Evening star., 1924-09-03
STEWARD ATTACKS
COOLIDGE PAY VIEW
Federal Employees Do Not En-
joy Salary Gains Executive
C;:.!ccaa, He Says.

In Z letter addressed TO lTtSlu"ni
Coolidge, made public today, Luther
G. Steward, president Of the National
Federation OF Federal Employees, call
cd the attention of the Chief Exec
uJive to the fact that the improved
living conditions he referred to in
his Labor day address do not repre-
sent existing facts in. so far AS the
Federal service is concerned.''
Pointedly asking the President to
take the n"' ""Sary steps to insure
Legislation III ,he next session of Con-
.rress which would bring the stand
ard of living of the average Federal
emplOyc up to that of the men and
women engaged in industrial pursuits,
Mr.. Steward declared in his letter that
the Government workers have had to
carry the difference. between the in
creased cost of living and their
slightly increased wages "by lowering
their standard of living or other
equally un-American eNpedients.'
Quotes Presidents speech.
The letter in fun follows:
My Dear Mr.. PRESIDENT: We
have read with Il great deal
of interest the published account of
the address delivered by you on LABOR
day to the workers of the United
s-tatcs, and have been particularly
naruCk by your :tatement that one
CO the outstanding features of the
IresGnt day is that American wage
Gamers are living better than at
ANY other time in our history. They
feve not only retained, but actually
increased. the gains they made dur
irg the war. The cost of living has
been high. but the increase in wages
has been greater. Compilations OF
the Department OF Labor demonstrate
7*t the wages of an hour. or day.
hIT more now than it ever did before.
"hnd again: But increased wages,
ir terms Uf mCn"y, mean little if they
are entirely absorbed by higher prices
OF the necCS>arieS of life. fn order
I" know whether an increase in the
n-uney wag" is also an increase in
til. real wage. We must know how
much the prices have advanced. ON
that point. ! find that the cost of
living OF the average family. for
tie same standard OF living; has been
falling sine" the high point was
reached i'll 1929 and is now. in terms
of money. Gully &? per cent above the
level of 1913-that is, the increase
in wages has far outrun the advance
in tn" cost uf living. Real wages. as
determined ty th9 things that money
wages VIII bu:', are higher today
thah ever before in our history
Thinks Coolidge Nfsinf0rmed.
There is no message of cheer to
civilian Federal employees in the
ah"N" quoted statements. because, ac-
r"IFiln= 10 statistics in our possession
supplied by Government agencies
they do not represent existing facts
In so far the Federal service is
concerned. We are ready to assume
that YOU have been misinformed in
this matter. Only % per cent above
tn" level of 1913 These are grimly
tragic words to the thousands of Fed
tral employees whose average in
crease in pay since 1913 has not ex-
c"tded % per cent and who have had
{" carry the difference by lowering
their standard of living to other
equally un-American eXpedients.
May W. ask what steps YOU Mr.
President. as Chief Executive of
business employing more than half a
million civilian workers, and to whom
these employees must look for initiat-
ing any means Of relief are taking to
bring the wage level OF the employ es
under your charge up to point rea-
s"nahly compare bic with the in
creased cost of living?
We fell. with reason, that i'm
proved conditions of workers in
general should certainly be reflected
In improved conditions for ciyilia n
Federal employees. We note with
hearty approval your comment on
thc abolition of the l2-hOur day and
the 1-day week in the steel and
h"y board Industries, but regret that
You apparently have not been in
formed "f the existence of the
1"-hour day and the 1-day week
for many civilian Federal employees
such as the tenders of Government
locks. keepers of Government light
houses and many cuStodial employees
Intend to BE Faithful
"Civilian Federal employees are
fully alive to their obligation to re-
main faithful to their appointed
tasks depending upon reason and
argument to obtain redress for their
grievances. This certainly implies d
like obligation upon their employer
to deal fairly by them.
I'm view of your statement to the
workers of the United States, we
urge upon you to recommend to the
Congress at its next regular session
the immediate taking of such legis-
latIve steps as may be necessary to
adjust the compensa ton and work
civilian Federal employees in accord
the existing cost of living.
An expression of such intention
from you at this time would be most
heartCninC to the army of civilian
workers who have been penalized by
the mounting cost of living without
adequate recognition from the en-
ployer whom they have SO faithfully
served. Very trnly yours.