Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-26
DELIVERS BLOW
TO EMPLOYE OF
: SMALL SALARY
Amendment VIII Effect Thousands
Of Government Workers In
Need Of Better Pay.

An amendment to the Nolan min
imum wage bill for federal en-
ployes, offered by Representative
Good Of Iowa and adopted in COM
mittee Of the whole, by vote Oh IA
to As, delivers a serious blow 10 The
thousands of government workers
in the salary grades between $500
and $1,000.
The Good amendment pro
vides that whenever the Nolan
minimum wage of So per day
or 81. $50 per year applies, the $24O
temporary increase granted by the
last congress as an addition to all
salaries Of $4,000 or less shall be
considered a part of the base pay.
The effect of this is to deny to the
employees receiving between 5000
and 81 $50 at least part of the
$40 increase. That is to say, the
$500 employe, who since July 1 has
been receiving the $240 increase, or
1.140 per year, and who would un-
der the Nolan bill as reported by the
house labor committee have his
base pay raised to $1,000, with the
$240 increase still coming to him,
will continue to receive only S1,l4O,
instead of the 1920 he should 9th
erwise expect The $1,000 employe,
who with the $240 increase now mas
a salary of 81 ,240, will continue to
receive just that amount, instead of
receiving, under the Nolan bill, ST.
O8O as his base pay, with an addl-
ton of $24O, or a total of 1920.
The Nolan bill came up in the
house and was debated for several
hours in committee of the whole
Representative Nolan Immediately
upon the adoption of the vote on the
good amendment, moved that the
committee rise, and the house
shortly thereafter adjourned.
Effects Thousands.
This amendment" says Presi-
cent Luther c. Steward, of the Ma
tional Federation, will affect thou
sands of government workers VINO
are most in need of better pay, Tor
the 5000 to 81 1850 grades include
some of the largest groups of en-
ployes in the entire government
service. It is difficult to believe that
the house will let it stand, once
the members realize how they have
confused the temporary increase OF
s24O, for the current year, with the
permanent provisions of the Nolan
minimum wage bill The $24O in
crease was intended as a continue
ton and enlargement of the war
increase granted by congress to en-
able government workers to cope
with the high cost of living. AS the
latest estimate of the U. S. bureau
of labor statistics puts the neces-
sary minimum income for a family
to live in decency and reasonable
comfort at 1900, it is obvious that
the workers receiving 5000 to S1,OSO,
who under the Nolan bill and the
$40 increase would have but $500,
and by this amendment are depriv-
ed of a part of that sum. are among
those where the struggle for exist
euce is hardest They are the very
ones who should be helped and not
deprived of relief in such case as
this"
The Nolan bin as brought before
the house from the committee on
labor in a unanimous report pro-
vides for a minimum wage of 50 per
'day, $50 per month, or S1,OS0 per
wear for full time employees, and
371s cents per hour for part time
employees. 1t passed the house of
in the last congress
by a vote of 209 to II. but was not
acted upon in the senate. 1t is
sponsored by Representative John I.
Nolan of California, and is regard
ed by the National Federation of
Federal Employees as the most i'm
portant piece of legislation now be-
fore congress affecting government
workers. The federation, which has
1877 local unions through the coun-
try. has made a vigorous campaign
for passage of the bill. and will put
I'D stiff fight for defeat of the