The Washington herald., 1920-01-11
Grievances Of Government
Workers May Be Ironed
Out BY Court of Appeals

the Endorsement Of practically every
class OF employees. The National
Federation Of Federal Employees has
approved of Il.
As the principle will be advanced.
] judging from the hearings conduct
ed, that remuneration should In
measure, at least, depend on the liv-
ing cost OF the worker, a new situa-
ton will arise as TO the classifica-
tion of salaries to follow the mimi
n,om amount. Department heads are
in favor of the utmost latitude. in
this respect. but are impressed with
the desirabiIity Of making the in
centive such as TO guarantee to the
government the highest class OF
| workers.
II Is believed that by fixing the
minimum at $3.50. with automatic
increases every year. provided the
employe keeps UP with the require
ments, the complex question Of iiv-
| ing wage for the family will DE
solved. In theory this would pre-
suppose the program OF having the
, employe enter the government serv-
ice at the earliest age which the
law would permit. BY the time the
income reached a figure correspond
ing to the expenses of a family. he
or she would be ready to enter upon
the responsibilities Of family life.
In effect a minimum wage, as
contemplated here. implies an ap-
prentice system or a probationary
period. A six-year interval be-
tween the low and the family
twage" has been suggested. This
has been endorsed by departmental
/ heads. Such a system, they argue,
| would assure not only a living
wage to the single man or woman.
but would enable each to lay aside
more and more each succeeding
year until ample funds would be
provided for housekeeping pur-
poses or for supporting dependents.
Recommendations made to the
ReclassIfication Commission do not
stop at the family wage" A con-
stantly ascending scale Is provided
as an incentive to good work.
There really will be no limit. no
maximum, IL Congress heeds the
best brains of the departments,
should the commission pass the
briefs along as its own recommen-
. dations. Advanced thought along
the line OF readjustments is to the
effect that the government should
| be enabled to compete with private
interests. The fitness and value Of
the man should in the final analysis
decide the salary Of the man in
high or low position.
The question Of efficiency is tre-
mendously important to both em-
1 ployes and government. To the Tor
mer it is a question Of job; to the
latter economy. 1t has been found
that as the number increases the
work deteriorates. Fewer men and
women in many departments would
improve the service. There is no dis
pute on this score. This does not
hold good in mechanical divisions and
! in certain other manual labor depart
ments. but it is admitted for the
clerical section.
Discriminate Agniast Women.
With efficiency the question Of
equality is raised. 1t has been proven
at the hearings that women have
been Disseminated against. The in
terest shown by the commission in
this phase indicates that real equality
will be recommended. Thus it is
likely that the government will have
! the highest average wage for women
in the country as IT is notorious
women everywhere nave Ottu 6iNcu
the worst of II.
/ There Is no desire to anticipate
the findings of the Redistribution
| Commission. but it should be point
ed out that through private investi-
cation it has been discovered that
administrative heads are as anxious
for genuine reform as are the work
ers themselves. Although both hu-
man and humane they are in favor
of wedding out the drones and the
unfit, and what is more important
they are willing in many cases to
cut down the quantity in order to
! improve the quality. This can only
! be brought about however. by a
substantial increase in pay of those
who are capable.
AS for readjustment OF positions.
That could easily be accomplished to
the satisfaction of the majority. IL
Is argued. were powers delegated to
responsible heads to fit round pegs
in round holes and square pegs in
square holes. The ''fit" could be
PASSED on by the reviewing commis-
sion, Civil Service. or any other cre-
ated.
CWhat the man and woman who
take orders from others aspire TO
In the, e,recIassihcstion proposed will
be explained in tomorrow article,
! which will conclude the present