Evening star., 1920-03-05
i. S.
,SERv|CE PREDICTED
with BONUS KILLED
,Union's President Fears Gov
eminent Employees Will Be
ResentfuI.
RAISES COMPARED WITH
\ LIVING COST INCREASE
Statement Is Given Out by the Ma
tional Federation's
President.

to-day that II the legislative. execu-
tive and judicial appropriation bill
II sent to the Senate by the House
! without the $24O bonus for the
government employer the Senate
will write the bonus into the bill.
eentiment expressed by many OF
the senators today was ONerwhei
Ing in favor Of allowing the gov
ernment clerks the snme bonu"
they received during the present
: Aseal year.
senator Smoot Of Utah. n member
Of the subcommittee of the COM
mittee on appropriations. which
will have charge of the Legislative
bill. said:
.The senate will put the bonu. In
IT.
Senator Kenyon Of Iowa and
Senator Overman of North Caro-
lima, also members of the subcOm-
nittee. both snid they would favor
allowing the bonus which the
clerks had last year. Other senn-
ters who expressed themselves in
Hav0r Of continuing the bonus
were Senators Capper OF Kansas
and Chamberlain of Oregon. That
there may be OppositiOn. however.
was Indicated by Senator King OF
has not yet made up his MIND.
Complete Decentralization of the gov
Arnment service in the National Capt.
tai was foreseen today unless the
S240 bonus. stricken from the legis-
lative appropriation bill yesterday on
q point Of order. is made available
for the federal employees beginning
July l next.
That this belief on the part Of con-
servatiye representatives Of the rank
and file of the 10000 government
workers here is not unduly pessimis-
tic was evidenced by figures obtained
today at the headquarters of the joint
congressional commission on reclas-
sification of salaries in the District.
Increases In Pay Compared.
Average salaries Of the federal en-
pIoyes have advanced but 1871 per
cent since 1915, the tabulations show.
as compared with an approximate in
crease of salaries of 95 per cent st0
railroad employees and about IS per
cent for hodcarriers.
While the hodcarrier's pay has in
creased 8o per cent, which carries
him safely above the high line of
food cost increase-more than 80 per
cent-the government employe drags
along at the bottom of the table
with 1917 per cent increase.
Figures made public by the bureau
Of labor statistics as late as Wednes-
j day of this week showed that food
prices generally had increased SO per
cent since 1913. Even with the $24O
bonus. the increase in the salaries of
federal employees. it is urged in their
behalf, falls far short of such an in
crease. 1t is reported by many en-
Tioyes that increases in house rent and
car fare alone has taken all the $240
bonus allowed this year. leaving moth
Ing to meet the increased food and
clothing costs.
Fears Decentralization.
'T greatly fear that decentralization
OF the entire government civil service
here will result if the bonus is not got
ten back into the bill in time for next
July" declared John S. Beach. presi-
dent Of Federal Employees Unon No.
:. today. Salaries are now SO low. with
the bonus of $240, that without any
bonus at all. I am afraid that the en-
their work with no spirit" he contin-
ued. They will be thinking how to
pay their bills. as many are doing now,
indeed"
Mr.. Beach. who has the reputation
both among employees and legislators
as beng one of the most levei-headed
men IN the service. pointed to the scores
OF federal workers who have been
forced in the past year to buy houses
These men have obligated them
selves to make certain payments, and
without the bonus I don't know how
they will be able to do it. Take $50
a month away from a federal EN-
ploye and you take away a great deal
from clerk who makes but $1,000.
Others Give Views.
G. Melvin Sharpe. speaking for en-
ployes of the bureau of engraving and
printing. said that elimination OF the
bonus VIII mean the departure from
FEDERAL service of some of the most
gifted men in the civil service here.
n, }. quinn OF the adjutant gen.
erals office declared that elimination
of the bonus would mean the reduc-
tlon OF the possibility to MANY EN-
ployes or securing the necessities OF
lie Twenty dollars a month would
mean q real loss to these employees
he said.
1t became increasingly evident TO-
day that federal employees have little
nope that the recomfne nda ations of the
joint congressional commission on re
ciassihcation in the District will be
1dopted by Congress in time for the
lorthcoming appropriation bills. and
that without the bonus there will be
no relief until July. 1921. at least.
There seemed possibility today that
7he reclassifcation commissioners
stirred by the debate over the bonus
proposition. might set up a part of
their salary recommends tions az ho-
nus, after all. at least such in name As
1he commissioners are fixing salaries
these salaries are basic, but it would
be possible for the commission. hav-
ing hxed salaries. to declare that a
certain per cent of the increase over
any present salary was the basic in.
crease and the rest of the increase "a
be regarded as bonus
Committee to Meet Sunday,
The legislative committee of tho n,
tional Federation of Federal EMPLOYEES
viii meet Sunday, it was announced
today, to go over the entire situation a.
to the bonus. and make plans for future
action.
Luther c. Steward. president OF tn,
4AdAra fion at 6.axai4al