The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-03-04
Union Overreached Itself In
Demanding $3.50, Say
congressman.
SENATORS OPPOSE BONUS
Slight Hope Additional Pay will
Be Restored In Upper
Body.

Congressman Wood, OF Indiana,
Chairman of the House Legislative
Committee, today refused to come
to the aid of the thousands of Fed
eral employees whose war bonus OF
$24O was stricken out of the legis-
lativ appropriation bill yesterday.
Chairman Wood declined to ask
the Rules Committee to report out
a special rule making bonus legisla-
ton in order.
Unless some fried of the Govern
ment emploes renews the fight, the
s24O bonus will end June 30. At any
rate, the only hope visible today
rested with the Senate. -
Lay Blame on Union.
Chairman Wood and those who sun
royt him {in. his stand rcr 'fusins
To AID. the Federal employees, this
afternoon sought to place responsible
ity for the doom of the bonus on the
National Federation of Federal EN-
ployes.
Mr.. Wood told Luther G. Steward.
president of the organization, this
morning. that the employees union
killed it's own chances by insisting on
a $3.50 bonus instead of being salts
fed to let the bonus stand as IL is.
Failure of the bonus is imminent
in the Senate unless the National Fed
Grafton of Federal Employees backs
down on it's proposition for $3.50
bonus.
Anti-Iabor leauers in the Senate.
such as Myers, of Montana; King. or
Utah; Thomas. of Colorado, and others
stand ready to fight any attempt TO
increase the bonus. Indications point
firmly to the fact that the anti-iabor
leaders in the Senate Will do all IN
their power to knock out the bonus
altogether. unless the Government
clerks abandon all efforts to secure
an increase.
Bitter Against Unions.
CONGRESSMAN Wood was bitter to-
| day in his condemnation of the en-
ployes union.
|. 1--WE were ready to make comprom-
Use with Congressman Nolan, whereby
\ s24O bonus would be retained in the
bill" he explained.
T know Mr.. Nolan did not intend
| to press for the adoption of the $3.50
bonus. But the National Federation
| of Employees was not satified with
s24O The first year the clerks re-
I ceived s120. The second year tho
| federation demanded and got s24o.
| Now they are trying to grab $3.50.
| They are going the way OF all other
such unions in demanding more and
more each year. Consequently the
House isn't going to give them any
thing.
| Regrets Loss OF $40.
| $50 far as I'm concerned said
Congressman Wood, 81 regret that tho
$40 will not be continued by tho
House. II the federation had kept
lauiet the House would have granted
the bonus; but there arc not fifteen
members of the House who would
vote for the increase to SASO.
81 absolutely do not intend to ask
the Rules Committee for a special
ruling. / told Mr.. Luther c! Stewart
the president Of the federation. this
morning that I would refuse to change
the situation in the House. The bonus
louestion is dead. so far as the House
ia concerned, and nobody is to blame
but the employees themselves.
The amendment by Congressman
Mapes, chairman of the District Com
mittee. restoring the bonus to the
policemen and hrcmen went the way
OF the entlre DOnus pIoNlSioh VIZ"
Congressman Blanton knitted II. That
question also is likely to come up this
afternoon.
Even II the bonus provision does
fail in the House the Government em-
ployes are confident the Senate viii
overrule the action and that the
House will agree TO IL finally In con-
ference.
Pruning KNIFE Applied.
Tho pruning knife was applied u
the legislative bill savagcly yestcr-
day, when the IIouso cut approNi-
mately $4,000, 5000 out of the meas
ure.
The bill eliminates from the Gov
crnmcnt roll moro than 10000 war
workers now in Washington and
makes nat reduction OF sato00.o0o
from submitted estimated. according
TO Congressman Wood.
This reduction is largely reflected
In the reduced official and clerical
forces Of the Government" Congress-
man Wood declared. For Instance,
there are now 81 900 In the civilian
clerical and official force In tho War