Evening star., 1923-01-22
PR|NTERSPLEAD
FOR MORE WAGES
International Vice President
Appears Before House
Committee.
SEEK 20-CENT INCREASE
Frank Morrison Of A. F. of L. Also
Testiies to Conditions in
United States Office.

Charles p Howard, vice president
of the International Typographical
Union. appeared as spokesman for a
committee of fifteen employees Of the
government printing ONCE before the
which Representative Edgar II. Keiss
Of Pennsylvania is chairman, in sup
port of the Osborn bill for increase in
the pay of printers in the government
printing Office.
These printers now receive 81 and
fraction cents per hour, including a
bonus OF approximately 10 per cent
The legislation sought proposes to in
crease this rate 10 s1.04 per hour for
those classes In the government
by law. ny
Morrison Also Appears.
Frank Morrison, secretary of the
American Federation Of Labo*, and a
member OF the typographical union,
also appeared as a witness. Others
who testified were Walter y. Reddick,
international president Of the book
binders. and President Hedges of the
local bookbinders' union and the presi-
dent OF the local pressmen's union.
MT. Howard, speaking for the COM
mittee, submitted data to show that
wages OF employees in the government
printing office had not kept the pace
with the increased cost Of living. He
also said that the wages paid to the
same classes are less than the rates
paid for like service in privately
operated plants.
I'm the past Congress has followe ed
a wise public policy" said Mr.. How
for governmental employees in con-
sonance with those established for
like service in privately operated in
dustries. 1t is on this basis largely
that we urge the necessity for favor
able action upon the wage bill now
before you.
Wages Fixed by Law.
The wage rates of approximately
90 per cent Of the employees in the
government printing ONCE are fixed
by acts OF Congress-" Mr.. Howard
reminded the committee. For the
other SO per cent the public printer
has authority to make adjustments
warrant or necessity seems to de-
mand.
The operations Of the inevitable
industrial and economic laws have
created an emergency which should
be met without further delay Other
than relief offered by the payment
OF the so-called war bonus, the print
ers In the government employ have
mad no relief for number of years
This bonus has. even IL continued
proved totally inadequate. Year by
year the 75-cent hourly rate for these
clases of highly skilled employees.
as fxed under the present law, has
been thrown more and more out OF
ilne when compared to the rates paid
70 other employees In governmental
and private institutions.
|. Approach Retirement Age.
That great numbers have not left
the government printing office is due
Congress at the earliest possible mo-
ment would pass emergency relief
legislation. An additional reason is
that after many years Of service some
are approaching the time, when they
VIII be entitled to retirement pay,
which they hesitate to sacrifice"
Mr.. Howard submitted data to show
that the wages paid these employees
IN government service are. scarcely
without exception, the lowest paid
for like service" He also quoted sta
tistics as to the cost Of living.
Refers to Labor's Hours.
Referring to the matter of hours
OF labor. Mr.. Howard said that dur
ing the past two years the rule OF
the trade in the commercial Industry
has been established at forty-four
hours as the normal working week
in other words, tho Saturday half
holiday which is enjoyed three
months in the year by Eovernment
employees in Washington is operative
through tho entire year by approx
imately 90 per cent Of the CONNER
cial printers throughout the country.
Mr.. Howard presented minimum
wage scales in all the cities Of the
United States which have more than
quoted therein, he said. are in many
instances much less than the average
wage paid to the printers, due to the
practice of paying additional sums
by weekly or hourly basis above the
minimum scale. =