Evening star., 1928-03-19
20 Representatives Speak
for Measure After Seeing
Large Delegation.
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
MARCH TO CAPITOL
Woman Heads Procession to Urge
Enactment Of Welch Proposal
to Increase Their Pay.

ADdAUONluR pedceIuI meCnOdS ard
throwing caution to the winds, 1000
Federal employees stormed into the
House hearing on the Welch bill this
morning and cheered for the measure
that would raise their salaries an aver
age Of $500 year.
It was the biggest delegation con-
n1ittee hearing has seen for years and
1t had its effect. Representatives vno
had no connection With the Lehlbach
civil service committee stopped and lis
tened and then went in and spoke for
the bill In fact, more than 20 Of them
announced emphatic support Of the bill
to establish minimum salary Of $500
and increases OF $500 and $500 in the
lower grades
The rooters were in two sections. There
were those VINO came early and get
seats. There were few hundred o.
those. But the real delegation was the
disorganized. dlsheveled, dtsorderly army
that Mrs. Margaret Hopkins Worreu LED
IN a march from the Peace Monun1sa.
up to Capitol Hill.
Little Woman at Head.
At It's head was little woman With
flushed face who didn't care a ran
whether the Federation Of Federal En-
ployes thought she was undignifed or
not. And she didn't mind so much
tnat the flags and banners she had
made and paid for out Of ner ovt1
pocket didn't arrive IN time. The army
was there and it showed its strength
'Worrell's Army" fell In At 10 O'Clock
II had been organized under difficulties
the federation frowned on it, and some
laughed at it, but the people who mad
It up took it seriously, because for them
1t meant shoes and clothes and thing
Ike that The Government worker
began coming at $50, some defanfly
some difsdently and some coub-fnIix
They all stayed: Mrs. worreu saw tr
that. At 10 O'clock the banners haCu'
arrived and the report came that so,rs
body At the Interior Department ha
refused TO let them be taken away. An
so the army fell in without banners
Later It developed that the depart
ment vas blameless, and that q mis-
understanding had prevented the aE
rival Of the banners.
From the monument they r1archa
around the north side Of the Caoit5.
winding up the hill in an unorgan.zec
line, four abreast. The leaders ver<
crowded together. those behind sprea.
out Here and there were little groups
OF dozen or 50 all marching abreast
Near the end OF the line q woman
walked alone. pushing q baby carriage
All ages. classes and colors were there
The men and women seemed TO b.
about equally divided. and there we-g
white people and colcred people, Ok
people and boys and girls There vers
women In neayy coats and women VII
had no coats. There were no fur coa-y
One thing that was plain 10 everybcG
who saw them was that these peou,
were workers. Their clothes showed
and their faces showed it.
Formation Disbanded.
The head Of the line crossed In fror
OF the Capitol while its end was 81.
far down the hill. and when the lead
e-s reached the entrance of the Eous
Once Building the Stragglsrs had juS
gotten up the hill. Ofhcers ordered ,h
formation disbanded and the crowc
rushed the doors, pushing In four as
time.
All was quiet and orderly In the CON,
mlttee room when the army stormed IN
After that there was no order Half q
dozen officers were overrun and the
crowd rushed IN. In few minutes there
was no more room. not even 10 stand
up. The corridors were still Jammed
The crowd was noisy but good hCmored
Nevertheless it was determined.
At 1880. Chairman Lehlhach fought
his way 10 a side door OF the EouSs
caucus room where the hearing was
held, and yelled to Luther C. Steward.
president OF the federation: Mr.. Stew
ard. will you tell these people that ua-
less they clear path 50 the commit
tee can set into the room there Went
be any hearing9"
Mr.. Stewart delivered the message
and the committee squeezed in. on.
GERS O. the federation entered. aaG
the crowd sent up roar. Thereafter
the crowd manifested its approval O.
dlSapproval Of everything that was sad
and did IL vociferouSly. There were
nearly as many people outside in the
corridors as were III the room. ard
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