The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-08-03
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BY GEORGE S. BENSON
k2 s presideHf--}fardixe college
IN Seany. ArkaKsas
Economic Security

Back in 1865 senators and repre-
sentatives in the Congress of the
United States began drawing $4,000
a year; 500 a week. That was good
pay 80 years ago but first-class
welder can do better now. Congress
men have had two raises in salary
since then. The last one was 20
years ago when they started earn
ing $4,000 year which was, at the
time, a comfortable living for them.
A great many executives in pri-
vate enterprise earn more money
than senators although they do not
claim superior ability. Why do our
legislators not earn more? Because
their salaries are fixed by law and
they themselves are the gentlemen
who make the laws. They could vote
themselves a raise in pay but there
is always reluctance to introduce
such a bill.
Throughout Government
There are politics in it, of course.
Revenue measures never are popu-
lar. Congressman who vote for a
dip out of Mr.. Taxpayers pocket
come to regret it on election day
sometimes, even when the expendi-
ture was a wise one. That's exactly
why employees in the Post Office
Department haven't had boost in
pay since the congressman did, a
matter of 20 years ago.
Wage rates in private Industry
have advanced from AZ cents to 81 an
hour in the last 20 years. They have
more than doubled. Informed au-
thorities say that living costs have
gone up 300 or more during that
time. Doubled pay for workers in
private industry offsets the living
costs that are about one-third high
err, but what about government peo-
pie from mail clerks to senator's?
Ask for Consideration
One of the biggest newspapers in
my state published an advertise
ment recently, calling the attention
of the people of Arkansas to the UNI
happy plight of the postal en-
ployees who serve them. The dis
play advertisement was bought and
paid for by the postal workers them
selves. In a diplomatic way they
are asking their neighbors to help
them ask Congress for better wages.
l want to see the postal people
earning more money. / favor the
passage of currently proposed legis-
lation to boost the pay of senators
and Representatives $50 or better.
l hope to see the day when self
respecting poor man can afford to
represent his state in costly and
wealthy Washington. These are de-
tails however. It is wrong in prin-
ciple that government employees
wait 90 years for raise.
Dangerous Bureaucracy
The important thing is that every
workman who quits a job in pri-
vate industry to enter government
employ gets his wage scale frozen.
The change of work may bring more
pay but that's temporary. Whoever
works at that job generation from
now will probably be earning the
same amount and spending lot
more to live. Remember that the
laborer of today is earning senatori-
al pay for 1865.
These facts are understood we'll by
men of industry and leaders in labor
movements. 1t is encouraging to
observe how the acknowledgement
Charter, signed in Washington last
March by labor union executives and
prominent men of business, deals
with the subject. In brief it states:
Private enterprise is the necessary
foundation for the welfare of labor
as well as management.