Evening star., 1928-03-21
HARDSHIP OF LIVING ON LOW PAY
TOLD BY FEDERAL WORKERS

$l55. while the Federal Government
pays s8S; firemen. $3.50. compared with
sos: telephone operators, $3.50, COM
pared with $95 elevator men, s155,
compared with $50: laborers. Sc a day,
compared with $ll0 a month.
Cites Temptations Offered.
Capt Ainsworth amused the commit
tee by describing the beautiful new i'm
migration building in San Francisco
which is a credit TO the city and to the
Federal Government. but he called at
tention that the brass doors cost $4,000
each and electroliers on either side of
the doors $4,000 each, a total OF $24. 900
he said, while within the building are
charwomen receiving $55 a month and
ianitors $35 a month He expressed the
opinion that 1t would be more credit
ible for the Government to pay this help
little bit better and to cut down on some
OF the fancy work on the building. In
emphasizing that people receiving low
salaries hold positions OF trust and
temptation. he narrated a recent Incl
dent where a watchman was offered a
years pay In gold to walk another part
OF the dock and let three Chinese wom-
en- be smuggled by.
John Fitzgerald of New York with
"a years OF honorable service spoke in
behalf OF nearly $4,000 employees in
New York, New Jersey and a part of
Connecticut. asking relief contemplated
in the Welch bill He said that his ex-
periences is that there is not much
economy In low priced employees. but
really waste and extragavance because
the better employees take the better
salaries in outside employment.
He gave the committee a detailed
running account OF the struggle made
by himself and his wife In bringing UP
a family OF Is children, explaining that
there Is difference in talking economy
and the necessity Of practicing economy
Representative Sirovich made reference
to the compensation act in New York
showing that Mr.. Fitzgerald would be
worth more to his family dead than
alive and said that II seems as though
the policy OF the Government Is that
man shall serve his family best by
dying for it. He criticized the system
under which man must strive
throughout his life TO earn for his
family what Is given to the family II
he dies.
Makes Plea for Guards.
r. J. Newcomb. a member OF the
Board of Public Welfare in the District
OF Columbia, and chairman OF the COM
mittee on penal institutions. spoke on
behalf of the guards at the District
Jail, workhouse and reformatory and
attendants in Gallinger Hospital. stat
ing that they are seriously underpald.
All OF these except the guards At the
iail are receiving only H,l40, work
seven days a week. eight hours day.
have 10 buy their own uniforms and
generally are not successful in securing
the vacation period allowed them IN the
event they are not needed Tor DUTY
Mrs Rogers OF Massachusetts menu
ber of the committee. by her quesuohS
emphasized that II Is difficult under
such a salary scale to get the Kino Oh
men who can be trusted
.John Lewis of Philadelphia. In the
custodial service In the Federal blhio-
ing there. was one OF the witnesses VINO
apnealed strongest bo the Sympatnies
of the committee Receiving salary
OF Sl.I40, with az per cent deducteo
for the retirement funds. he gave de- |
tailed account Of the various duties he |
Is REQUIRED TO perform, including con-
siderable mechanical work, part OF
which is the repainting OF the building |
Incidentally Mr.. Lewis pleased the COM
mittee by showing that he taxes com.
mendabIe priue III uotEK hoou J"D VA
painting even though 1t Is all extra
work for him outside OF his usually /,
heavy duties,
Explains Health Dangers
MIR, Sirovich. who Is doctor, ex-
planned To fellow members on the COM |
mittee that the sort of services required |
from those In the custodial work makes |
them particularly susceptible To pull |
monary diseases
Mr.. Lewis in reply 10 questions from |
members of the committee disclosed that |
he had served as volunteer during the |
Philippine insurrection. but has never |
asked a pension from the Government |
James j. Noonan. president OF the |
Central Labor Union. and an otficer OF |
the International Machinist Union. and |
N. r. Alias, legislative representative |
OF the machintsts In the navy yard In |
this district. went on record as heartily |
indorsing the provisions of the weich |
bill
This supplemented the testimony late |
yesterday by the Legislative representa-
tive OF the American Federation of
Labor. who placed $500. 900 organized
workers. squarely behind this measure