Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-21
FOR FLEX|B|L|TY
IN ENTRANCE PAY.
OF employees
Appliance Operating Service
So Urges to Commission
on Redistribution.

Flexibility in entrance salaries Tor
the government service was urged be-
fore the joint congressional commits
sion on Redistribution of salaries In
the District at the hearing today to
the office appliance operating service,
which includes 2.ooo persons rho OPP
crate mechanical clericsls machines.
THE committee strongly urges the
recognition of the ptineipie; ot sisxie
bility in entrance salaries. thus per-
hitting the appointment at higher
salary Of an experienced operator, as
compared with the minimum entrance
salary recommended for the operator
possessing only ordinary qualitica.
tions," declared Max, Abel of the geo-
logical survey. in presenting the brief
of the committee representing the
1000 workers.
Fears Favoritism. {
Don't you think this opens the door
wide to favoritism?" asked Communist
sioner Henry Allen Cooper of ting
the appliance operators for scale o.
salaries ranging from 1890 to $4,000
a year. The hearing was held at the
Redistribution headquarters at ~
street and Missouri avenue.
You are going to have favorites,
no matter how you draw up your
specifications" Mr.. Abel declared. He
expressed himself in favor of lump
sum appropriations. r..
The question of whether. there
should be one ironclad entrance sal
airy or several entrance salaries to at
government service. thus today re-
ceiyed it's baptism before the re-
classification commission.
For Juniors and Seniors.
eff the commission should conclude,
in order to avoid favoritism, to re-
strict the salaries and make the en-
trance salary uniform, then I would
1fKS-te see all grades in this service
put on the basis OF Junior and senior
operator" declarsa x.SEa Mitchell
of the geological survey,s
the committee. ssst;ss.f ri, II :sr1@s'
IF it is possible for tneskpyssnnae
to get increased efficiency afSfasss1faFt
by paying more money, 1t tis3greafty
to the advantage Of the government
that this be DONE" continued<M Mr..
Mitchell.
MANY .typewriters can turn out
can" said Mr.. Mitchell Under the
present system of Civil Service Com
mission drawing. we sometimes draw
a plum and sometimes lemon"
Nothing is so unsatisfactory as "a
promise Of prospects," Charles E. Gage
of the Department of Agriculture.
chairman Of the committee which pre-
sented the BRIEF told the reclassifica-
tionists. 1t is often impossible. he
stated. for the government to attract
the stars" in a profession with the
same entrance salaries that are Of
fered the green hand" They simply
81 believe in a fixed scale of sala-.
ries but believe that the best people
should be given a handicap on their
entrance salaries" Mr.. Gage declared.
Mr.. Hamlin Submits Plan.
Commissioner Hamlin asked If some
such plan as the following would meet
with approval: That a short period be
established after entrance, much shorter
than the regular periods proposed for
examinations for advancement. when
the exceptional employe might take an
examination and thereby be advanced
to higher salaries II he proved himself
AT by examination and efficiency record.
Members of the Office appliance hear
ing committee stated that perhaps such
system would prove satisfactory.