Evening star., 1920-02-16
PAY RECLASS|F|ERS
URGE EFFICIENCY
PLAN FOR CLERKS
Will Recommend System to
Congress in Connection With
Salary Equalization.

Equalization of salaries among fed
system which will give the workers
better opportunity for advancement
and Uncle Sam more for his money
are emerging as main propositions to
be submitted to Congress by the joint
congressional commission on reclassi- :
hcation of salaries in the District.
In recommending these two fn4Jor
propositions the reclassihcation COM
mission. it was learned today. will
concentrate largely on salaries and
an integral system which will place
classification on working basis.
Radical Innovations. either in salaries
or changes in working conditions. are
not expected to be included in the re-
port.
Equalization of salaries, in line with
the measures Of the law creating the
reclassifcation commission, perhaps
will constitute the great work of the
body which is now on its last lap of
work toward getting its report to
Congress by March IL.
Figures Made Public.
Figures made public by the commits
sion last Saturday showed that ste
nographers, for instance, are receiv-
ing an average wage of $1,250. which.
plus a bonus of $24O, makes an aver
however. did not show. as will be re-
ported to Congress, that in one bureau
there are ten stenographers drawing
salaries in the neighbOrhood of $500
a year for practically similar work.
and that in one bureau there is a ste
nographer receiving about $500 year
salary.
While the $1.4sO salary is generally
held to be fair and comparable to
salaries paid on the outside. the great
question hinges not on what the av-
erage is, but on what a sort of super
tual salary that each stenographer or
other worker gets in comparison
with all the others doing the same
work.
Rate In Wartime Bureaus.
It has developed that the wartime
bureaus, created to take care of
emergencies after the United States
their workers generally higher rate
of salary than in the older govern
ment establishments.
In some cases, it is believed, ste
nographers were brought in and
started at much higher salaries than
ment for many years. workers train
ed to the fine point in the work of
Uncle Sam.
Thus, although the average" may
show up very nicely as $1,49O, the
average" doesn't do bit of good to
the worker who is drawing only $500.
What that worker wants is super
average" which will place him on an
equality with those other newer stem
ographers who are getting between
$500 and $500 a year more for the
same sort Of work.
Basis Of Equalization.
This equalization of salaries will be
s,la
tions which will form the great
scientific base of reclassification. and
which will show the title, duties.
qualifications and lines of promotion
Salary recommendations Will be at
tached to the class specifications. and
will be placed in one line. in all prob
ability. on each specification. show
ing four or more graded periodic
efficiency increases" to take care OF
meritorious work in the same class
Essentially next to me equailza.ion
Of salaries a proper efficiency system
for carrying on the reclassification
develops. The bill to be submitted to
Congress in connection with the
whole report will take care or this
big feature.
+;aI that a proper system be set up so
thot the salaries and the promotion
~ clerks will be carefully worked out
as called for by the reclassincatio tion.
Enhancement OF lue Ci'ii 'ciS VIC
o,;ss;nn to handle the reclassi
fieation. measures for carrying out
the system of merit promotions 9ns and an
na,cament ns pt Of the meritorious en-
pioye and the mam points Of in the the
as5ciencv system to be submitted.
tees ot fan ali the these reppet pont. an
~ ,,aII "a to explain clearly just
Exactly @ the why and wherefore" Of
reclassifcation, is being written to
accompany the class specifications
To plump the 100 specifications.
with their attached salary recon-
mendations. and the bill. before Con-
gress without a word Of explana-
fion. it is believed. would leave that
body somewhat dazed.
A general explanation of conditions
found in the government service here.
and what is proposed to correct them
and why, is necessary. 1t Is realized.
and will be contained in the running
text of story" The equalization Of
salaries will be the primary point.