The Washington times., 1919-08-03
RAISE
BEFORE FOOD
PROBE ENDS
General Land Office Employees
Declare $24o Bonus Is Only
a Drop in the Bucket.

Urging that Congress give i'm.
mediate increases in their salaries
and declaring that the $24O bonus IS
"only a drop in the bucket" as com
pared with the increase in prices OF
food. clothing and shelter, practically
all employees of the General Land Of
nce have sent a petition to Federal
Employees Union, No. 2. asking that
steps be taken to assure immediate
financial relief for Government work
ers.
The petition states Federal en-
ployes cannot wait for whatever re-
lief will be afforded by the Congress
sional Joint Commission which Is re-
classifying the salaries Of the los, 900
Federal employees in the District. The
petitioners further declare that the
costs Of the ordinary necessities of
life "have mounted to such heights
that the employees cannot live decent.
ly on their present salaries, including
the bonus, and that the conditions re-
lating to the costs Of living are con-
stantly becoming worse, rather than
better"
Details Are Given.
Particularizing with reference to a
few of the common necessities, the
petition says:
Clothing has more than doubled
in price.
Meats. butter, eggs, milk, canned
goods. fruits, and nearly all other
articles OF food have not only reach
ed a point where in former years they
would have been placed on account
Of their price in the class OF luxuries,
but they are mounting still higher.
"The price of coffee is jumping al
most daily. with one dollar per pound
fixed as the threatened minimum.
Sugar is quoted as scarce and it's
price to be much higher.
"The price Of shoes is not only alb
normal, but a further increase of 25
per cent is announced for the fall sea
son.
THE cost Of coal is to be still fur
Their increased during the coming fall
and winter.
Street car fares have been in
creased and will doubtless be further
increased.
1T is announced in the newspapers
apparently upon good authority
that the real estate dealers are band
ing together to give the rents q lib
a. DSOSI dE SOOn dS the SaulSDuEY
act becomes imperative.
The sum total is that after the
termination OF the war we are forced
to pay not merely abnormal war
prices, but prices much more exces-
sive than the abnormal prices main
tanned during the war.
Other Wages Increased.
The petitioners state in an article
in the Federal Employe. the official
magazine of the National Federation
OF Federal Employees:
I'VE further represent that the
wages and salaries of laborers,
skilled and unskiHed, followers of
trades OF all kinds, clerks in stores,
banks and other institutions, in fact,
of practically all employees outside
OF the Government service, have been
increased and are being constantly
increased now, so as to meet the
new conditions OF living, where as
our salaries, fixed by a law enacted
fifty years ago. have become SO ILL.,
to all of the economic
conditions, of present-day living that
they are not sufficient upon which
to even live decently.
We further represent that there
In our bureau, and we believe in most
Of the other older established pre-
war bureaus. to keep apace with the
conditions of living; that
while there is a promise of a re-
system being adopted
sometime in the near future. that
promise does not furnish us with the |
to obtain the necessities
of life during this year 1910; that the
Increase of $3.50 per year over that
granted a year ago does not and will |
not enable US to meet our increased |
Ind ever-increasing expenses, none of |
"hlch have been brought upon us by /
'ur own extravaganza, but as a re-
'uIt or an apparently accepted COM |
nercial principle that everyone il en-
.ltieo 10 larger profit than he was
ormerly. Finally, the shrinkInR
value of our money has reached such
point that 81 now will purchase not
more than 40 cents would have pur-
'hased just prior to the war. But we
ave not been provided with a suf-
lcientIy extra supply OF this cheap
money TO strike a balance and make
Up the disparity.
Additional Bonuses Urged.
NOW therefore, we request that
,OHsl cSS De earnestly urged TO grant
is the following increased bonuses ad-
litional to those heretofore sranted
o be operative for the fiscal year he
ginning July /. 1919:
Il. To all receiving bakic SaIaries
iot exceeding 81 .6O0-20 per cent.
-. To all receiving basic salaries
bove $1,000 and not exceeding $4,000
is per cent.
%. To all others receiving basic
alaries not exceeding $2,5OO-1O per
emit.
I'm the event that Congress shall
it's unwillingness to grant
s the relief prayed for, then we urge
rat IL be requested to take Immediate
leps to put into effect laws ,fxin9
laximum limits OF prices on housing
eating, necessary clothing and food
/ a point where our money will have
purchasing power equal TO orr
sIaries prior to the outbreak of the ,
ar and the bonuses subsequently, .
dded thereto.
1--WE submit that this appeal Is /
rgent and that prompt favorable ac-
on hereon by Congress is impera-