The Washington times., 1923-02-25
.STERL ||uG BILL
|. REPORTED OUT
WI TIL CHANGES
Provides Increase IN Salaries
For Thousands Of Govern
ment Employees in b. c.
ACTION EARLY THIS WEEK
Changes Meet Approval Of
Smoot, Who Takes Issue
With Luther c. Steward

Providing an arbitrary scale of
compensation for the clerical,
professional, and administrative
employees Of the Government and
. more elastic schedule, based on
prevailing wages in outside In
dpstries, for skilled and unskilIed
labor, the Sterling Lehlbach re-
classification bill, completely re-
vised, was reported to the Senate
yesterday.
AFFECTS THOUSANDS.
The bill. which win 80 into effect
July 4, II passed, would increase the
salaries of thousands OF Government
employees In washington. Provision
- made that no salaries shall be re-
duced below amounts now paid, in
Guiding the $40 bonus, while In
creases would be given In accord
ance with schedules listed below.
Government employees outside the
District of Columbia, as well as en-
ployes of the Capitol are exempt
fron participation under the bin. III
is provided. however, that the per-
sonnet classification board, created
in the bin, shall submit schedules to
the next Congress applying to these
employees.
The bill carries q clause that there
shall be equal pay for equal work,
Irrespective Of sex. Compensation
schedules fixed by the bill win apply
only to civilian employees. and will
not affect persons enlisted in the
army, navy or marine corps, who
are on duty in the District Of
Columbia
DIVIDED IN TWO CIRCUITS.
One provision specifics that 1T
shall be the duty OF the classified.
ton board to consider what rates
Of COMPENSATION are consistent with
efficient and economical govern
Ynent and the maintenance Of
reasonable standard OF living.
The sixty-cdd thousand Govern
ment employees In washington are
divided by the bill into two groups,
with numerous grades or sub
divisions. These are the skilled
and unskilIed laborers, such as
metal workers, carpenters, printers,
Masons, etc, whose compensation
would be determined by prevailing
wages in outside industries; and
scientific, clerical, administrative,
and professional workers, aWh0se
salaries are definitely specified.
PROFESSIONAL GROUP. -
with respect to the last groAp,
the workers are divided into classes
and grades according to the follow
Ing schedule:
Class /. professional and scien-
tific employees. including those who
perform advisory, administrative or
research work. Salaries range from
S1.S60 to $500.
Class 2, sub-professional en-
ployes, whose work is incident, sub
ordinate or preparatory to the above
class. Salaries from $1,000 to
Glass 8. employees whose duties
are of 8. clerical. administrative or
accounting nature. Salaries from
s1,140 to $780, 20
TRADES DIVISION.
With respect to the employees of
the trades, and unskilled laborers.
the following classes are esrab-
Iished.
Glass /, consisting of skilled
trades service, including employees
assisting in or supervising appreli-
tees, helpers or journeymen OF
recognized trade or craft; salaries
TO be determined in accordance with
prevailing pay.
Glass 2, common or specialized
labor, the duties of which are to
perform or direct manual labor.
Salaries determined by prevailing
pay in outside industry.
The bill establishes a personnel
classification board, composed of
one representative from each of
the following: Bureau of Eff
cheney, Civil Service Commission
and Bureau of the Budget. The
representative of the last-named
bureau would be chairman OF the
board.
ACTION EARLY THIS WEEK.
notwithstanding the bill in its
present form is a compromise
Senator Sterling, joint author of
the original bill, is understood to
favor passage by the Senate. Sen
ator Snaoot asked when presenting
the bill yesterday that it be referred
to the Civil Service Committee, of
which Senator Sterling is chairman.
Senator Smoot said last night that
It has been agreed to take action on
the measure Immediately it is re-
ported from the. Civil Service Com
nittee. This is expected to be done
The first Of the week.
Taking issue with press reports
said to have animated from Luther
=. Steward, president Of the Ma
.ional Federation of Federal En-
oloyes, criticizing the bill, Senator
Smoot said Steward made his state
nent before there was any posi-
oility of his knowing what the bill