing the same
work nave been given opportunities
for advancement which she was not
given, and says that her record shows
she has been successful and has i'm
proved as a stenographer. For some
time she served under chief who did
not believe that women should be paid
as much as men or that they were as
capable of performing the same work
as men stenographers."
Regarded as "All Wrong"
Mr. Keating said this was all wrong.
He said he had heard of a great many
favor of men in the government serv-
ice, and that he had also heard of
other chiefs of division who were op-
posed to advancing women, and gave
all the advantage of the man employees
Before the war Mr. Heating put
through the House a resolution calling
upon the President to inform Congress
what discrimination against women in
the government service was to be found
He said that the President had promised
to look into the matter. but that the
war had come along and everything
hpan +
tions.
But the war is practically over now
and 1t is time we were getting back to
the normal" said Mr.. Heating, land
this matter should be looked into"
Difficult to Reach Cases.
He pointed out that determinations
many cases. but said that. as far as
it was in the power of the joint COM
mission and it's reclassification of the
employees. the women would get a
square deal. If they were. doing the
same work as men at higher salaries.
and the work warranted the salaries.
he said. the women would get the
higher salaries, too.
The joint commission is at work
drafting series of questio nnaires
to be sent to private employers.
state. county and municipal govern
paid the employees of various grades
will he considered.
Il have no doubt" he said. that
salaries have Increased very greatly
among employees of private concerns
in the last two years. The salaries
of the government employees, however.
have practically been at a standstill
except for the bonus of 1920 which
was allowed last year and the s24o
allowed during the coming fiscal
year"
Facts He Has Learned.
When the first fight for a bonus fo,
the government employees was und -
way in 1917 Mr.. Keating appea red
for the employees before the commft- =
tee on appropriations of the Honsa
He said replies to questionnaires sent
out at that time showed that for some
years past the government sa,s re-
had been standing still while those
of private employees doing stmiIs
work had increased to a very large
extent.
Allies Air Raids Kill Many Huns.