Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-05
j. S.L|BRARYPAY
WHICH WILL KEEP
EXPERTS IS ASKED
Efficiency and Economy Are
Declared to Depend Upon
Retention of Workers.
RECLASSIFIERS ARE TOLD
NECESSITY FOR INCREASE
Leaders in Profession Emphasize
Specialization Needs, and Waste
When Workers Leave Service.

Salaries paid library workers in the
District of Columbia should be such
as not merely to attract competent
persons. but to retain them, declared
representatives of the workers at the
first hearing held before the joint
congressional commission on reclassf-
fication Of salaries in the District to-
day.
The necessity for increased salaries
Tor workers at the Public Library,
Library of Congress and in the va
rious departmental libraries here was
brought out in brief presented to
the Redistribution commission by a
committee headed by Dr. Herbert
Putnam. representing the District of
Columbia Library Association. of
which he is president; DR.. George F.
Bowerman of the Public Library and
other librarians Of the city
Commission Members Present.
Senator A. A. Jones of New Mexico,
chairman of the Redistribution COM
mission, presided at the hearing,
q ilich vas devoted exclusively to
hearing the plea of the library work.
ers. Senators Spencer and Henderson,
and Henry Allen Cooper, c. w. Ham
lin and Edward Heating, secretary,
The hearing took place at the re-
headquarters at Az
street and Missouri avenue.
Other members of the library COM
mittee who represented the library
service in the District were: H. II. H.
Nf hA i
brary Of Congress. Miss Clara Herbert
of the Public Library. Miss c. r. Bar
nett and Miss Atwood of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, Miss Laura
Thompson of the children's bureau.
NJ. N. Smull Of the bureau Of education
office. DR.. C. C. Williamson. chief Of
the economics division of the Public
Library of New York city. was pres
ent in behalf Of the American Library
Association.
Officials to Be Heard.
Administrative ofiicials of the gov
eminent service will be given oppor-
tunity, as will all employees of the
government here, to give their opin-
lens as to their placing In claases by
the commission, Secretary Keating as
sured DR.. Putnam. In answer to a
question al to this matter.
Neither the classification nor the
wage scale can be permanent" DR..
Putnam declared. There should be a
authority to consider re-
vision Of each as they may prove neces-
sary."
). Commissioner Cooper told the as
sembled library workers, who packed
the small room in which the hearing
was held, that thought had been taken
by the commission. and that It was
hat
thority would be provided.
Harry o. Hall. In charge OF the read
ing room Of the library of the surgeon
generals office, told the commission
that he had been there for forty-four
years: the last twenty eight years as
81 am rated as a clerk" declared Mr..
Han, land get $1,000 year, although
am really superintendent and have per-
sonally served more than $4,000 peo-
pie"
DR.. Putnam, opening the hearing. II
am not here as librarian of Congress
AS librarian Of Congress l have not as
yet been brought into this affair at all.
any more than has the head Of any
here as president Of the District Of Co
lumbia Library Association"
Sealed proposals for salary sched-
ules for the library workers of the
District were presented by DR.. Bow
erman in the brief read to the COM
mission. Each commission member
was provided with copy OF the brief,
and read with the speaker.
The library service of the govern
ment has a unique place among the
libraries of the country, the brief
pointed out.
Work to Be Done Is Intensive.
Except in the Public Library of
the District, the library service Of
the government has few analogies in
any other library in the United
states" declared the brief. 1.-The ma
terial is more specialized. and the
work involved is intensive to a de-
gree not demanded elsewhere. Espe-
cially would any averages in IL
braries generally be inapplicable.
I'm every outside library (and they
are only the research libraries) pre-
senting analogies to the purpose, the
existing salaries are admittedly too
low: and movements to raise them
are everywhere in operation. The ex-
listing facts do not therefore indicate
a normal condition or one consistent
with efficiency.
For its professional service the
cannot expect to compete
with private employ; but it should
certainly be. prepared to compete
with public institutions. To do SO it
must pay. not the average salary paid
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