Evening star., 1928-05-12
i. S. EMPLOYEES HIT
PAY INCREASE BILL
WeICh. Smoot Measure Crltl-
cized and Speakers HeckIed
at Public Meeting.

Disregardmg warning by Luther c.
Steward. president of the National Fed
Grafton of Federal Employees, that at
tempts to amend the Smoot-Welch sal
ary increase bill may defeat 1t, SeVeral
hundred Government employees, meeting
at Central High School last night. critl-
ciSed the bill. heckled speakers, includ.
Ing Senator Blaine of Wisconsin, ana
finally passed a resolution asking sharp
amendment IN the measure. senator
Blaine indicated he would work for
changes In the bill to liberalize II.
Mrs. Margaret Hopkins Worrell, leader
IN the recent march on the Capltol.
who engineered the meeting ana hurleo
a def at the federation and Steward.
planned to take the resolution today
tn the Senate committee on tho civil
service. which is holding hearings on
the bill
Resigns From Federation.
She saio she had sent her resignation
to the federation and would support
the United States Employees AsSocla-
ton, in behalf of which Charles A
Doyen, an organizer from san FTan-
cisco. addressed the meeting. AppiEs.-
ton blanks were distributed for thlS
organization. started five years ago, ana
Il was said efforts would be made TO
revive and strengthen 1t to work eSpe-
ciallv for the "underpaid" IN the Gov
ernment service.
The resolution adopted last night ON
,rotion of Mrs. Worrell criticized both
steward and the welch bill as doing
too much for the highly paid ana 100
little for lower-paid employees, and pro-
posed two amendments to the salary
measure.
Amendments Suggested.
First It asked the committee to
change the bill so that employees unoer
the 1000 limit in salaries VIII receive
q fat increase of $500 as an emergency
measure"
The resolution also asked the bill re-
tain the "relative position" provision
authorize appropriations to take care
az the increases provided, and olsre-
rar6ed the average provision OF the
classification act. so as to insure pro-
motion.
Resentment against what was claimed
IN be discrimination in favor OF nlgner
paid employees. as against the lower
raid. was in evidence throughout the
meeting.
Stewards Warning Quoted.
The warning by Steward against the
meeting. 1t was disclosed was distrlouL-
I'd to the presidents and secretaries
m ali washington locals OF the feoer-
alton over the signature OF SteSaro.
The letter referred to misguided and
destructive efforts" which could only
serve 70 defeat the enactment OF salary
increase legislation at the present se5-
sion of Congress" and declared II 70
be "our duty TO advise you TO urge al
of Federal Employees to refrain from at
tending the meeting at Central High
school" Steward warned that pro
Ioneed discussion, agitation, or AL
fenirts to amend. in the interest ol
individuals or groups. viii, 1t may
autla0ratively be stated, serve only 10
6elay, impede and perhaps defeat the
bin"
Senator Blaines Comments.
senator Blaine explained the pro-
visions Of the bill and declared there
we're two principal objections.
The bill, the Senator said. had been
understood by the service TO be for the
hpnefit of all. whereas he thought II VIII
s'benefit only the new employees arlo
those least entitled 20 IL.
In the second place. he thought the
operation Of the average provision OF
the classification act would reacl
through administrative procedure IN
holding down the increases intended by
the legislation As matter OF fact ne
thought that some employees probably
would be graded backwards instead OF
forwards" He thought the bill should
contain a provision automatically pro-
noting persons 50 as 70 prevent the
average provision from holding back
increases Theoretically the bill pro-
vtdes for about $4,000 900 increase. ne
said but responsible authority hao
estimated for him that actually the In
erease6 TO be received under reciassifl-
cation might only reach $6.000.0o0
Resents Heekling
He resented the suggestion Of threat
Of diSapproyal either by those Who con-
troll Congress. or by a veto" When
heckIed by a white haired Government
enaploye who wanted To know. lis the
House or Senate Of the United States
In the habit of taking instructions
from any one for the appropriation OF
money!" The Senator responded
tartly, Il can't speak for the Senate
or House. but I'm not In the habit Of
taxing instructions from any one"
Representative La Guaroia. OF New
YORK. in addressing the meeting, de-
clsred ne favored fixing a minimum
Government salary Of 81 800, and said
II was positively indecent for the
Government 10 have an unmarried girl
working for less than 81 500 q year"
He characterized II as a courageous
thing II the meeting would serve notice