Evening star., 1933-12-06
Analysis Of Scale Is Begun
According to Orders of
H. L. Hopkins.
COMMISSIONERS REFUSE
TO HIKE MECHANICS PAY
Deny Instructions of Civil Works
Head Involved Payment of
Union Rats.

An analysis Of wage scales paid the
Districts army of civil works employees
was started by the Commissioners today
in obedience to instructions from Harry
l.. Hopkins, head Of the Federal Civil
Works Administration.
At the. same time the Commissioners
indicated that the wage scale for me-
chanics engaged in civil works project:
would not be increased to the prevail
ing hourly rate for union workers, de-
spite a recent order from Jacob Baker
of the Federal Civil Works Administra-
ton
I'm the event of the prevailing hourly
rates prescribed under collective agree
ments or understanding between organ
lied labor and employees on April 80
1888. shall be above the minimum set
for any district within that zone. II
Baker instructed, "the agreed wage rate
shall be the rate to be paid to employees
on projects financed from funds ap-
propriated by the administrator Of civil
works"
Pay Range IS Cents to S1.l0.
District ofiicials take the position
that Bakers instructions do not mean
that union rates of pay for mechanics
must be paid C.. w. A. workers in the
District The District. it was said. is
paying wages within the range of As
cents to $l10 an hour. the original
limits set by Federal works admins
traitors
The telegram from Baker directing
the payment of union scales where
there was an understanding on such
scales between organized labor and EN-.
ployes was dated November 81.
II the pay for mechanics was raised
to the level OF union wages 1t woulc
bring about a considerable increase ir
the nay of large number of the c
w. A. workers Most of the c. w. A
workers. however are in the unskillec
labor class.
1t has been stated at the office oi
the Federal Civil Works Administra-
ton that the new order as to payment
of union wages for mechanics on c. w
A. work was intended to apply to the
District In the same manner as to the
States. II the District authorities dis
the matter should be brought to the at.
tention of the Federal office for SUBJ
mission to a labor board.
Treasury to Cash Checks.
The District government has nc
agreement with organized labor except
as to rate of pay specified and con.
tracts for the construction Of buildings
for which prevailing wage" scales were
set up under the Bacon-Davis law
The District has established its owr
scale for regular District employees.
C. w. A. employees of the Distric
on Saturdays hereafter may have thei
government pay checks cashed at th'
Treasury Department Building. Tit
arrangement was set up because of tn,
inability of many of the workers to casf
their checks at local banks, due in par
to their inability to provide suitable
Identification. The workers may TAXI
their checks to the north or Pennsyl
vania avenue entrances of the Treasury
Checks will be cashed between ! ans
p.m. Saturday
Meanwhile work will start tomorrow
morning on removal of the remains o
the o,d Aqueduct Bridge. The Civi
Works Administration and the United
States Engineer Office secured the re-
lease of this project from the Public
Works Administration. to which 1t hat
been previously referred.
Mai. Joseph D. Arthur, jr.. Distric
engineer for the War Department fol
the Washington area, will supervise re.
moval of the bridge, which, when th'
work gets under full. swing will emplo,
100 to $50 men. The first work will bt
grading on the Virginia abutment neal
the Key Bridge. The civil works project
authorizes removal of the Aqueduct
Bridge only to the waters edge. Later
engineers said. an effort will be made
to secure funds from Congress for thu
Public Works Administration for re.
moval of the subwater sections.
The Georgetown abutment will be re.
tanned for the present pending further
consideration of its use for recreationa
purposes.