The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1920-01-03

the United States to scientifically
harmonic wages and the cost of
living. The National Federation Of
Federal Employees. Of which there
are more than 10000 in the District,
believes that the investigation will
conclusively prove that the govern
ment is running the biggest sweat
shop in the country. Members of
the federation also hope that when
this is called toNhe attention of the
country the first step will have been
taken towards that millenial read
justment between capital and labor
over which economic idealists have
pondered for generations. That the
findings of the committee is certain
to have a powerful influence in ad-
justing the grievances of those who.
unorganized and unrepTesented.
have been the greatest sufferers
from skyrocketing prices-;he SAL
aried class-is firmly believed in
circles where a union card is an un-
attainable luxury.
Members of Commission.
The commission. which consists or
Senator Jones Of New Mexico. SEN
ator Henderson Of Nevada. Senator
Spencer Of Missouri. Courtney "
Hamlin, Missouri: Henry A Cooper.
Wisconsin, and Edward Heating.
Colorado. with v. L. Almond as
clerk, called to its assistance a
corps Of expert accountants. Of
whom Herbert f. Fleming is the
director. Experts from several gov
eminent departments were also
transferred to the bureau.
Every government employe in the
District, with the exceptions noted
received a questionable. Each card
had twenty-nine queries. The ma
jority were for the emproye and the
rest for the immediate superior.
The Bureau Division chief was Civ
en- an opportunity to q. X. the an
swors Of both. The employe. how
ever. got the final peek at the card.
The commission. in order to r.
/ rive at a comparative basic pay.
turned loose thirty independent in
vcstiCators in the District. whose
business 1t was 20 find out how toll
ers outside the government Jared.
Having listed ffty-two major SER
vices and 100 subdivisions. the
investigators were in position to
make a comparison between the lib
erality Of the government and pr
waite employers.
In Private Employment.
From department. and other stores
was received information as to tho
pay, duties, working conditions and
such OF clerks, stenographers and
others. Lawyers. doctors. contraC-
! tors, butchers, grocers. druggists.
blacksmiths, janitors, chemists.
printers, laborers and. in fact. every
class Of workers. hand or head. were
visited. until every position on the
government list was matched by n
similar position outside.
The commission early discovered
that in order to arrive at some SAN
basis for wage adjustment, let alone
a technical Reconsideration. it would
be necessary to approach the que~-
ton from a view point of a consum-
er. or how the gulf. il any. between
receipts and expenditures. could he
bridged. With this in view it Gales
on the Bureau OF Labor Statistic
for figures on the cost of living.
Figures on Living Costs.
The most detailed study of the
living problem ever made in the
District was the result and il was
put into the records that the annual
living cost for a single man in gov
eminent clerical service was 1851 a I;
for a single woman in similar SER
vice, S1,037.2O, and for a family Of
five. father, mother and three chill
dren. s2.262.14.
The report stated the controversy
as to whether the husband could
get along on one and one-half hats
year and how he managed il
when his one wooden union suit at
IS, was washed. Would the wife
find s. worth OF night dresses suf-
icient for the year and were three
new heels on her shoes enough,
were other questions raised.