Evening star., 1920-03-07
WOMAN EMPLOYEES
MAY SUFFER MOST
! # BONUS IS CUT
Disapproval Heard in Many
i Quarters of Action in
2 House.


Woman employees Of the fedora
government here probably will be
among the worst sufferers il the
bonus OF s24o. stricken from the
legislative Appropriation bill las
week. is not put back into the bill
for the appropriations for the com
ing fsca! year.
This phase of the bonus question
will be considered at the meeting TINS
afternoon of the legislative commit
tee of the National Federation OF
Federal Employees here. to which
members are coming today from Bal
timore. Philadelphia and other near
b. cities to make plans 1or the IN
clusion Of the bonus.
Miss stebbins DepIores Action.
The effect upon woman employees OF
the government in Washington was
commenred upon last night by Miss
Juliette Stebbins. president of the
Women's Unit of Federal Employees
Union. No. 2: 1T is the women of the
government service who will be the
hardest hit by Mr.. Mondelrs and Mr.
Woods retaliatory style of states
manship." said Miss Stebbins. But
fortunately. the very lowest paid
groups, such as the woman clerks
the woman bindery workers. the
women Of the bureau Of engraving
and printing, the woman mail bag re-
pairers and the charwomen are now
strongly organized and have affiliated
strength among the new woman
voters throughout the states we
shall carry our campaign to the
woman voters with great confidence
because the National League OF
Woman Voters, at its convention last
month. adopted a whole set Of civil
service resolutions, including one for
decent wages.
Mr. Mondeil and Mr.. Wood may not
like our insistence that Congress give
attention to our claims for improve ed
conditions. they may continue to say
to Us in effect You may have this or
that as bounty as long as we like,
but II you ask for anything else we
will take r. all away from ycu-be-
cause You have no rights. You see. or
earnings. only charity Tney may
substitute this mode of action for in
teligtnt employment management
and q just wage scale. but they will
no( eease to hear from the organized
governunent employees until our just
grievances are settled"
: Msryianders Condemn.
that republican leaders in Maryland.
one ,bf the pivotal states in the COM
ing national election. are sharply con-
demning the action Of the House
leadership in arbitrarily cutting of
the so-called bonus for federal en-
ployes without allowing a vote was
the word received last night at the
headquarters Of the National Fedora
tion Of Federal Employees from Vice
President Charles l.. Wiegand OF
Baltimore. who is also president Of
the Baltimore Federal Employees
Union and chairman Of the executive
ton of Labor.
The House leaders action has, how
ever. added $50 new members to the
Baltimore fecal. practically overnight,
Mr.. Waegand reported. many of them
woman employees. who in Baltimore,
among the lowest paid government
The. Bakiplore organisation is thus
stEengt gthening its lines for a new cam
paigp to secure an adequate salary In
crease. without which. 1t is stated, the
and many of the employees Of the
steamboat / spection and lighthouse
services will be obliged to leave the
service IN order to earn enough to live
on. Large numbers of the Baltimore
employees are receiving but $50 per
month.
Similar News From Philadelphis.
Philadelphia, where the Federal EN-.
ployes' Union includes several thou
sand employees Of the customs serv-
Ice. arsenals. navy yard and mint.
vice President s. Tyson Kinsell Of the
ployes. who is president Of the Phiia-
delphia local. together with Vice
President Wiegand. will arrive in
Washington today for the meeting Of
the legislative committee of the Ma
nf DnI>
this afternoon.
Mr. Columbus ODtimistlc.
There doesn't seem to be any seri-
ous need for alarm on the question
OF . bonus or an adjustment upward
of the salaries Of government em-
ployes," said Secretary Charles J.
Columbus Of the Merchants and
Manufacturers' Association last night
The Congress of the United States
10 made up of a majority Of right
thinking and fair acting men. and / feel
sure that not only will the Senate put
a very substantial bonus back in the bill,
but that the House when it has a fur
ther opportunity to consider this leg
islation, will be in accord with this
judgment.
Every one realizes that government
employees are painfully underpaid
Government salaries have by no
means kept pace with those in pri-
''One does not have to draw on their
Imagination. but merely exercise
practical vision, to realize that the
afbiters of the financial destiny OF
government employees must directly
come to q realization that Uncle Sam,s
hired men and women are underpaid
in view of the necessities of the Pc
riod in which we live.
II have an abiding faith in the
Judgment Of the majority. and feel
Rregs has spoken in the matter OF
wages and salaries OF government en-
ployes that common sense will have
prevailed and that the public servants