Evening star., 1924-03-09
POSTAL CLERKS WIVES
PLEAD FOR LIVING WAGE
Outline to Congress Bitter Struggles
Made Necessary by Low Pay
Since Beginning of War.

established grades from s400 TO ST.
400 year, with no provision for pro-
motion and no regard for faithful
and efficient service.
A second measure was passed in
1907 providing for automatic promo
tions from 5000 to s1.100.
The present classification bill was
enacted in 1920, establishing FIVE
grades ranging from s1,400 to $500
a year, with two special grades Of
$1,000 and $4,000 for meritorious
service.
This law was passed after the war,
during which time the wearing ap-
parel of the postal clerks and their
families was virtually reduced to
rags; in many instances they were
disgraceful and entirely unpresenta-
BILE" said Mrs. Halas.
Their food was of the most in
ferior kind and the actual necessities
of life were SO high they could
scarcely be purchased" She quoted
prices, as follows: Sugar, flour and
meats went up to as high as 800 and
500 per cent. Sugar that was pur-
chased before the war for 515 and 6
cents pound sold as high as 80 and
35 cents a pound. Flour went from
IS cents for, one-eighth of a barrel
to $3.50. The wife and every child
in the family as low as fourteen
years of age were compelled to go
out and work in order to make ends
meet, at the sacrifice of their homes
their comfort and their health" Mrs.
Halas said
Suffered Much Hardship.
During all of those grueling year
OF hardships a very large maiorit,.
or these faithful servants, imbued
with spirit of loyalty and patriot
ism, remained true to the coIors." she
reminded the committee. Many of
these employees who through their
thrift and strict economy had begun
10 ouy homes lost them because
they could not withstand the on
slaught of the high cost of living
AND many of them who were MOI
quite so unfortunate have suffered
the deep humiliation and incon-
venience Of prolonged heavy debt in
CURED at that time"
According to the bureau of labor
statistics, the accumulated loss of
salary to the postal clerks for 1917
to 1923, inclusive, on account of tbe
inadequate salaries paid to them
/ amounts to S3.947 each. This is a.p-
palllng. members of Congress argue,
When 1t is considered that the postal
clerks are working under the only
| revenue e-producing department of the
government. The payment of their
| salaries does not depend upon the
revenue collected through the gnera1
taXs levied upon the people. They
produce the revenues to nav the ex-
penses OF their Department., and they
are justly entitled to a reasonsbl.
share of their production.
Living Costs Advanced.
The present salary law, S1,400 TO
sl,S00 year, was enacted in 1920.
when it was expected that the high
cost of living would recede, but the
| supposltlon was not well founded. be
cause instead of the cost of living
| recedlng it has greatly advanced, and
In a very detrimental and homeless
manner. While the cost of food and
clothing has been reduced some
what, and fuctuated considerably, the
fl8ed and unacceptable cost of the alb
solute necessities of life, such as
| house rent. the purchase and uplzeen
OF property, taxes, transportation.
| fuel and light, has steadily advanced
out of all proportions to the meager
salary now paid to the postal clerks.
| The postal clerks are asking for all
increase in salary to range from So. 600
| to $4,000 a year.