The Washington times., 1920-11-18
WOULD RAISE
P.O. SALARIES
Postmaster General See ks to
equalize Washington Wages
With Field Rates.

increases in the salaries OF super
visory officers and supervisory
clerks in the Postoffice Department
in Washington, commensurate with
the importance of the offices, will be
asked Of Congress by Postmaster
General Burleson, according to kps-
kin McArdle, chief clerk of the Post
Office Department.
TO EQUALIZE EALARIEs.
Efforts will be made by the Post
master General to have Congress
eaualize the salaries OF postor'ce
employees in Washington with those
paid to the men In the held ser:iCe'
who received substantial increases "
the Postal Reclassincation bill. passed
at the last session of Congress. At
present the salaries paid to super
visory officers and clerks In the hcld
service are higher than those paid
to employees In the Postoffice De-
partment proper who are doing sim
liar work, and, in many instances, re-
view the work Of the men In tho neid
service.
An illustration of this is shown in
the salaries received by postmasters
in 4 number Of leading cities. which
pay $4,000 a year, while the position
of first Assistant Postmaster General
only pays $4,000. There are hundreds
of other positions, paying much lower
salaries. such as superintendents and
other supervisory positions, which
pay much more in the field service
than they do in the department In
Washington.
INCREASES RECOMMENDED.
"From time to time the Postmaster
General has recommended to Congress
that the salaries of employees In the
field service be increased In post
offices throughout the country, but
has asked for special authority
which would enable him to compen-
. safe employees according to the actual
value of the work performed" said
McArdle, but the recommendations
Of Mr.. Burleson have not prevailed in
all cases.
~Instead. the postal reclasslfica-
tion act, passed by the last Congress.
had the effect Of Unfortunately in
creasing the salaries Of all employees.
This act Is giving increases to many
employees who undoubtedly deserve
IL, ~ has the effect OF creating
disparity between the salaries PAID
to employees In the field service and
those paid to employees In the Post
office Department proper at Wash
ington, who are performing compar-
able work.
INCREAsEs IN ESTIMATES.
"In the estimates for the fiscal
years 1920 and 1921. Postmaster Cen
eral Burleson embodied increases Tor
employees Of the Postoffice Depart
ment in washington, including super
visory officers and supervisory
clerks, but Congress felt that owing
to its policy Of curtailment OF ex.
penditures they were not Justitieo IN
granting the increases. The argu-
ments advanced against these in
creases were that the exigencies OF
war required economy and, subse-
ouently, that the Congressional COM
nittee was waiting for the question
Of reclassification OF salaries OF GOV
ernment employees generally 70 DC
disposed Of"
at is true" continued McArdle,
sthat the Postoffice Department got
an increase In a number OF the hfgn-
er grade clerkships, although not sur:
ficient to meet the requirements, but
there is still a disparity between the
salaries paid to supervisory officers
and supervisory clerks in Washing
ton and those paid to the men IN she
field service doing comparable WORK
and whose work in many instances IN
reviewed by those in Washington re-
ceiving lesser salaries"
BAsED UPON MERIT.
"Therefore, to equalize salaries and
to promote the best interests OF the
public service, the Postmaster Gen
eral in submitting his estimates for
the fiscal year 1922 has asked for in
creases in the salaries Of supervisory
officers and clerks in the Postoffice
Department proper in Washington
commemorate with the Importance
Of the Offices. and which pay enough
to secure men OF ability and retain
them to fill these positions"
MeArdlc declared that the estimates
are based on comparable salaries paid
to supervisory officers In other
branches Of the Government, exclud-
ing war bureaus, and In the business
world. With regard to the clerks. all
increases are based solely on merit
and the efficiency ratings obtaining
in the Postoffce Department, which
require that compensation be paid ac-
cording to the character, quality, and
quantity OF work performed.