The Washington herald., 1920-02-07
BONUS
VARYING WITH
LIVINGCOST
Salary Commission Con-
siders System for US.
Employees.
By SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

SlderS OyStem Tor u. ,.
! Employees.
Recommendation Of a bonus for
civil employees varying in amount
according to fluctuations in the
cost of living is being very serious
ly considered by the joint Congress
sional commission on recIassifca-
tion of salaries in the District.
Under the proposed system. a
basic salary of 81. 200 would carry a
bonus of about $500, which would
he subject to increase or decrease,
according to the annual variations
/ in the price of certain staples. such
as rent and standard articles Of
food and clothing. A commission
would be appointed to check up an
nually on these living cost fuctua-
tions and report its findings to Con-
gress prior to the passage of the
appropriation bills providing for
the salaries Of District workers.
The heXibility of this scheme rec
ommends IL strongly to a number of
/ the committee members. who be-
Ilieve IL to mere nearly combine
practically with approximate jus
ttce than any other plan yet consid-
cred. A certain limitation would be
placed on the bonus amount. which
would probably not be permitted to
| exceed $500, on a basic salary Of
, $1,000.
Adjust Lump Sum QuestIon.
Comprise of the long disagree
which has existed between Congress
and department heads with refer
ence to statutory and lump sum
appropriations is also contemplated.
Congress dislikes to make lump
sum appropriations because il fears
resultant extravaganza on the part
OF bureau chiefs, some of whom
show a tendency TO boost their pay
rolls recklessly if given a certain
carte blanche. On the other hand.
department heads claim that appro-
priations for statutory position tie
their hands so far as securing ex-
ceptional employees is concerned.
To remedy this situation il is
proposed to make lump sum appro-
priations to be expended subject to
! the supervision of a central organi-
cation. Under this Arrangement. il
] bureau chief wants to pay a
stenoSrapher $500 he will have to
convince the supervising bureau
! that she is senior stenographer
whose output justifies her salary.
The committee is now hard at
; work on salary schedules and Just
| beginning TO get downNto cases
] tentative agreements having been
reached in a number of instances.
However. all compensation scales
I made thus far are subject to revie W
and reconsideration.
Means Many Changes.
No radical increases or decreases
| will be made, il is said. although
the committee expects its work TO
be the foundation for sweeping re-
! organization in many offices For
| instance. in the War Department.
/ there are a number OF messengers
drawing $500 salaries whose duties
could be performed by small boys.
! The committee expects to define the
| duties of various classes Of work
| ers of this type. setting suitable
! corresponding rates of pay. Such
action is expected to result in the
!
| cnsir-warmers.
Discrimination against women work.
ers will not obtain under the rulings
of the reclaSsification committee All
| workers arc being rated strictly ac-
/ cordinG to the work they perform,
without regard TO sex. Girl stenogra-
piers and typewriters need not, how
ever. expect much of an advance over
the s1.4+O they now usually receive.
since reports from the commercial
houses of the East show that tovern-
ment stenographers~ar aSeady being
paid at a considerably higher rate
than similar workers in private con-
Germs. six or eight classes Of stenog-
raphers will probably be provided for
in the reclassification.
Find Strange Discrepancies.
A great many very glaring dis
crepancieS have been discovered
which will have TO be righted. For
instance. a case was discovered yes
| terday where one man was receiv-
ing $500 and another $4,000 annually
J for the same duties as custodian.
| The former salary was a case Of
, a bureau chief receiving an extra
J $500 for taking over the custodian's
duties. while the $500 man would
appear to be overpaid. Clerks do
/ ing important work in the Patent
! Office arer eceiving a basic salary
of $3.50, while for duties OF the same
type Treasury workers are receiv-
| ing s1.400. 4 number OF elderly
men acting as watchmen and guards
are also receiving S720, a alary man.
| ifestly insufficient for the maintain
ance OF their families. Most of these
workers, IL is expected. will be in
creased TO $1,000 or 1,40o.
The drafting bureau of the SEN
ate is assisting the committee in
drawing up the bill which il is
purposed to lay before Congress as
the result Of the reclsssifica ton