Evening star., 1920-03-06
10000 EMPLOYEES
REDUCED IN GRADE
W|THEND0F: BONUS
Scientific and Technical
Branches Would Suffer
Great Losses.
BUREAU OF STANDARDS
DESIGNATIONS LIKELY
Coast and Geodetic Survey Is Con-
fronted With Irretriev-
able Disaster.


fronted With Irretriev-
able Disaster.
Permanent elimination of the $40
bonus from the legislative appropria-
ton bill would be tatamount to de-
motion Of more than a grade to 10000
federal employees in the National Capt.
tai, it was pointed out today.
Such demotions would not only result
in complete Generalization of the fed
eral service here as a whole, but would
lead to certain disaster in the various
scientific bureaus of the government
service. including the bupreau Of stand
ards. bureau of chemistry. coast and
geodetic survey and other scientific
and technical bureaus.
1t Is not generally realized. friends
of the employees declared today, that
the $240 bonus granted has been. in ef-
feet. part Of the salary, and that its
ployes would thus feel. and in reality
be. set back more than grade.
Grade Carries Salary Of $500.
utory salaries promotions have been
made by grades. the average none
tary increase going with advancement
Of grade being about 5000.
To denote a federal employe a
grade has always been a serious thing
to the employe. and has rarely been
done except as disciplinary action. it
is declared. Permanent elimination
of the bonus of 3240, therefore. would
mean demotion Of more than grade.
The effects of such demotion on the
great scientific bureaus Of the federal
more striking and more apparent to
the public. it is believed. than would
the general generalization which
would follow throughout the service
as a whole.
A poll at the bureau of standards.
it is understood. has revealed that at
least 800 scientists Of that bureau
contemplate severing connections
with the bureau when it becomes ap-
parent that the $24O bonus is lost to
them permanently. awaiting the re-
suits of reclassification by the joint
congressional commission on reclassi-
fication Of salaries in the District.
The bureau, it is declared. is losing
trained men at the apprcximate rate
Of one a day.
Irretrievable Disaster.
'IrretrievabTe disaster according
to an official OF the coast and geodetic
survey. will result II the $240 bonus
is chopped off the appropriation bill
for good. This bureau, according to
figures presented to the reclassifica-
ton commission in January, Is con-
fronted with conditions that 'consti-
tute a public emergency" 1t Is de-
clared. with 343s per cent Of its po-
sitions vacant. a condition which has
existed for the past eight months.
Confronted with a demotion of
more than grade. such employees as
we have left would throw up their
hands," said the official.
The bureau of standards. another
great scientific branch of the govern
ment service. has had $40 designations
in the past four years out of an av-
erage force of 535 persons. These
figures were presented to the reclas-
siflcation commission last December.
and the condition has been growing
worse. Figures were presented to
show that the bureau had labor
turn over" of 1873 per cent of its
permanent staff in 1915 to 1916: II
Der cent. 1916 to 1917: 1875 per cent.
1917 to 1918. and SOL per cent. 1918 to
1919.
Many of these employees left for in
creases on the outside amounting to
AS much as 154 per cent in their sal
aries. it was pointed out at that time.
Today it was said that II the scien-
lists left find that $240 is Topped off
will be forced to leave.
Unset Federal Workers.
Granting Of increased salaries to EN- =
ployes of the patent office. 1t was de-
clared, while a most equitable thing
in itself, will tend to further upset
other federal workers. II the $240
bonus is taken away from them.
While relief is granted firemen and
policemen. employees Of the patent Of
flee and the Navy. the mass OF the
civil service employees see even the
little they have diminished $24O
year.
ITO allow this question to be settled
by the arbitrary decision of two or
three men on the majority side Of the
House, who take advantage of the III
will of we'll known enemy on the
other side, Is no part OF our intention
or that OF our friends in Congress-.
said President Luther c. Steward OF
the National Federation OF Federal
Employees today. \
Several plans are under discussion
among friends OF the employees In
Congress and at the headquarters OF
the National Federation OF Federal
Employees. and "a definite program will
be formulated at a meeting OF the
national legislative committee OF the
organization tomorrow.
Whether the issue will be put up to
the House in a separate bill. or wheth-
er the increased bonus will be sought
in the sundry civil appropriation bill
or whether the matter will be fought
out in connection with the report OF
the reclassification commission. the
federation is confident that the en-
ployes' friends in the House will see
to it that a vote is had.
Women Ask for Protest.
Organized women of the bureau OF
engraving and printing. today asked the
republican women's executive commit
tee to protest to the party managers
! against the action of the House leaders
| in preventing a vote Thursday on the
| bonus increase item.
| Centerng their fire upon Representa-.
tive Mondell. majority leader of the
| House, the 1000 woman employees Of the
| big bureau. at a special meeting adopt.
ed resolutions asking that such protes,
be made.
| In a statement issued today it wa.
declared that while holding Chairman
Wood of Indiana to blame for the re.
duction in their salaries. the bureau
women intimate that they think Mr.
! Woods real position is that Of tn.
! goat for the House leader"
Are seriousIy Affected.
/ The resolution adopted declared tha,
ing and printing are all seriousi,
affected by the reduction. and declare2
that the bureau Is lone of the lowa.I
paid services in the government
I'VE emphatically object, further
more" said Miss Gertrude McNaIlv
secretary of the Womens Union. ~,
the disciplinary attitude certair
dell is quoted as saying that the s24t
would have heen safe In tha Xii,