The Washington herald., 1921-06-02
DISTRICT WORKERS
APPEAR IN FAVOR
OFCLASSFICATlON
City Employees Consider
SterIing-Lehlbach Bill
As Boon.

Corbtn Birch, of the revenue fnspec-
tion branch Of the District water de-
partment, and Mrs. Edith Kinkead.of
the District tax collectors once
told the joint congressional commit
tee on civil service yesterday that
the SterIing-Lehlbach bill would be
a boon to District employees.
Employees OF the local government
were subjected to a wage cut OF
20 per cent In 1874 which has never
been overcom.. the committee was
told. They are much more in need
of a salary adjustment than fed
eral employees. il was said.
Low Pay Explained.
Birch called attention to the low
standard Of salaries and said there
is no rule for promotion on EN-
cheney. Many employees are diven
10 the extremity OF seeking outside
employment, he declared. in order
to support their families. There
are - wen in the once where he
is employed. he said, all engaged in
clerical work at an average salary
of Ss76 a year. Birch expressed
the belief that the government would
save many thousands of dollars by
increasing salaries to a point which
would prevent the present high
turnover
Mrs Kinkhead spoke OF the great
variety of work in the District gov
ernment and the many misapplIed
titles. .Bailiffs at $1,000. she shIo.
do the work of bailiffs for only a
short time, devoting much time to
exacting clerical work. The head
cashier in the tax collectors Of
fee. who handles more money than
a bank cashier. receives only ST.
500. Attention was called to the
fact that the District service was
reclassifed by the joint recIassif-
cation commission report.
Nolan Present.. Case.
Representative John l. Nolan, OF
California, appeared in behalf OF
the customs examiners of San Fran
cisco. He said that 200 such ex-
aminers in the United States were
not specifically covered in either OF
the several reclassification bills, and
that they need special consideration
because of the peculiar characte,
and responsibility of their work. He
said the whole revenue system de.
pends upon these men.
John p Costello, District recorder
OF deeds. made a plea for cIassj-
hcation OF employees in his ONCE
A. T. KoehIer. District secretary
of the federal council. American n
Association of Engineers; Ronald
Mcdonald, of the archives division
Of the adjutant generals ofice
Harlan l. Smith, agricultural de-
partment director Of information
Harry p. Bradford. Of the bureau
OF entomology: c. Marshall Stewart
Of the agricultural department bu-
reau Of illustrations. and Frank n.
Ainsworth. OF San Francisco. were
heard during the day. The session
will continue at 10 o'clock this
morning.
In Favor Of Raise.
Koehier said the Federal Council
of Engtneers had made a careful
sr1tysis 81 ali the bills and came
10 the conclusion that a very sub
st4rtiei revision Of salaries upward
was nccessary. He said the abnor-
nal turnoysf continues to the detri-
mfrt of the quality of work. as
q14LItea mes cannot be obtained
for the salaries offered. The report
of the Joint reclassification COM
mission was recommended as a
basis for salary curves" inasmuch
- the report is the result of the
nest conrprehensive research. The
Sterling -Lehihach bill appears to be
q simrlihsf expression Of the re-
port Koehler said. From position
cns. Vhere employees enter the serv-
ics. 10 position six on the joint
comuiission's curve" Koehler said
fthers are - steps. while in the
Sterling-Lshlbach bill there are
oniyh2o steps. enabling the en-
rfso-ef 10 pro sress more rapidly
while the Commissions curve does
not extend beyond position six.
leaving salaries above that point to
b detsrmined through legislative
channels. the other bills are even
r1oref comprehensive. extending to
nnd Embracing positions seven and
eiart The SterlinG-Lehlbach curve
nses more rapidly owing to the
srailer number of steps.
q rmeot-wood Bill.
.As. the snnot- Wood bill is less
definEe thaa the others and does
not stzte any intermediate salaries
within grades. the development OF
It's saIsry curve is largely proble-
rnatfeal and very uncertain OF ap-
piicafion.'
Other technical details provided
ffe Committee by Koehler showed
tAe value Of creating an incentive
"a beginners IN the service and the
adTaptagss OF holding and encourag-
ihE spployes from the beginning.
" ---------------
Lawn Fete Proves Success.
The grand lawn fete and band