Evening star., 1928-06-11
Claims Bulk of Clerks
Get S. Month Raise
TO the Editor Of The Star:

TO the Editor oil The Star:
A mighty protest Is in the air.. It
comes from the thousands of Govern
nfent workers to whom the new salary
increase bill means only $5 per month
additional. These are the workers who
are receiving the salaries which are con-
sidered standard in their grades; they
are the workers who carry the burden
Of work throughout the whole service,
and they comprise the great majority
Of clerks in the service.
In some quarters where this protest
has been uttered in no uncertain terms,
the complainant has been consoled by
superior with the reply, HUH You
ought to be glad to get that!" This
sort OF reply Is said to have come from
Government officials who also are Off
GERS In the Federal Employees Union.
and who, through their efforts in that
organization, will be able to add to their
already adequate salaries $400 TO 81 500
year--JuSt so much velvet Poor con-
ISOLATION for the recipient of the mere
$5-a-month increase!
The daily papers have bubbIed over
with congratulations to the clerks be-
cause Of this munificent increase be-
slowed by the hand of Congress. What
tne recipient Is marveling about is,
wherein is the occasion for so much
gratitude? A simple calculation will
snow That S. a month will provide the
beneficiary Of this munificence with
1874 cents per day, and that out of
that amount will be taken the retire
ment pension at the rate of ga Der
cent. For those who receive an increase
OF $l25 month the additional amount
is S4.1623 per day.
The greater portion of the clerks
In the service are receiving the stand
ard salary. therefore the majority will
receive the additional sum of 1924
cents a day. 1t is the lower salaried
clerks who have supported the union,
and have supported 1t in the belief
that they would benefit by the measure.
The bill as passed by the House may
be satisfactory TO the union officials and
to those already well paid. AS amended
by the Senate 1t would have satisfied
the vast majority, for 1t would have
relieved the tension of their living con-
ditions-its original purpose However,
the amount Of 1924 cents a day does
nothing toward meeting the high cost
Of living. The street car companies
are already formulating plans to take
rs per cent of that pittance for in
creased fares.
An equal distribution OF the amount
that was added to salaries already
adequate would have gone long way
toward the worthwhile increase which
was fully expected
1t is believed that it is not too late
to repair the damage In each grade
Of the new scale where there are six
steps instead of seven as formerly, in
order to make the seventh step, let
the maximum step be repeated. This
plan would make the sixth and seventh
steps the same, instead OF making the
third and fourth steps the same, as
interpreted by the controller general
For example, grade (CAF) would
then be:
Original status. 1900. 81 $50, 81, 1,620,
81 $50, $i,740. 1900, 81 $50.
Amended status 81 $40. 81, $50, 81, TAO.
e1 300, 81, 1850, 81 ,920, 81 ,920.
AS the great majority of clerks In
this grade are receiving the standard
salary Of 81 $780, this plan would give
the larger number 80 rather than SIS
per month. and would more nearly
resemble the degree of Justice which
Congress doubtless intended.
MARY s. MADDOX.