Evening star., 1924-01-14
U. S. Loses Many Capable Workers
Through Small Reward, Says Carter
Calls Retirement annuity Grossly Inadequate; Asks
Ne,o Building to Replace Present Structure,
Branded as Firetrap.

intendent Of documents. should be re-
placed by a modern seven or eight
story fireproof structure of the best
factory type. A building Of this size.
street and 175 feet on North Capitol
street. would cost approximately s3,-
100000
"rhe building project could be
financed by authorizing that speci-
fed sum be expended therefor. under
the direction of the joint committee
on printing, out of the available bal
ancss and miscellaneous receipts.
amountings to more than $47OO.00O.
which this Office has left untouched
in the Treasury during the last two
years.
Raps Small Annuity.
In discussing the inadequacy of re-
points out that the maximum an
nuity received by any retired en-
ploye is S720 a year after thirty
years service at an average compen-
sation of $1,000 per annum. AT the
present and prospective cost of Hv-
inE," he says. this is an inadequate
sum for an aged employe to main
tain himself and his family unless he
has some other source of income.
The average retirement annuity is
as compared with the large retire
ment allowances to Army and Navy
officers In time Of peace is an unjust
discrimination against the civilian
employees who have in many in
stances. rendered equally faithful Serv-
ice to their government
In arguing that the reclassiication
law Is unjust to shop laborers. the
public printer says:
'Inasmuch as the classification act
or 1873 does not apply to apprentices,
helpers and journeymen OF a recog-
nized trade or craft, nor to certain
skilled and semi skilled Iaborers. the
compe ensations of those employees
classification board for readjustment.
The act provides. however. that its
classification schedule shall include
so-called clericalmechanical serv-
Ice, covering positions not in a rec
ognized trade or craft, the duties of
which are to perform or direct man
ual and machine operations requir-
ing special skill Or experience or to
perform or direct the counting. ex-
amining. sorting and other verifica-
tion of the product of manual or ma
chine operations in the government
printing office and the bureau OF en-
craving and printing.
AS matter Of fact, this provision.
especially as to counters and veri
fiers. was drafted especially for the
bureau of engraving and printing.
and really has but little, if any. prac-
teal application to the government
printing office. But the personnel
board has held that employees in this
counters and examiners come within
the clerical mechanical service, and as
such are subject to it's wage schedules.
The injustice of this situation is
shown by the fact that large num-
Der of employees in the bindery are at
times engaged in counting or examin-
ing work and at other times are re-
quired to do folding, gathering and
other related tasks of bindery
worker Such varying conditions
make it extremely inadvisable to
CLASSIFY employees who have to go from
ratable to non-ratab bic work. depend
ing upon the requirements OF the
office
The personnel board has been re-
quested. therefore. to exempt these
employees from the operation Of the
classification act"
Opposes RcClnxEifying Act.
Mr.. Carter contends that all me-
chanical forces should be exempt
IN order to insure equal justice to
all the employees of the government
printing office and proper relation
snip between their wages. all the
should be exempt from the operations
or the classification act" he says.ss-'It
Is entirely impracticabie to place on
annual salaries. provided by the
ciasslncatlon act, employees who pre
now paid by the hour. A gross in
justice will be perpetuated by re-
stricting these employees to annual
salaries when the skilled tradesmen
who work along with them are allow
ed pay for overtime and extra com
pensatfon for Sunday and holiday
work.
Il bespeak simple justice for them
that no man or woman may say that
the government has been unfair or
partial in the treatment Of it's en-
ployes. That the matter is Of no small
consequence may be seen from the
fact that employees of the government
printing office were required to per
form 204,0s7 hours of overtime Sun
day and holiday work in 1922. for
which they received additional COM