The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
WOMEN'S BUREAU
MARY ANDERSON, DirectoJ'.
(
BULLETIN OF THE WOMEN'S BUREAU, NO. 8
I· ,
WOMEN IN THE .
GOVERNMENT SERVICE:
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
By BERTHA M. NIENBURG
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1920
I
(_
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-
I
- I
I
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
WOMEN'S BUREAU
MARY ANDERSON, Director
,BULLETIN OF THE WOMEN'S BUREAU, NO . 8
WOMEN IN 'THE
GOVERNMENT SERVICE
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
By BERTHA M. NIENBURG
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1920
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
\.
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
u. s.
DEPARTl\IENT OF LABOR,
,vmrnN's BuREAU,
Washington, N O'Vcmb er 2fJ, 1919.
Sm: We submit herewith a report giving the re ults of an inrnstigation of women in Governm.ent service. The first section of the
report contains a general analysis of positions open to women _a
compared to those closed to worn.e n by examinations. The second
section deals with the appointments and entrance salaries of women
compared to those of men.
This report was undertaken at the request of the organization of
the National Federation of F ederal Employees and made by Miss
Bertha M. Nienburg. The Civil Service Commission cooperated by
giving access to their records.
Manuscript copies of the report have been ubmitted to the Civil
Service Commission and to the Congressional Joint Commi sion on
Reclassification of Salaries.
Respectfnlly submitted.
J\1:ARY ANDERSON,
Directo1·.
Hon. W. B. "\VrLsox,
Secretary of L abo,•.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
3
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
CONTENTS.
Letter of transmittaL_____ __ ____ __ ___ ______ ___ ___ __________________ ___
Introduction _______ __ __________ ~------~- - ------ --------------------Part I. Analysis of positions open to ,..,.omen as compared ,-vitll tbose
closed to women___________________________________________________
Part II. Appointments and entr ance salaries of women compared with
t hose of men______________________________________________________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
5
Page.
3
r
8
21
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WOMEN IN THE GO'VERNME-NT SERVICE.
INTRODUCTION.
For many years people interested in securing equality of opportunity for women workers haYe felt that this equality did not exist
in the Government service, the place above all others where every
citizen of the country should be assured of opportunity similar to
that 0£ his or her fellow workers. Because of the tremendous influx
of women into new occupations during the war, and the consequent
general recognition 0£ their abilities along many different lines, it
was felt that the time was ripe for discovering to what extent the
new attitude toward women workers had penetrated the various
branches of the GoYernment senice. With this object in view the
"\Vomen's Bureau of the United States Department of Labor a1·ranged
to make a study of positions in the Government service open by examination to women as compared with those closed to women. The
study was begun in September, 1919. Part I was completed on October 16, and on October 27 was submitted to the Cfril Service Commission. The chief emphasis of Part. I was on the fact that women
were excluded :from 60 per cent of the examinations held from
January 1, 1919, to June 30, 1919.
On November 5, 10 days after receiving the report, the Civil Service
Commission passed a ruling opening .all examinations to both women and
men, leaving it to the discretion of the appointing officers· to specify
the sex desired when requesting certification of eligibles.
On November 19 a bill was introduced in the United Stat~s Senate
by Senator McLean, of Connecticut, amending the statute which
dates back to 1870 and provides that at the discretion of the head
of any department women may be appointed to any clerkship in the
Government service. The amendment provides that in requesting
a register 0£ eligibles £or appointment the nomina-ting and appointing officials shall not specify sex unless sex is a physical barrier to
the proper performance of the duties to be fulfilled.
Thus one of the ends desired has already been almost completely
accomplished. Once the facts were -assembled the rapidity with
which the remedy was supplied gives rise to a hope that Part II of
the report showing an equally serious discrimination in the matter
0£ appointments and entrance salaries may have as satisfactory a
result.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
8-
WOMEN IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE.
The entire report wa submitted both to the CiYil Service Com;mi ~sion and to the Congressional Joint Commission on Reclassification of Salaries. A subcommittee of the latter on the employme,nt
conditions of women in the civil ervice has incorporated the material in its report to the Committee on Employment Policies, which
ha been adopted and pas, ed on to the commission.
PART !.-GENERAL ANALYSIS OF POSITIONS 'OPEN TO
WOMEN AS COMPARED WITH THO~E CLOSED TO
WOMEN BY EXAMINATION.1
The largest single employer of men and women in this country is
the United States Government. Prior to our declaration of war it
gave employment in civil positions to over 530,000 persons. Aftei:.
our entry into the world war, its ranks of civil employees swelled
rapidly until they numbered almost a million men and women. A
hun dred thousand were working in the navy yards and at naval stations, 40,000 were in the Government ordnance plants, more than
100,000 were employed in the Government offices in the District of
Columbia, and the others were scattered throughout the United
· tate.s and its insular possessions. 2 Since the signing of the armitice the workers in the navy yards and ordnance factories have been
greatly decreased, the present number in the latter approximating the
prewar status. The forces of people in the District of Columbia have
decreased to some extent, but are still two and one-bal:£ times as great
as the numbers employed in 1916. This is partly due to the need of
workers at after-war tasks in everal of the offices of the War and
Navy Departments, in the Bureau of War Risk Insurance; t o the
need of others to collect the revenue with which to pay our war debts;
to the need of still others to plan for and make the 1920 census. Undoubtedly decreases in force will continue to be made for some months
come, but the growth of the Government business in the past few
years has been such as t? make it a larger employer of persons in the
postwar period than it had ever been in the prewar period.
to
1 This section of the report was comp] t ed on October 16 and submitted to the Ci:vil
Service Commission· on Octo~r 27. On November 4 the Civil Service Commission passed
t he following ruling :
"Clause 6, Miri utes of Novef!ioer 5, 1919.-The following will be inserted in al.I announcements of examinations: Both men and women, if qualified, may enter this examination, but appointing officers have the legal i-ight to specify the sex desired in reqi:le~tfog
certification of eligibles. Wh erever the appointing offi cer indicat es, however, that only
men or only women, or only men and military preference we,men, or only women and
military prefer~nce men, will be appointed, then a statement to that effect shall be
a dded to the above in the announcement. Tbis min ute does not apply to a case where
there is an a mple register of one sex, but eligibles are needed of t he other sex ; in which
case an examination may be confined to applicants of the sex for , whi ch eligibles are
needed, the announcement to contain the statement that tliere is an a mple registet. ; ot
tbe sex not admitted.' "
· · ·
·
.
' ·
2 " The Civil Service in Post-War Readjustments," by Herbert E. Morgan, U. S. Civil
Service Commission.
' ·· ·
· ··
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WOMEN IN THE GOVERN M E NT SERVICE •.
9
Not only does our Government lead as the co\mtry's largest employer, but the r ange of its activities :far exceeds that of other publi~
or private employers. For, beside its large tasks 0£ law-making and
law-enforcing, of national defense and managing national finance, it
is charged with promoting the health and welfare o:£ its people, of .
promoting their home interests, their agricultural, mining, manufacturing, shipping, fishing, and transportation interests. To do this
it must investigate, control, and eradicate diseases that attack persons, plants, and animals ; it must inspect live stock, foods, and ·
drugs ; it must study conditions and progress in education, la,bor, _·
and commerce and advise the people concerning the best methods of .
r eaching desired results ; it must prevent individual men or gr❖ups
o:f men from using unfair business methods, whether in banking, in .
transportation, in trade or manufacture; and it must do many othei
things that no individual or group of individuals can do £or i~self.·
The Government also looks after its public lands; it administer$ the
affairs of the Indian tribes and educates the Alaskan childrenl It .g~ants patents of invention, furni shes the country standard fon~,~
forecasts the weather and makes observations of heavenly bodie~. It :
constructs all buildings, docks, roads, bridges, irrigation works;; and··
other public works which are for national rise. It builds ship~/ a1id'
aeroplanes, makes ordnance and a1m1mnition, makes clothing! arid
other supplies for the sailor and oldier. It makes all money/ aiid·
does all its own printing. It distributes all mail and 1i1any pack ·
·
'l •
ages. At present it oper ates all large railroads.
These and many other activities require the services o:£ people'!-with
varied knowledge, experience, and ability. It is the duty ol the·
U nitecl States Civil Service Commission to secure the proper p~rson
for each piece of work-to act as the country's employment ~gent
for practically all positions except those of un!;,killed laborer in ~ ori1e
''
cities and those filled by presidential appointment. 1
·what part has the wom3:n worker taken in this 'a. t field of d.ctiv-.
ity i What part will she t ake in the future i
In 1870 (13 years before Congr.ess enacted a law creating the·
Civil Sei;vice Commission) the following statute was written ,:
SEc. 165. 'Women may, in the discretion of the head of any clepartmer:it, be
appointed to any of the clerkships therein ap.thorized by law, upon the saine
r equLsite.s and conditions, and with . the same compensa tion, a s are presc·r ibeci
for men.. (Rev. Stat., act of July 12, 1870.) ·
:
This statute is still operative. F:;:-0111 it has ptung the custo111 ~£
opening examinations to both sexes' OT :closing them to either sex at
1 The District of Columbia, the Librar y of . Congress, the legislative and ·jµdid ~l
branches, the Consular a nd Diplomatic Servic~, the Federal Reserve Board, the ·:aie.deral
F arm Loan Board, t b,e Unit~d States Railroad ~dD?,inistration are not covered under .the
civil-servioo law;
·,
151046"-20-2
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
10
WOMEN' IN 'THE GOVERN.M:E NT SERVICE • .
the discretion of the head-of any department, regardles of the£
that- neither rule nor law co-v ers the examination itfielf. When a· v a
cancy occur · for which no employees in the department ap ear to
be available and for which the Civil Service Commission has no reg- ·
ister of eligible persons, the head of the department, or-in actual
practice-the chief of the bureau in which the Yacancy occurs, informs the· Civil Service Commi ·sion of his needs, indicating whether
a man · or woman is desired for the position or whether no di ·crimiriation will be made. The deci ion in this matter is based upon the
needs 0£ the particular bureau. But the register of persons who
s
the examination is used to fill positions not only for the bureau making the special call but to fill similar position · throughout the Government service. For example-,-when this bureau required women
investigators of conditions urrounding women workers, it made the
usual -call upon the cfril ervice .for a register 0£ women. Altho1 o- 1
women were required £or this special work, in making the reque t it
was not understood that such a requirement would automatically bar
men from filling ..:imilar position in other bureaus. This wa ·, however, the result when the announcement restricted the examination t o
women; 1 •
Barri11g women or men :from. any examination bar · them not only
:from. the special occupation for which the exa;nination is given but
:fro1'n aH kindred occupations. All other bureau which may requir
sen-ices of the same oi· like quality as those specified in the examination are confined to a register made up exclusively o:f one sex when .
the oppo ite sex might be as acceptable or preferable; or they must
~sk for a special examination in which no sex line is .drawn ; or they
must ,seek the wom?-n or man de ired among those already in the
Government services. The bureau asking for the examination i
the ·f irst instance may, without question, require the ·ervices of men ·
only or women only, but by clo ·i1 rr the examination to either sex, all
other bnrea us are r~stricted in the choice of service or forced to c 11.
for special examination entailing an additional expenditure of time
and money.
F:rom January 1, 1919, to June 30, 1919: the Cfril enice Commi sio~1 held examination to obtain eligibles for rncancies in 260 different types o:f po itions, exclusive of manufacturing and mechanical
positions in the. ordnance factories, quartermaster depots, and navy
yards, a,nd exclusive of unskilled laboring positions. 2
omen were
excluded from examinations £or 60 per cent of th.e...:e occupation ., tl e
pa
,Y
1 Although -the head of the "·omen's Burea u, upon r ea lizing t h is sihw.tioil, l::t e r re-quested that the examination be open to men 1;1.nd t he Civil Service Commissio n would
have ' been ·glad to comply with the request, the announcement· wer ou t and the restriction. had to stand-. .
·
·
2
_T he ,lllllllbel' •Of ~iamin'.1~ions ~eld always outnumbers the; different kind: of posiU()D!j . .__
for which examinations are given, because it is often neces,·ary t o re peat tests at
intervals in order to secure the necessa ry number of qualified people.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
11 .-
WOMEN· IN THE GOVERNMEKT SERVICE . .
(
tests for 155 of the occupations being open to men only. As will be
seen in the :following table, in the scientific and professional positions women . were excluded from examination £or over 64 per cent
of the positions. I n the mechanical and manufacturing services 81
per cent 0£ the occupations were l losecl to vrnmen. T,ests £or clerical
services 0£ all kinds, howe,er, except seven, were open to women.
1.-Th e number of occupations in th e sei·eral sen.·-ices f or 1c hich entrance.
cid l-se1·i•i,ce examinati.ons were hel d f rom Ja n. 1 to July 1, 1919, and. the
mim ber of such occuvational examinations open to both m.en ancl wo11i<.m, t o
ioomen 0111 y, and t o m en only.
T A B LE
Tumber occupational c:x::iminations open to-
Total
number
occup •
tions for
which
ci,il•
Service.
service
e:xaminations
Per cent
OCCMpa-
t ionat
fx:ami-
Men and Women
only.
women.
nations
clo. e.d to
Men
only.
w01nen.
were
held.
\
'
i!l5i§~f:::.:.:::::::::::::::::::::::•
Economic and sociological service . . ...... . ...• - ..... .
Misce lla;neous professional sen-ice (editorial work,
tcachingi and nursing) ...... . ....... ... . ......... .
Manageria and othe1· expert ofnce ser, ice .. ......... .
Cleric::i l service . .-.. . .................. ........... .... .
Mechanical and manufacturing ser,ice . . ....... . .... .
Domestic, reformatory, and rural ser,·ice ... . .. ...... .
Total number ..... ........ .. .... . ............ .
Percent. .. ... ......... ... ... ... ... .. .. .... ... . .. ... .
52
31
16
40
7
18
11
3
13
2
32·
1
'~
27
5
6
2
37
260
98
100
6-1. 5
····-···-· ....................
10
8
44
46
6
5
I
37. 71
6f5
7
3·
2
7
1
1
40
5
7
155
2. 7
75.0 ·
G7.5
100.0
30.0
25, 0
15.9
87.- 0
83.3
59.6 1- . ·: ·· -- - :.
l\""ith more than soo,ooo ·women in scientific or profes ionh.1 pursuit outside the Government ser,ice, with more than , 2,000,000 ·
women working in private manufacturing and mechanical establish-•
ments, with over G00,000 in clerical occupations in private employ,
the question naturally arises as to what the -c haracter of the GoYernment work is in which women are not allowed to participate.
Throughout the scientfic and professional ser,ices of the Government, there is a similarity in the character of much of the· work that
is done. The subject matters treated and the technical knowledge
required to do the work vary widely, but the methods of applying
this knowledge and the results to be achieved have many qualities
in common. ·whether the field is human life, plant or animal life,
or physics, chemistry, mineralogy, geology, astronomy, or mechanic , ·
further knowledge concerning the fundamental principles operative.
in each field is obtained by testing, observing, and analyzing, sometimes in be laboratory, sometimes in the locality where a giYen condition exi ts. Each search for knowledge requires experts, scienti fie
as~1 ta11ts, and ma1_13' helpers. Exi ting conditions in a.11 field · of
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
12
WOMEN l:N' THE a ·ovE'R~ME~T SERVICE.
eavor are reported upon by om~ Government agents who go forth
from the department ;particularly interested to collect the ' essential ·
jnforrnation direct :from original sources. The results o:f the 'experi-''
n entations and investigations are made· known to the public throb:ghpamphlets, printed reports, and lectures or by demonstration agei:its
who convey the facts to the gronps o:f people to ,, ho1.11 the information has practical value. '
. _..
During the first six months of 1919 examinations were, held £or
33 occupations involving field and laboratory experimentatton, as
is , hown in the table on page 13. \Vomen were permitted to take
examinations to conduct or assist in the conduct of experiments in
food· .preparation a·nd ·ip. materials requisite to the home, -in fertilizers and soils, in horticulture, plant diseases, cereal diseases, injuri9us and beneficial plant worms, fiber production, paper fibe:rs,
and for the conduct o:f experiments on materials and devices suitable £or naval uses. But they were not permitted to take tests' ·tor
the conduct of investigations relating to animal parasites, to the
mechanical properties o:f wood, to drug and oil plant cultivatii)g,
to tobacco breeding, to the introduction of new pla:nts, to the: /iiation o:f climates to agriculture, to aeronautics, to _o.il. an~ gas •,field
condition.~, to colors and dyes,. or to study the ·physiolog-y of.· gas
e1
~~~
'
'
.,,,
I:f the GoYernment calls £or a YiOman to undertake ~xperim~p.tal
projects in horticulture, "especially potato growing," why, i( any
\voma n can qualify, should she be excluded from working with the'.
toba cco plant? If ,~he can be asked to assist in experi1nents · e.onducted to determine whether phormium can be cultivated successfully for fiber production in the United States, why can she· not
id in impwving drug and oil plants by breeding and s~lecti91)_, ./or ·
test foreign . eeds and introduce new plants to our agriculturists·r
V\7omen are permitted to tudy human diseases and plant diseases, but the Bureau of Animal Industry excludes them from its
1919 examina tion £or investigating animal parasites and performing administrative work in that connection.
The Navy Department was willing to use either man's or woman's
]m wledge to secure materials and devices most suitable £or naval
uses, but the Forest Service ·wanted only · 1he11 · to determine' the
physical and mechanical properties 0£ wood, and· women· thei·er.or,e
·
...
· ";
were excluded from the examination.
·women are acting as a. , i. tant weather observers for the Weather
Bureau and assist ant horticulturists £or the Oepartment of ·.Agrifa1ltltre, but they are not permitted to take tests in climatology .in its
relation to agriculture. They are testing foods anct· chug~·,to .deter~
mine their nutritive and medicinal •qualities, bt1t -. they ire-;.'ba,'fn~d.:
from examination in the testing 0£ dyes.
·' •·.._. · ·· ·
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1
13
WOMEN IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVJCE.
The Harvard Medical School has recognized the vahw of . one
WQman doctor's sttidies in industrial poisoning by appointing her
ass1stant professor of industrial mecJicine. Bl!t our Government
delegates to men. only the s.t udy of th~ effects of gas poisoning. .
II.-Th e character of worlc to be performed i.n the occtipations for w hich
ci vil sen ;'ice examinations · w ere h el d froni Jan. 1 to J itly 1, 1919, and the
number of examinations for such work open to both 1nen anci w omen, t o .
wonwn onl u, and to m en only.
TABLE
Total
number
occupational
Charact er of work to be performed.
Number occupational examinations open to-
i~~t~~s Men and Women
held.
Field and laboratory experimentation:
·
g1 . . . . . . . . ~. . . . . . . . . . 2. .
~t~~~t~~f~:~~~~;!f;~~::::::::::::::::: ::::: :-::::::::::::
Medical science service.................. .. .... . .. . . . .. .. .. .
. Engineering service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
T otal.. •. • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 .......... ..........
Men.
enly.
1i
1
.· 1
r----r----1-- -- 1 - - - 33
Field investigation for information purposes:
Biological science service ... ... . .............. .. . .. .. ...... .
Physical science service •....... ·.... . .. . .. . . . . ·.. . . . . . . . . ... .
9
2
6
r:~:~:~:~~~~~f~:::::
::'::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Economic and sociological science service .... .. .. .. . . . . . .. . .
Total.. . .......... . . ...... . .. . ... .... ... . .... . ... . ... ... .
only:
women.
. 22
5
2·
2
5 ... •.. .... ::: : :: . : :: '.
1
- - - - - - - - . -1 - - -- 1 ~
16
= 1= ~
4 ..........
· 12
Pract i_cal a_dvice _and assis~ nce r~ndercd int erested public:
--:
D1olog1c~sc\ence ~erv1~c ... .... . . ......_............ . . : ·· ··, ·
, . . . .. _... ... . . . . . .... .
Economic and socwlog1cal science service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5 .......... ..........
7
5
.J ... ..... .
12
12 .. . . .. . .
Total. .•... .... . .. : .......... · . . ... ·· · ·· . .. . · · · ··· · · · ·· ··
Examinations made, m aterials classified or appraised:
D.iological 1,cience service ............................... .• . . .
Physical science service ..• ......... . ....... . ......... . . .. ..
Medical science service •.. . .. . ............ . .... . .. . .... . . .. .
,j :
.
I
19
4
14
= = = =lr ==c===:====~====
.
~:}~~fj~r~;~~~;~:i:rc:~~:::: ::'. ::: ::::::: ::: :::::::::::::::
Medical science service .. . .... ... .. : . . .. ... .. . .... . . . . .... ..
Engineering service. ... ... . ........ . . ... . . . . .. . .. . . .. . ... . .
Total ••••.•.• •..•... ~. . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
!
- - -- ~-- - -
Total. ••.......••...... . .............. : ... .. .. . ... .......
Inspect~on and law enforcement :
,I : ;:
r ........ ~. ::: :::: :::
4 .......... ..........
5
t4
4
- - - -1- - -- 1 - - - - - 1- - - -
17
2
15
====t===='l====f= = = =
Aid jn cie~1t ific !aborator3; or museum work:
1
l~i!iftlfri;!~s~~rrf::::::: :::::::::::::::-:~:·:~
:::::::
Total: .•.........•... . ... : .... . .. .. .. ......... . . . . . .-. . . . .
Planning and constructing public w01:ks, engineering service...
Drafting and surveying, engineering service . . . .. .. . .. .. . .. ·. ....
Editorial work and statistical analyzation, miscellaneous professional services •• . ... .. ..... ..... .. .. ... .. .... . . ... . ....... .
Teaching, miscellaneous professional services •........... .' .. .'.. .
Nurs~, miscellaneous professional services .. ............. ..... .
Admin1Strative work, economic and sociological science service.
Supervisory· work:
·
Managerial and other eA'})ert offi,ce service •.•... , ... ....... .
Mechanical and m anufacturing service . ......... ..... .. ... .
11
g
19
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
3
14
5
4
2
2 .... .. ..•. .. . . •• •.••
f== ==l====l====I====
9
1
8
20
11
9
3
2
1
6
3
1
2
1
1 ........ -1 .. . .... .. . ...... .. . .
l====tc= ===l====f====
3
3 ... ... .... . ..... .... .
4 · ·· · · •·· ·· ... .. .....
Total •• ; ....•••••••.•............•....•••.••...•........·.
Accounting and tax return verifying, m anagerial and other expert-0:ffi.oo Sl,1rvice........................... .. .. .. .. .. .... •....
Clerical work 1requiring special t raining and original t hought,
clerical se1 vice ............ .. .. .. ........ ..................... .
8
3 . . . . ... . . .
5
2-1
4
14
WOl\IEK IK THE GOVER ,..MEXT SERVICE.
TA..BLE
II.-Th e .clwracter of 1L'0rlc to be verfonned, ctc.-Coutinued.
Character of work to be perrormed.
To tal
Number occupationa.l ex::uµ•
number
iuations opeu fooccnpa·
tional
exam•
Me11
and Women
inations Men
only.
women.
only.
hel<,l.
- - - - - - - -.- - - - - - - - -. - - - 11---J- - - - - - - - .
'
Clerical work of a general n a hire requiring skill and accuracy,
clerical service ................................. .... .... ..... .
Subclerical work or simple routiue dul ies about office ......... .
Care and operation of mochanical operating plants and systems,
mechanical and manufacturing service . . ... _. _... . ...... . . ... .
Inspection of m anufactured articles, mechan ical and m anufacturing serYice ... .......... .. ..... .. .......... .. ... .. .. . . .. .. .
Mech!}nical c~ms truction .and repair, m ec hanical and m anufacturing servtec. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
P1:inJ;ing ·3:qd photographic work, m echaniial and m anufacturing serv10e .... . . . .............. _... ... . .. . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Misaellaneous m anufacturing work, m echanical and m anufacturing service ........... .. .. . . .......................... .. . . .
Work on farms( in hatcheries, etc., rum! se1Tice.... .. .. .. .. . .. .
Household worK, domestic service. .. . ...... . ..... .. ...... .. .. ..
Guard duty, reformatory service ...... ........_.... .......... .. .
Total. , . ..............................._. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13
7
12 .... .. ... .
7 .................. ..
5 .................. ..
5
4 ... ... ... .
2
10 .. . ... . . ... ... .. . .. .
10
6
9
12 ........... . .. . .. .. .
3 ......... . ........ ..
2 . .. . .. .. . .
1
1- ..... ..... ........ ..
7
12
3
1
1
l = = ==-l= = ==l=====I== =
2o0
The foregoing table sho"·s that worn.e n are not excluded to so larg
an e~tent ,from acting as helpers or aids in faboratorie · or as preparators in -museums. The bureaus in the Department of Agricultm~e, the Public Health SerYice, the Bureau of Standards, the Geological Survey, and the Smithsonian Instjtution call upon both men
an¢1. -women to take examinations for this type of assi tance. However, the National Museum wants only men to classify and catalogue
rep~~les; -aiding in classifying samples of cotton and corn can only be
cl-one, by men in the D epartment of Agriculture.
As -to the work of collecting information from original sources,
out of examinations :for 16 different kinds of posi_tions 4 were open
to.women in the first half of 1919. If qualified, a woman may collect
and compile information concerning shipments, receipts, and prices
of food products in producing centers and large market or may inYe tigate methods and co ts of marketing food products; she may
collect or aid in collecting statistics on the production, consumption
and mo-vement of mineral commodities in world trade; or she may
a · ist in making surYeys to determine th~ prnrnlence, causation and
prevention .of human di eases. But the examinations bar her from
securing the latter information if the position calls £or a graduate of
a medical college and carries with it the responsibility of recommending preventive and controlling measures. By the same policy,
she is kept from. collecting information. on the acreage conditiow·
and yields of the various crops, or data ·regarding farm animals, nor
may she investigate the volun1e and movement, the marketing and
distribution, the supply and· consumptive demand of foreign trade·in
fortn and nonmanu:factured food products as long as the 1919 regis-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
wolVtEN . IN T HE . Gff\"ERNMENT SERVICE.
15
ter of ·e ligible men is still good. lnYestigating matter s r elatin:g to the
organization and oceration of cooperatirn food producer ' associations is also a closed field for woman~s service. The Bureau of Efficiency, by calling for men only in its 1919 examination, excludes
W"Omen ,:from conducting any of its investigation into the organization
and procedure of Government departments. Les unusual is the
' Bureau of ~fine's exclusion of women from inve tigating causes of
accidents.
No entrance could be gotten through examination in early 1919
to the seven different positions in which agents were to assist and
~dvise producers, packers, and shippers concerning the best knwy_
h
methods of planting and handling their c ~ops. Yet at least _·qp.e
"oman, who had risen from the ranks, has been serving the p\lhlicin just such a capacity for many years.
.
Women have acted and are acting as aids in i°f}storing our haridipped and disabled sailors and soldiers to a normal frame of mind;
they have taught and are teaching boys how to do inechanical ta ks
with their dismembered hand and arms; they have and are employing men as well as women for private and public employment offices.
The Federal Board for Vocational Education, howeYer, has belieTecl
that men are best able to learn of the d~ires and latent capabiliti s
of our boys; that men only can advise and assist them in securing
suitable training and employment; that men only have a knowledge
of trades and systems of vocational education. All the exa111ina..:
tions for such important service, therefore, are open to men onlyJ
It has be.en customary and continues to be customary 'to appoint
men to classify our public lands according to their value as farming,
stock raising and grazing land and to appoi:qt men to determine the
mineral resources of these lands. The public forest timber is estimated and specifications £or its sale are made by men. Examinations £or persons to classify cotton and p repare and inspect official
cotton standards were open to men only. Men were ,called upon to
evaluate the property of common carriers, although either men or
women could take examinations fo;r1posit~ons to estimate the quantity
and Yalue of mineral, oil, or timber properties for the Income Tax·
D ivision of the Internal Revenue Bure.au-work requiring the same
grade of experience and training.
All but two of the examinations giYen in the first six months of
1919 for inspection and law enforcement positions were closed to
women. The food and drug inspection station at San F rancisco permitted women to take the test for examining official samples 0£ food
and d:i;ugs, but .in 1919 the Bureau o:f Chemistry at
ashington excluded · women . from the tests fo;r inspecting proprietary medicines
or 1.foods and drugs .in general. • Meat ttnd Ii Ye-stocl~ in pection, dis-
ca
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
,v
16
WOMEN IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE.
infection of foreign seeds and plants, inspection of wood· ,varehouses,
and enforcement of our horticultural and game laws can only be
done by men while the present . register of eligibles holds good.
"\\T omen may, jf qualified, examine requests for patents in our Patent
Office along "-ith men, but they may not search or exainine· patents
for the Purcha. e, Storage and Traffic Divi ion of the ·war b ei)art1 nt if they must take an entrance examination for. the position.
To the Supen-i. ing Architect of the Treasury Department it has
occurred that there are some women trained in civil, · mech:a:µi,cal,
electrical, or chemical engineering. The number is few as compared
with the number of men ~d10 qualify £or uch positions, but the
number is gro"·ing. Eight different engineering examinations wei·e
closed to \Yomen from January t o July, 1919.
The _.,.. avy Department has recognized the value of women as
draftsmen for all its examinations, ,,..hethe~ for general engineering
wodr or for pecific lines of aeronautical, ordnance, ship, electrical,
radiq, or bui]dings drafting, may be taken by either men or women.
Other division. , as the engineers department and patent section of
the "\Yar :Department, the X ational Advisory Committee for •Aero. nantics, and tl~e Bureau of Public Roads did not admit ·wo'n:iei:i:.'to
draftsman examinations.
0111e of the po itions listed above from ,,..hich ,rnmen were excluded in the e_-aminations given in 'the first six months of this year
are undoubtedly such that their duties can be performed more satisfactorily by men than by _'\\-omen; :for other positions there may be
11 0 ,vomen \Yith ufficient experience to qualify. B'ut a careful study
of the exclusions indicates very clearly that the_majority of scientific
and pro£es ionar positions \Yhich women "·ere not permitted to enter
in . ome departments are Yery imilar in character to work women
are doing and haYe done in other Government departments --or'.-in
private establishments.
The war brought with it such a tremendous increase in Government
business that the clerical forces in all departments affected were
greatly augmented. Stenography, typing, and telephone operating .
· have always been done by women morn extensively than by men.
Therefore it was to be expected that large increases in numbers of
. women employed ,.-vould occur in these Government services during
the war and post,var periods. The shortage of male workers, however, opened several managerial and expert office service positi:011s:fo
-women. Office mana.g er and snpeni ·ory clerk ·examinations for
, tain department may no r be taken by ,Yomen. Senior and °Junior
cost accoui1ta1it positions -in .the N ayy are open to -n-omen, although
examinations for mining account ants of either grade are closed to
them by the Bureau of Mines. A ,vo;;rnn may Yerify, audit, and
review the accuracy of returns for the Estate Tax Division. She
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
cer-
WOMEN IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE • .
17
can now be a bookkeeper and auclit clerk in some departments and a
law clerk in others. All simple routine work done in an office or
clerical work requiring skill and accuracy .was open to her in 1919.
Two 0£ the positions whose examinations were closed to women in
the first six months 0£ 1919 had been open to them in 1918; these were
for passenger rate and :freight rate clerk. The examinations which .
were closed to women in 1919 and previously were £or law clerk in
the Department 0£ State; mining accountant in the Bureau 0£ Mines;
clerk to commercial attache; interpreter 0£ Syrian; storekeeper with
knowledge 0£ automobiles and parts; and radio operator at Honolulu.
The examinations listed under mechanical and manufacturing services do not include the noneducational tests carried on in the Government's manufacturing plants ancl buildings outside 0£ Washington. Consequently the number listed as open to women are much
£ewer than they would otherwise have been i£ all Government work
were included. It is only as inspectors 0£ radio apparatus, field
glasses, telephone and telegraph equipment, and as helpers in motionpicture laboratories that women are called £or in this group 0£ examinations. The experience 0£ manu:facturers and mechanical repair shops (apparently) has not been utilized by Government officfais.
In spite 0£ the many restrictions still limiting the use 0£ women in ·
the service 0£ the Government there has been a steady wearing down
0£ the obstructions during the last few years. This has been due
principally to a shortage 0£ labor. The Navy Department has
opened wide the doors of civil positions to all who can qualify.
Other departments are making larger use 0£ women's services but
are doing it more slowly. From July, 1915, to June 30, 1916, approximately 11,000, or less than 10 per cent, 0£ all persons eligible
for appointment to Government positions through examinations were
women. From July, 1917, to June 30, 1918, 90,000, or over 23 per
cent, 0£ all eligible persons were women. While the numbers of men
on the eligible registers increased less than: 200 per cent, the numbers
of women increased more than 700 per cent.
The largest group 0£ women added to the service in 191'7 and
1918 went into the occupations in which women have been employed
for many years-stenography, typing, and clerical work. The second
largest group worked in the arsenals, the quartermaster's depots,
and the navy yards to aid in the manufacture 0£ munitions, clothing,
and textiles. But many became eligible through examination for
positions open to women £or the first time. By special appointment
for temporary service other women acted in exceptional capacities,
such as forest guards, a viators in the mail service, and specialists_in
horse husbandry. The following lists give the occupations for which
women were eligible to service by entrance examination :from July
1, 1915, to June 30, 1916, and from July, 1917, to July, 1919.
151046°-20-3
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
18
W.O MEK IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE.
I II .-Positionr; in t11 e enited State.~ uo1·e1·mnental service fot· 1chirh
1~:01nen were rendered eUgible by entra.nce e.r,arrvination the year before our
e.ntramce i-nto the wa,r a.nd d'llrirng a·n d afte1· the war.
TARLE
Positions for which women were eligible
during and after the war.
Sen-ice group.
Biological science serV"ice.
Physical science service.
Medical scien ce service.
Specblistinh me conomics. Specb.list
in household s::ience and calorimetry.
Specialist in food research.
Assistant director for home economics
education.
Special educator in home econ mies .
Assistant in home farm demon- A sistant in home demonstration l ork.
Assistant in exten ion work wiLh womeu.
stration work.
InYestigator in women's ru~al Assistant in junior extension work.
E:i-..'1)ert in t extiles.
organizations.
Microanalyst.
Mloroanulyst.
Assistant microscopist.
Laboratory assistant qualifie as paper
and film microscopist .
Bacteriological assistant.
Bacteriologica l technician.
Junior bacteriologist.
Assistant in plant n t1trition .
Plant pathologist and a sist:.mt plant
pathologist.
Pathologist in cereal diseases.
Field assistant in plant pathology.
Assistant in fo rest pathology.
Assistant in ferm entation mvco log v.
h
Assistant in nematology.
·
·
I·
Assistant in hor ticulture.
Assistant in fiber investigation.
As~Istn:nt in city marketing inves• Ma.rket assistant.
t1gat1on.
Scientific assistant in marketing fruits
and vegetabl s.
Junio r assistant in Ill;lrketing di.ary
products.
Market station assistant .
lnspector of dairy products .
Fish culturist.
Fish culturist.
Preparator in entomology .
Preparator.
Preparator in nematology.
Scien tific assistant in Department Scientific as istant in Dep rtment r
Agriculture.
of Agriculture.
Laboratory aid .
Laboratory aid.
Laboratory aid in agricultural t chnology.
Laboratorian.
Specialist in home economics .
Boy and girl agricultural club
work.
Assistant in school and home gardening.
Junior chemist.
Chemist's aid.
Physician.
Sanitation, expert on.
Engineering.service.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Topographic draftsman.
Junior chemist.
Cb.emist's aid.
Associate chemist.
Mineral geographic aid..
Mineral geographer.
ssistant observer, Weather Bur au.
Valuation aids .
.Assistant tech no log is t.
Geological aid and assistant geologic l
aid.
Aid in paleobotany.
Laboratory assistant .
.Aid qualified iu radio.
Acting assistant surgeon.
Medical interne.
Sanitary biologist.
Assistan t in pharmacology.
Dental hygienist.
,
work.
1 Scientifi.c assistant in pub Ii healt
Laboratory a id and tecb.nical clerk.
Anatomist.
Dietitian.
Pharmacological aid.
Topographic draftsman.
Aeronautic draftsman .
Architectural draftsm n .
Junior architectural clrn(tsman.
Mechanical draftsman.
i~£a~~=tman.
WOMEN" IN . THE GOYERN1\IEN1: SERVICE.
TABLE
19
III.-Positions · iii the United State. 001.:emmental sen:ice, etc.-Cou d.
I
Service group.
Positions for which women were
~~!t~~i th:a~!~fore <Oll't' en-
Po. itions for which women wer -eligibl
du.ring and after the war.
Engineering serdce-C'on.
Radio draftsman.
Electrical draftsman.
Copyist draftsman.
Mechanical engineer.
Junior engineer.
Assistant examiner, Patent Office.
Economic and sociological Specfal agent am.d research assistant.
science services.
Socialserrke expert.
Special agent an1 research ::i is tan .
Special agent for trade and industrial
education.
Expert in child welfare.
In pector and assistant inspector, child
labor division.
Assistant directo r, child labor division.
Assistant in prevention of infant mort ality.
Tariff assistant and a si taut in for ign
trade marks.
Junior economist.
Head n urse (operating).
Trained nurse.
Teacher of:
Domestic science.
Housekeeping.
High Schoal, Philippine Islands.
Indian s ervice.
Agriculture.
Music.
.
Chief of training school.
Editorial clerk.
Specialist in education.a1 systems. Specialist in animal husbandry a nd
Educational assistant in rural
dairying ( editorial).
education .
Assistant in office o information (editorial).
Librarian.
Statisticiall.
Miscellf:t-neous profession. 1 , Trained nurse.
service.
Graduate nurse and dietitian.
Tea-cherof:
Domestic science.
H ouse·keeping.
Kindergarte11.
Free-hand drawing.
Pomological.:irtist.
Map colorist.
Lantern-slide oolorist.
Art se.r rice.
Managerial and
office se'nice .
Botani !artist.
Map colorist.
Insect delineator.
Postmaster, fourth cla
Office manager.
Assistant to business man:i.ger.
Supervisory clerk.
Clerk in business administrati n.
Senior and junior cost accountants.
E xamillers, estate tax division.
Resident auditor and traveling audit r.
Actuary.
Supervisor, cost accounting.
expert ..Pos ma~ter, fourth clas_.
Clerical service.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Clerk, assistant clerk, and minor
Clerk, assistant clerk, an mLn r clerk.
Cl k
·
er earner.
Computer.
Forest and fa•ld clerk.
Land 1a w clerk.
Clerk qualified in mod ru lan;.,'U1ge~.
clerk.
Clerk-carrier {post office).
C
·
1 k
F~~rf
iie1~ clerk.
Land law ,clerk.
Clerk qualifi:ed in rp.oderu Ian-
~1:8
st'£~i~ff~1 clerk .
Translator.
Library cataloguer .
Stenographer and stenographic
clerk.
Typewrit er and minor typewriter.
Office "helper.
Telegraph operator.
Telephone operator.
1
1
,~~~~~,lfo1~lerk.
Index and cata.loiue clerk.
Stenographer an stenographic cierk.
Typist and minor t yp writer.
Office helper.
Telegraph operator.
operator•
Acoounting clerk.
Bookkeeper and assistant bookk per.
Amlit clerk.
Accounting and statistical clerk.
Balance of stores clerk.
Clerk with knowleJ!ge of ace unting.
Finger-print classifier.
£:~PJ~:.
20
WOMEN IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE. ·
'TABLE
III.-Positions in the United States g<Yvernnwntal service, etc. -Oontd.
Positions for which women were eligible
during and after the war.
Service group.
Clerical service-Contd.
Mechanical and manufacturing ·services.
Free-hand artist clerk.
Secretary.
Correspondence clerk.
Passenger-rate clerk.I
Freight-rate clerk.I
Railway-mail clerk.
Proofreader .
.Inspector of waybills.
Freight-car record clerk.
Registrar.
Research assistant.
Schedule clerk.
Tariff clerk.
Motor rural carrier.
Addressograph file clerk.
File clerk.
Blue-print file clerk.
Calculating-machine operator.
Automatic addressograph operator.
Addressograph operator.
Mimeograph operator.
Graphotype operator.
Coder or operator of tabulating machine.
Multigraph and letter-press operators.
Copyists.
Messengers.
Linotype machinist.
Press feeders.
Printer.
Sewer.
Press feeders.
Printer.
Sewer.
Unskilled labor in District of fr~~i;:1/~t~r in District cf Columbia.
Columbia.
Unskilled labor outside District Unskilled labor outside District of
Columbia.
of Columbia.
Ordnance Department at large, Ordnance Department at large, minor
minor positions.
positions.
Public Health Service, minor Public Health Service, minor positions.
positions.
Quartermaster Corps, minor posi- Quartermaster Corps, minor positions.
tions .
Reclamation Service, minor posi- Reclamation Service, minor positions. f
tions.
Navy yard s rvi ce, minor posi- Navy yard service, min:ir positions.
tions.
Lighthouse Service.
Indian, Irrigation, and Allotment Service, minor positions.
Checker.
Inspector and junior inspector cf radio
apparatus.
Assistant inspector, ordnance.
Assistant inspector, small arms.
Assistant inspector, ammunition.
Inspector of aeroplanes and aero engines.
Inspector of field glasses.
Production expert.
Laboratory aid, m otion picture laboratory.
Domestic and personali
reformatory and rura
service.
1
Matron, assistant matron, and Matron, assistant matron, and field
field matron.
matron.
Interpreter matron.
Superintendent Indian reservation.
Baker.
Baker.
Cook.
Cook.
Laundress.
Laundress.
Lace maker.
Maids, waitresses, etc.; Freed- Maids, waitresses, attendants, etc.,
Freedmen's Hospital .
men's Hospital.
Maids, waitresses, etc., St. Eliza- Maids.t. waitresses, attendants, etc.,
St. J!;lizabeth's Hospit al.
beth's Hospital,
. Elevator conductors.
Janitors.
Charwomen.
Charwomen.
Chauffeurs.
Women passed examinations for th~se pcsiticns in 1918, but were excluded from the 1919 examination,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WOMEN IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE.
21
These lists indicate clearly the increase in the opportunities for ~
,voman service in the Government. How many women were actually
appointed to the positions made open to them ·by examination during and after the war can not be fully ascertained until the Civil
Service Commission's records :for July, 1918, to June 30, 1919, are
complete.
, However, as long as it remains customary to permit any examination to be closed to one or the other sex because o:f the needs of one
bureau, the Civil Service Commission will not be able to marshal all
available ability before the department appointment officials :for
choice. Neither they nor the country will ever know how much
ability or experience is kept :from national service.
With all examinations opened to persons of either sex, the country
would know what storehouses o:f training and experience it had to
draw :from, the appointment officials would have a wider field from
which to choose and the women of the country would have their opportunities :for service immeasurably increased. Appointment officials would still have perfect freedom in appointing a person of
either sex, :for, by civil service rule, an appointing officer may, if he
desires, make requisition upon the commission for a cert~fication of
eligibles o:f either sex. I:f the appointing officer .does not specify the
sex, "certificates shall be made without regard to sex" by the Civil .
Service Commission.
The number of women who must seek employment outside the
home is growing steadily. In order that their opportunities for
profitable employment may be advanced, it is, necessary :for all Government examinations to be opened to them. Thus only can the
country avail itsel:f o:f the training and experience o:f all its people.
PART IL-APPOINTMENTS AND ENTRANCE SALARIES OF
WOMEN COMPARED WITH THOSE OF MEN.
The discriminating policy that prevailed in examinations up to
November 5, resulting in barring women from a _large proportion of
the higher grades of service, is reflected, naturally, in the positions
to which women are appointed and in the relative salary levels. One·
outcoi;ne of vital bearing is the overwhelming concentration-91 per
cent-of women appointees in the clerical service. This massing in
turn carries with it the depression of salaries toward the old-time
woman's level-a figure traditionally below that which any number
of men qualified to fill the positions will accept.
·The effect upon appointments and salaries of the former policy
of closing certain examinations to women has been greatly enhanced
by the varying discretionary power in salary fixing vested in departmental authorities. This, in the words of the Civil Service
Commission, . has resulted in "chaotic salary conditions." 1 Con1
Page x, Thirty-fifth Report, ' U. S. Civil Service Commission.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
22
WOMEN . IN THE GOVERNl\IENT SERVICE. ·
tributory factors to this disorder have been the difference in the
character of appointments made and the part· which an individual'
estimation of his own worth ha played.
In order to lmow definitely how this state of affair ha affected the
entrance salaries of women as compared with those paid men, a
study was made of the salaries paid to persons appointed to the Go·vermnent service during the months of January and February, 1919.
With the exception of persons working for nominal salaries or persons whose salary was pa.id in pa~·t only by the United States and
ith the exception 0£ manufacturing, mechanical, and unskilled
laboring positions outside of
ashington and similar positions in
:,:Vashington to which no women were appointed, all appointments,
whether for the departmental ser,ice, W ashifioo ton, D. C., or the
field service in the following departments or under commissions,
were included in the study :
,v
Department of Agriculture.
Department of Commerce.
Department of the Interior.
Department of Justice.
Department of Labor.
.a vy ·Department.
War Department.
State Department.
Post Office Department ( departmental ser vice, Wa llingt .n, D. C., only).
Federal Board of Vocational Education.
Council of National Defense.
Branches of service under direction of SmU1soni:m I nstitute.
Interstate Commerce Commission.
Federal Trade Commission.
United States Employees' Compensation Commission.
Bureau of Efficiency.
Out 0£ the GoYernment's constant need for workers have arisen
three types 0£ appointments. Those to permanent positions {commonly called "pr obational appointments" because the appointee
must give six months 1 sati factory service before he can become a
permanent employee) are receirnd by persons who have successfully
passed civil service examinations. Temporary appointments are
made £or short periods either of persons on the civil senice register
of eligibles or, when no such register is aYailable, of people who have
not passed qualifying tests. The latter group can not retain ·their
temporary appointments after the requisite examination is held.
The third type of appointment is to positions which are excepted
from examination hy law or by Executive order.
·
W11enever a vacancy exists in a permanent position in the branche
0£ the Government service covered by civil service regulation, the
appointing officer ·0£ tliis service calls upoi1 the Civil Service Com-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1
Probational pel'iod is extended in certain. cases.
WOMEN IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE .
23
mission for a list of persons of either ex eligible for the po ition.
He specifies what the entrance salary will be. If the position is one
whose salary has been fixed by statute, the appointing officer can only
offer this fixed sum. If, however, the bureau in which the vacancy
exists has a lump-sum appropriation, the appointing officer, in consultation with the bureau chiefs, determine -what the rate of co mpensation for each position shall be.
Ernn in departments where the majority of salary r ates £or per manent positions are fixed by law, there i frequently a lump sun
appropriation which permits the appointing officer to fix the rates of
pay £or temporary appointments. He may pay them at the sane
rate fixed for the permanent appointments or at higher or lower
rates, depending upon· tµe department's attitude on such matters.
Salaries for a number of excepted positions are fixed by law; others
are determined by department authorities.
· while the announcements for civil-service examinations usually
state the salary or range of salarie offered in the vacancies t o b
filled by the examination, very frequently the salarie named ar .
followed by the phrase "or higher or lower salaries." T hus is leeway for the departmental differences in salary standards allowed f rthe same service. Each indi Yi dual taking an examination is al o
asked to state in writing what the minimum sala~7 is that he or she
will accept. , vhen the Cfril ervice Commi ion receive · a reque t
:from an appointing officer for eligibles it lists only such person~· a··
have signified their willingnes to accept the salary offered for the
positions to be filled.
In the first two months of 1919 almo t 8,000 appointments ( exclnsi ve of those specified above) were made to the Government servi .
Of these 4,689 wer:e women and 3,270 were men. Eighty-one and
four-tenths pe.r cent of the women were given probational appoint ments, whereas only 49.4 per cent of the men received such appointments. Temporary appointments were received by almost 40 per
cent of the men, as against 16.4 per cent of the women. P osition . .
exeepted irom examination were filled by 10.7 per cent of the men
and 2.2 per cent of the total number of women appointees. While
some of the temporary appointees may have been taken from the civilservice register of eligible persons ( especially from temporary clerk
or temporary stenographer registers), these figure.., point clearly t
the :fact that the majority of the women appointed to the service
passed qualifying tests before they were admitted to the service,
whereas as many men, if not more, were appointed without competitive examining of their fitness than were appointed after pa ing
such examinations.
The positions filled during this period ranged from charwoman to
Federal -Trade Commissioner; the salaries ranged accordingly from_
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
24
WOMEN IN THE GOVE RNMENT SERVI CE.
$240 a year to $10,000 a year.
But the maj or ity of appointees received neither one extrem~ nor the other. Over 86 per cent of all
women were appointed at salaries ranging from $900 to $1,299 a year.
Only 36 per cent of the men were appointed to positions at these
·
salaries.
The following table showing the numbers of men and women appointed at each salary rate indicates very clearly th at as the salary
advances the proportion of women appointees receiving it decreases
"ery rapidly. Only 4.6 per cent of the women, as compared with 27
per cent of the men, were engaged at rates ranging from $1,300 to
$1,899. Positions carrying from $1,900 to $2,499 went to less than
one-half of 1 per cent of the women but to nearly 8 per cent o:f the
men. Twenty-fiye hundred dollars but less than $3,600 a year was
paid to less than one-third of 1 per cent of the women but to 8.5 per
cent of the men, while $3,600 a year and over was received by only
2 women, or less than one-half of 1 per cent of the women appointees,
whereas 100, or over 3 per cent, of the men appointees received over
$3,600 a year. As a whole, therefore, 46 per cent oi the men, as compared with 5 per cent women, received more than $1,299 a year, in
.·pite of the fact that the prevailing policy of appointing men as
messengers resulted in twice as large a proportion of men as women
1Jeing paid less than $900 a year.
TABLE
IV.- .S:alaries paid women a·ncl men receiving appointments in the Government service during January and February, 1919. 1
Number receiving salaries of-
-0haracter of
appointm ent.
Under $600.
Women.
Men.
$600 and under
$700.
Women . Men.
Probational •....
Temporary .... ..
Excepted •••.• ..
143
51
8
93
112
2
42
28
2
Total number .
202
207
72
Per cent. .....• • .
4. 3
6,31~
$700 and under
$800.
Men.
Women.
Men.
37
23
2
89
101
3
42
10
7
56
19
1
96
62
193
59
76
2.91
1.3
5.9
1.2
2.3
45
48
3
Women.
-
$800 and under
$900.
$900 and under
$1,000.
Women. Men.
206
118
19
1
I
42
82
4
343
128
7.3
3.9
Number receiving salaries ofCharacter of
appointment.
$1 ,000 and under $1,lOOand under $1,200 and under $1,300 and under $1,400 and under
$1,200.
1,300.
1,400.
$1,100.
$1,500.
!Women.
Men.
Women.
Men.
Men.
Women.
- - - - - - - - --
Probational •.. . .
Temporary . .... .
Excepted .•... ..
730
151
7
150
112
5
1, 956
47
6
289
3
534
239
37
203
72
Total number.
S88
267
'.1,009
364
810
424
Percent ... . ..•..
18.9
8. 2
42. 8
11.2
17.31
13
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1
Women. Men.
Women. Men.
- ---161
60
For omissions see p. 22.
36
32
1
39
35
12
51
13
3
34
3
1.6
2.6
1.5
3. 7
85
------122
67
69
86
25
WOlVIKN IN THE GOVERNMENT 'SERVICE.
T A BLE
IV.-Salaries pai.d icomen and, men receii-·i ng appointments in the
1
em!1ient sen:ice clu1'ing January and Februar1f, 1919 -Continue~.
(]01i -
Number receiving salaries of$1,500and under I $1 ,600and under I $1,700and under $1,SO0and under $1,900and under
$1,600.
$1,700.
· $1,800.
$1,900.
$2,000.
Character of
appointment.
Women.
Men .
--~- - - - 1--- 16
Probational ... ..
Temporary . . . ...
19
E_xcepted ••. • .. . . . .. ... ...
Total number .
Women.
112
117
57
10
7
35
286
17
119
- -. 7-
8.8
.4
3.6
- - - - - - - - -·
,Percent ........ . -
Men;
vVomen . Men.
Women.
Men.
Women. Men.
- - -l- - - - + - - - J - - --1- - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -
56
57
6
161
-----··-- -- -· ···
12
7
2
8
21
262
3
5
.12
1
3
71
·3
30
:· 3
4
, 23
. 2 - --.5- 1 ~ ~, ~
Number receiving salaries ofCharacter of . $2,000and under $2,lOOand under $2,200and under $2,300and under $2,400and under
. appointment.
$2,100.
$2,200.
$2,300.
$2,400.
. $2, 500. >
1
Women. I Men.
Probational.. .. .
2
Temporary . . .. -.
5
Excepted. . ... .. . ..... . . .
T ota l number.
7
34 . • .. .. .. .
39
31
j
Men.
Wo~en.
Men.
Women.
-3.2
.7
(2)
Men. _ Women. ' Me~.
27 . .... .... .
.:.4 r . : .. c.;'. ~.
6
1
3
7
. 2 ....... . • !:· 3_'
8 .. ..... ..
12
4_
1
__1____24_ ~1 __40_
j~
.2 ,
Percent. ... . ....
vVomen.
·········I
___._2_· j
_. 6 :
5
I
1.2_ · ( 2)
' 15
· 30
, , . 13
,58
... •J i
.2
Number receiving salaries of-
1.8
11
1
Charact er of ap- $2,500 and un der $3,000 an d under $3,600 and under 1$4,000 and und~r 5
pointment. .
$3,000.
. $3,600.
.
$4:1000. . .
. $5,000.
$ ,ooo 1a~d ~ver.
Women.
Men. Women .
Men. Women.
- - - - - - - 1-- - -·1- - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - -
r r tbational.. •.. ..........' . ·
Temporary .... . .
6
Excepted . . •.•.. ---- ---- T otal number .
.. 1
4
G4
I
11
3
115
6
Per cent .•..... .
40
I
3.5
I
35
80
48•
7
163
.2
5.0
Men . Women.
-
1\1:en. Women . Men.
- ---- ---- - -
9
24
44
33
1.3
1.1
(2)
-
4
6
· 13
10
19
li
(2)
-- - -
4
I
-·-···-··
23
.7
Total.
Women .
Character of appointmen~.
Men.
Num ber . Per cen t: Number, :Percen t.
f~;i~~;t:-::::::: : :·::::: :·::::::: : ::::::::::::: :·::::::::i::
T otal .. ······ · ·········· : ········· · ·· ·: · · ·.·.· ··· · ···· ·····
1
For omissions see p : 22.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2
81.4
16: 4
2.2,
4, 689
100. 0
1,615 ,
1,306
349
3, 270
Less t h an one-t enth of 1 per cen t.
49. 4
39. 9
10. 7
100.0: ,
Curve ~howing percentage of men and women who received appointments at . specified ··salaries in th_._c Gov_ernmenJ, service <luring J a,nnary · and
F..ebruary, 1919,-. 1
·
·
. $900 $1,000ISl, 100 $1,200 $1,800$1,400$1;500
-. " ' $1, 600$1, 700$1,SOO Sl,900$2,000
. I
I
I
$600 S700
$800
$2,100$2,200$2,300$2,400$2,500
$3,000$3,Ci00$4,000
Under and and and and and and and and and and and anq. and: and and r,nd and and and and and :.ind and $5,000
· $000 under under under under under under under under under under under under undor under under under under u n der under under under under under an d
over . .
~ ~ ~~000~~~200~~~~~~~~~~~800 ~~~ 000~~~200 ~~~ ~~500~000~~1 ~000~000
I
~-+---4----'r---4--1----1----1---..J.--4---4---~--.----+--~~.-.;,....--.;..--,--..........- - - l - - - + - - l - - - - - l - - 1~--'..---I----
.
I,
I•
A'4i .i
/\
20"/,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
I \
'
V"' . -A
I
I
'
l~J!.-
..
'-1\, .
r· /
,
,~~
3:J. '
L.
9.0
,-,
I
~
1
1, -
' ,J.,
'
..
'
I
·'+.
.;I,
''
I
I
'-,I
.()
•'•U'
For omissiCJDS see p. 22.
.3.i
' -'L
'
.oq
-·~ ',:,_ --~2,
.1.!
.O:l,
0
-
-..:!" -"It
,.s _.3.5', ., .-
-
.J.l . .ll
5.0
--" ~
.1$'
'!:~ . - ~·~ .:7
.o,- .o;., q
WOMEN IN THE GOVERNMENT .SERVICE • .
/
27
In connection with the foregoing table, it is important to notice
the clifference in the proportion o:£ the sexes receiving the specified
salaries paid in the three groups of ;a ppointments. Of the probational appointees, on'. l y 3.4 per cent of the women were paid $1,300
or over. Forty ah<l two-tenths per cent of the male probational
appointees received this sum or over. Of the women appointed to
temporary positions, 13 per cent received $1,300 or over, as against
46 per cent of the men receiving similar appointments. vVhen the
position occupied was excepted from civil service, 16 per cent of the
women and . 87 per cent of the men appointees 1·eceived $1,300 or
over. Very obviously the rates of pay in temporary ~nd ~xcepted
positions are higher than in the probational positions. How largely
this is due fo a difference in the character o:£ position falli,ng within
each class or how largely to the greater freedom o:£ departn1ent officials in determining the salaries for temporai·y and excepted posi- •
tions can only be determined finally by a closer analysis of the posi6ons included in each group than is possible in this study. A casual
examination o:f the group would indicate, however, that :with a :few
exceptions temporary positions differ a little in character, i{·om tho
probational positions. In the excepted positions are h1ci;t\clJi9- many
requiring ·a higher type of experience and training t\1~n ~ii .:usually
called for -in the probational positions. However, others •~~µ,Hing '- in
this group corr~spond in duties and requirements with tliose h1 the
two other groups.
, - .
= ;.,
The concentration of women's appointments within the $900 a11d
under $1,300 gropp corresponds closely with the concentration of
her appointment within the clerical services, as stated in th~, opening
paragraph Qf this section. Ninety-one per cent of the 4;689 women
appointed iii January and February of 1919 went into clerical occupations of one type or another. Forty-eight and one-half per cent
of the men appointments were made tQ these positions. Even within
the clerical group concentration of the sexes occurs. Men predominate in the ·supervisory positions, in · those requiring special train-·
ing and experience, and-at the other end of the scale-as office mes-·
sengers.
omen predominate as stenographers, typists, and in '
index, filing, statistical, and other kinds of general office work.
As the majority of these appointments are made :from the civil-service register, an analysis of the numbers of persons of each sex
passing the . examinations, when compared with the proportion of
positions filled by each sex, will throw further light upon the underlying causes
this condition. In the first ~ix months of 1919, 59
per cent of the persons passing the clerical tests were women,
whereas 72 rer cent of the appointme1~ts in the first two months' of
,v
of
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
28 ..
WOMEN IN THE GO"\ ER)TMENT SERVICE t .
this year were vtomen. This discrepancy is largest a111~ng persqn~..
· holding clerk positions- that is, persons . r}~o have pl:l,ssed the ge~--ral clerk examination in spelling, arithm~tic, penmanship,, let~r ·
writing, and copying and correcting manusc-r ipt, an~ · who . a.~~ ,
- as igned to various office po itions throughout the, , :Go_vermyt~nt
erv1ce.
With a slightly larger number 0£ men passing these examinations
than women, 0 per cent of the po..,itions "ere filled by women. . For,
file and cataloguing clerk positions 74.5 per cent o_f the successful
applicants were women, although 84 per cent of the vacancies w~re
filled by women. Eighty-six and one-half per cent of the po~it~qns
in which various office appliances are used were filled by women · although they constituted but 81 per cent 0£ those passing the examinations. Only in stenogTapher and typewriting positions do the percentages of appointments and '10men eligibles fall within three points
of each other. Wben special training is required the situation is
reversed. Almost 30 per cent eligibles were women, while only 15 per
cent of the positions were filled by -women. Approximately the same
ratio between eligibles and appointments existed in the messenger
sern ce.
"\Vhile these figures are affected somewhat by the fact that the
period of appointment and the period of examination are not coincident, and becau e ome persons appointed in 1919 may h ave passed
examinations in 1918 rather than in 1919, and further by the fact
that some included in the appointments had not taken a civil service
examination, the effect is not very material, as, so :far as the periods
are concerned, the proportion would in all robability not be changed
if both appointments and examinations were for two months ; and as
the CiYil Service Commission holds examinations on the call of
departments only -n-hen the old registers are exhausted and other
availables are not adequate in number. T e :fact remains, therefore,
that influences other than the numbers of men and women available
for the particular positions are at work in determining whether
clerical work shall be done by a man or a woman. Undoubtedly
tradition plays a part in the requests o:f appointing officers in this
as in other fi elds of employment, but a review o:f the bureau appointments shows that neither one or the other sex is asked for exclusively
by any bureau for any particular occupation.
One of the evidences at work, apparently, is the weaker bargaining
power o:f women. As stated early in this report, all applicants for
probational positions state in their examination papers the minimum
alary which they will accept. With the exception o:f messenger
positions and card perforation machine operator positions the mini-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WOMEN IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE.·
29
mum salary advertised by the commission for clerical positions is $900
a year. Among the probational appointees in the months of January
and February, 214 women, as against 36 men, accepted the minimum.
offered or less; among the temporaries 131 women and 66 men
accepted $900 or less; and among the excepted positions at this
salary or less were 21 w;omen and 1 man. In other words, of the
529 applicants who expressed willingness to accept the advertised
minimum or less over 80 per cent were women.
This weakening bargaining power is also clearly reflecte.d in the
1°elativ-e salaries p1~evailing in this clerical group where the numbers
employed are the largest.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TABLE
V:-Number men Cfnd women appointed t? _e.ach class of_ position _during January and _Febr_11:ary, 1919, and the ~alaries recefred by_ ~he largest
single group appointed to each class of position together, with the highest an d lowest salanes paid men and wom·en in each class of poL itwn .
-
'
Number
persons
_apf:ointed
m anuary
and
February,
..
.
.
1919.
Women.
Worn- Men . Salary.
en.
Cleaning (Washington }cleaning office buildings . . .. .
only).
105
Manufacturing (Wash•
}sewing and packing . .•... . :.
ington).
31\
Personal (Washington Attend patients, cook, laun- }
only).
der, etc.
34
r.
Personal. .•••.•• . .•.•.... Operating elevator .••...•.. .
Number
receiving
it.
i{
$399
2{
t~}
$300}
to
600
to300 }
399
D{
s{
to600 }
699
Custodial. •••••••..•• .... L ighthouse keeper ••.•..•...
1
48
720
Subclerical. • . ..• .. ...... Otnce messenger ••.•••••....
72
39.'i{
to500 }
J9 {
to900 }
1~{
tO 900}
999
Telephone and t elegraph . /Operate telephone and telet graph.
}
2~
{Operallng office appliauces
and copying.
·
}
109
Women.
Men.
Numb er
receiving
less.
Number
reSalceiv- ary.
ing
more.
46
28
27 ••••••
9
11
i
I
Number
reCe.iving
it.
31 {
.to600}
Men.
Women.
Men.
9 ..•.••.
14{
4 ••••••
1 ••• • ..
31
2S
599
13
7
Salary.
Number
receiving
iL.
- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - 240
28
$GOO
4
1 535. 50
27
535. 50
1
3
$780
1
$900
-····· ····-· .......
612
!)
900
1, 610
1
1420
2
1168
4
720
1
720
4
480
to300}
1399
!J •••• ••
{ to
700}
799
4
4
......
4 • •••••
.......
}
300
2
4
600
4
1
32
10
6
720
1
900
1
720
1
600
lO
400} 131
5
259
720
3 1,000
1
420
2
360
.'i
9
5
5
1, 200
l 1,800
3
720
4
900
2
r,
/j
1 1,800
1
660
8
720
5
13 { to
4
NumNnmNumber
ber
ber
Sal- rere- Sal- receiv- ar:,~. ceiv- ary. ceiving
ing
ing
it.
1t.
it.
3
700 }
1 { toJ:
.. ....
Nnmber
r eSalceiv- ary.
ing
more.
$699
4
4 ••••••
Nnmber
receiving
less .
-- --- -
499
1, 400 }
to
1, 499
999
800]
to
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Lowest salaries.
Highest salaries.
Sums received by l:lrgest single group.
Work to be done.
Service.
Clerical ••••••••.•.... . .. .
Salaries paid .
28
2:j
56
S99
700
to
799
i}
1 ,320
5 .•....
12
c.o
0
clerical work of a va- }
Do . .. . . .... . •...... f~finor
ried but simple natare.
124
Do . . .. ............. Typing ...... •......... .. . .. .
429
, 000}
48 r to
4i
4(\
000 } 1S3
97 {1,t o
1,099
{ 1. 100
to }t, 858
760
1.199
2
1, 099
tlerical work of a Vitried nature requiring skill and } 3, 072
Do ... . ... . .. .. . ....
accuracy.
{Indexi_ng,
filing, and cata- }
43
__ Do .. . s ••••••• • • • •••
logu~ng.
8 {1'to200 }
Do.. ·- ·············· Stenogr,a phy ••.• . . . ...... , ..
269
39
Do ... •....•.... . ... Eookkeeping . .••...• . ..•.. ..
8
12
work and com- }
.Do •••••••••••••••• . {3tatis_tical
. putmg.
49
{Workrequiringspecial train- }
Do •.•......•...... ing and experience and
original thought.
21
Examining service....•. • Examining patents, claims
against the Government,
persons desiring to be naturalized, etc.
Statistical .••••. ; ••. . ...• Anal ring and inferring genera trnthsfrom flgmes.on.
economic and social con'1itions.
1 Plus s11 bslstence.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
148
to
(j
120
r~l
1~~~9
}·
14 .•• . •..
32
55
}
.>
I
7W
799
1 000
'to
1,099
31 .....•.
22
6 .•..••
6
14
10 ••••••
4
1,200
3
l
1,400
720
900
42
1(\
1, !iOO
1, 800
29'>
1 4
2 l
1, 800
500
{1.100}
to
1{ t~ }
999
29 { 1,to200 }
f~l
ll:fil'>il
to
to
4.
2
2
4 • •••••
11
6
1,680
1,800
2 612
840
5 -··· ··
7
1, 800
1, 800
1, 000
1, 000
22
2
~
0
~
t_tj
12
6
5
5
l
1~~99
5
to
{2'000}
2
1, 800
1, 800
12
900
~
900
6 • • • •• •
26
14
12
6
...... r·····
2 ••.•••
~
4i
52
21
2,000
3, 500
1, 100
14
23
13
2,400
2,500
1, 200
1, 200
6
1, 200
]l
2
~
G •••••••
. ..... ·····- . ......
35
G 2 1, 395
1, 400
2
21 • •• ••.
32 ••••••.
. ..... 2, 400
,40l
2
to
.
2, 599
14
1, 200
00
l
I
0
0
~
10
2, 099
2
~
....
~
"l' ~l
799
13"
1, 320
39
to
t~
53 · • •••·• ...... ...... ...... {
to
720
'lu:f
lfll
...... . ..... r
900
600
1, 400
1
1,800
}
2,400
1, 440
1, 299
to
}
{Draw plans and sketches of}
machinery, structures and
places.
92
23
720
2
1,199
00
to
1, 899
{ 1, 200
rto
;_iO 1, 299
other clerks or act
-Do .• . •. ..•.. ...... {Supervise
insecret,arialcapacity.
15
14ana~i:rial and experti n Organize office methods or
conduct the affairs of an .....
busmess adminis tration. •
office.
11
Scientific laborntoryaid . . Assist scientists in the laboratory or museum.
linear and angular ... ...
Surveying . . . .•.•. •... . .. {Take
measurements of land.
Drafting•..•• • '. •. .•.. . ...
714
24
r t~oo}
clSO
2i
1, 299
20
60)
21
1, 199
18
1:;~l
1u:l
1
720
'{ 1, 200}
31 1 to
6
...... . .....
540
1 .•....
. ... ..
t"l
~
t2l
~
1, 500
t.:r.l
.540
6
!z
720
21
[€
~
~
~
1to500}
1, 599
23
6i
1, 500
17
2
2,SOO
1,600
222,693
720
22 ·••· • ·•
2 1,980
1 .•... .
1 · 2,000
1 4,000
1 1,200
45
720
......
3
~
l,2QO
1 .... .....
... ... .
~
2
Paid at dany·r::i.te.
8
Median fs u. ed bEJCO.ll S~ no safary :prev:ills.
;,,,..
V.-Number m¢n and women appointed to each class ·of position during Ja.nuary and February, 1919 , and the salarws. received by the largest
single group appointed to each class of position, together with the highest'and lowest sala1-ies paid men and women in each class of position-Con
TABLE
ta .
.
Number
persons
_ap.l:ointed
10 anuary
and
February,
Women ..
·women.
Men.
Women.
Men.
Men.
Work to be <loue.
Worn- Men. Salary.
en.
-~
and and disbursal Take charge of and disburse
Government funds.
of Government funds.
accounting
Accountancy •.••.•.... .. ·Investigating
methods, devising n ew
. systems or verifying income and excess-profit
ta.x returns.
Art. ••.• : .• ; .• •.•.•... ... Drawin~ and sketching ..•...
w,itt,n
for specific
information
Research and translation
or translation from or into
service.·
foreign languages.
Library . ... ~:•.... _.. .... _ Secure and classify books
and documents an d aid
library patrons to secure
desired volumes .
~ournalistic.......•.. .... . Writing or editing articles
for publication.
(Writing and lecturing for
~-Ublic~iy•........•.• ~ ••. tpropag~da p urposes.
Care
l""'"'hm
mate,iall
_ . : .
r•p,-osonting
Oovmnmont
•
in le~al ~oceedings,
assist. ·. .
·
.
ing m t e pre aration of
Leg~l., _•. ••••• •· · · ·· ·· · · - cases, and renfering legal
-_
·
·· advice to Governmentoffi.. · ·· . ..
·
·
1 cials,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.
Lowest salaries. ,
Highest salaries.
Sum s receirnd by largest single group,
1919.
'~rvice.
·-
Salaries palid.
Number
receiving
1t.
Num- Number ber
Salrereceiv- ceiv- ary.
ing ing
less. more.
Num- Nnm- Num-
ber bar ber
reSalr ereceiv- cciv- ceiv- ary.
ing mg ing
1t. less. more.
- ---- - -
- -- -- --- -2
1 - .• - . . - -----· ...... ... . .. .... . ....... -·-·-· ....... ··· ·--
H.
,_
1 $3, 600
1 $2,400
1
$3,600
-
1
140
:.t,OOU
1 5,000
1 1, 400
2
1,200
9
-- ---- -· -· -- ------ ........ --- ··· -. - . :~ -----{ 1, 200 l
7
1, 700 ----··
.s
3
s . to I \)
1, 2UO
1 :.t,000
i
1,000
1
2, 000
1
4,590
1 3,060
·!
~uo
2
1,071
3
-- -- --
2,400
1 - - .. - . . .... . .. 1, 800
4
3,000
1 3,900
2 1, 860
]
~,GOO
1
3,001)
1 -1,800
1 2,300
2
1, SOO
3
20}
28 . •••• . ---- -- 5,U()U
4 - •....
.. . . ...
1,400
2
244 $1,400
:l
1 - ..••. 19
Nnmher
r eceiving
Salary.
$'.3,600
4
lo
NumNumNnmher
her
ber
re- Sal- re- Sal- rece1v- ary. ceiv- ary. ceiving
ing
ing
ii.
it.
it.
--
2 .••.••
2 $1,800
65
39
I
1,299
2 -·-·--
l
}
2
4
-· -----
.........
9 ••••• • . . .......
10
2, 300
43 -·· •.•.
------ ---- -- . . ......... ..... .... ..........
------ -r ···
2 -·· · ··
. .... . .. .... . ....
:l
2,.400
3
2
r,700}
to
4
3
s
15
1 - - • - -· • .. . .....
3,099
{ 2,000
1,800
8
7
'
Nursing .•. . .......... . .. Nurse Government patients.
6
Pharmaceutical.. ........ Prepare medicines ...... .....
Medical ... .. ............. Examine, diagnose, and treat
for illness.
Architectural. . ...•...... Design, plan, and prepare --· ---·
specifications of buildings
I
or assisting in same.
{Plan and supervise constmcEngineering ••••.•.••.•..
tion and reJ?air of public
..
works or assist in same.
Biological, physical and }Inspect ion for law enforce· medic!J.l scjences, and
13
mentor service betterment. }
economic service.
PhY,sical·sciences ..••.... Make observations of natural
phenomena, examinations,
classifications and appraisals ofmateria,l values.
Biological sciences, ecoR:_iera~~!g!t;
•9
~d:~ti~~!Yl~~i;~• and
public.
Biological sciences, eco- rollect statistical data on
nomic, sociological, and
148
subjects of current interest.
education service.
observe, and anai,,e
in aboratory or field to seBiological, physical scicure knowledge concerning
16
ences, medical and engineering sciences.
fundamental principles of
operation.
Administrative ..••...•.. Plan and direct activities of
2
a division in any bureau,
}·····.
f~i!~~~;! }
rest(
720
2 ... ·....
171
5 ----- -
193
1
7
1,320
4
4 53 { 1~00}
2,400
2 •. . . . .
2
6
}
260 { \~00} 110
1,299
l
244 { 1,300}
1:399
3,000
4
--- --- ---·-·
2
7
l
1
. 1,800
2
1
f~l
27
63
81 .... ...
32
------
1,440
2,000
------ ........ ------ --····-· ...........
------ { 1~00}
26
35
-------
.. i; 200
......... ------ --- -- - ----·--
------- -----· ------
~lfi~~~e~~~i~}~eb~:
reau or commission.
Executive ...•..... ...... Plan and direct activities of
commission, committees,
and bureaus.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2
1
3
....... .
2 720
1 ......
1 ......
61•••• •••••
1,440
1,200
..........
···· ··
1,600
1 ......
. ......
9, ISO
2 . .. . ..
.... -~I
2 "3,600
2 1,200
------
720
9
612
3
900
3
83
78
6
3
{\goo}
13
1.:;
25
2,500
117,650
2 1, 800
2
1,200
3,099
1,520 ·
....... 5,000
4
1 . ..... . ......
10
28 { 1,200}
to
1,299
45
10
205
2, 800
1 4,800
2
1765
2
1765
2
10 { 1,500}
to
1,599
66
58
120 13,080
11 3,825
l 5856.80
1
1
10
7
210,000
2 3,000
2
2,000
2 ······ . ..... ..
10,000
-----·
3,000
...... ...... .........
10, 000
2 .•••..
i
2
1, 500
1~99
1,080
17 .. .....
.....
H
z
3
1-3
~
trj
18
3, 000
c:i
76[;
0
2
~
~
- z
~
I
t_:rj
-·--·--
2 .......
l --·.·
. .. ..... ............
-----·
10,000
z
1-3
m
t,:j
Paid at daily rate.
2 Plus subsistence.
a Paid at monthly rate.
.
• Appointments of 406 men and 132 women were omitted because only part of their salaries was paid by the Uni ted States Government.
6 Paid at hourly rate.
1
;
0
~
34
W01\1EN IN -THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE.
Continuing the analy i of the salurie"' prevailing ·in occupation
groups as distino-uished from the salarie p1Yrnilino- for the whole
group dis~ussed previously, Table II lists the kinds of work done in
each serYice group to " ·hich appointments were made in January
and February of 1919 and giYe the prerniling, the highe t, and the
lowe t salaries paid, and the number of men and women receiving
the e sums in each occupation. ,Yithin each occupation, there are
persons doing work varying in responsibility, skill, and trainir g
required, altho 1gh all superYisory, managerial, or executive po itions and minor positions for which little experience or training is
required are listed separately.
On this table it appear that although the salary receiwcl by th
largest. single group of people doing clerical work 0£ a -varied nature
fell between $1,100 and $1,199 for both men and women, 36 per oent
of the men appointees receirnd more than this amount, as against
16 per cent of the 1'omen appointees. The highest salary •for a man
in this group was $2,J00, for a woman .$1,800 a year. In the minor
clerk positions, the largest single group 0£ women receirnd from
$1,000 to $1,099 per year. A similar group of men got from $1,20~
to $1,299 per year. The preYailing rate for women typist wa $1,000
to $1,099, for men typists between $1100 and $1,199. Stenoo-rapheL
of both sexes receirnd $1,200 to a larger extent than any other alary.
A slightly larger proportion o:f men recei\-'ed over this amo nt th, n
did 1'omen stenographei· ·.
The sum received by the large t single group of men bookkeeper ,
. as shown in the foregoing table, is lower tha n the sum received by
the largest group 0£ women becau e the five men falling in the $1,000
group were filling positions -0£ derk-bookkeeper-a position requiri1ig less know ledge of bookkeeping than that required to become a
bookkeeper. The men bookkeepers proper secured salaries of $1,100,
$1,400, $1,620, and $1,800, while women bookkeepers received $1,200
and $1,800. The range of salaries for both sexe is the same, the only
difference lies in the larger proportion of men receiving more tha1
$1,200 in compari on with the proporti-011 of women.
Under clerical work requiring special training and experience an l
original thought are included law derks, corre ·pondence clerks, an
clerks especially qualified to be intru ted with pecial kinds of offi
work. Although 14 women pa ·sed the law clerk: examinatioµ, non
were appointed to this position during Jauuary and February of
1919. They were appointed as corre pondence clerk and pecial experts in the Bureau of "\Var Risk Insurance at salarie 1·anging fron
$1;100 to $2,000. Men taking the same positions received from $1,20 ;
to $3,500.
'
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WOMEN IN THE GOVERNl\'IENT SERVICE.
35
Office messengers' salaries range £roin $360 per year to $1,000 a
year, with the largest number receiving from $400 to $600 yearly. ·
About 82 per cent of the 76 girls taking these positions received less
than $600, whereas approximately 47 per cent of the 395 men messengers accepted less than this amount.
• The lowest-paid workers are the ,Yomen who clean the office buildings in the nig 1t or in the early morning. The largest single group
of these women earn but $300 to $399 a year. Those working longer
The men
1 hours earn more, those working :fewer hours earn less.
appointed to this work were too :few to make a comparison of salaries
valid.
The women who attend the patients in the two GoYernment ho ·pitals in )Vashington, or who act as waitresses, laundresses, or in other
domestic capacities in these hospitals, get from $156 to $480 a year
in addition to their subsistence. As . men similarly employed get
approximately the same rates of pay, it appears that at the bottom of
this salary scale discrimination in salaries is reduced to the vanishing point. In this connection it is interesting that ·women acting as
matrons in the Government buildings in vV ashington were paid $-!80
a year, whereas matrons in the vVar Department factories and warehouses got from $3 a day to $1,610 a year. It is altogether probable
that ·the women in the vVar Department factories senecl more as
general welfare workers than the Washington employees of the
same titular grade. There is no other reasonable explanation of the
enormous difference in compensation.
The only manufacturing work done by women in
ashington for
, which salaries and appointments were reporte i . in January and Febrnary, 1919, to the Civil Service Commission was in the equipment
shops o:f the Post Office Department and as seed packeters in the Department of Agriculture.. Mail-bag repairers in the first shops were
paid $1.75 and $2 a day; seed packeters received $2 a day. Men
mail-bag repairers received $1.75 a day. The male inspectors 0£, the
,rnr-k done got $900 a year.
Advancing to the positions requiring education and experience, few
,,omen were appointed to managerial, superYisory, office organizing,
or secretarial positions. Only one o:£ the 15 women receiving such
positions earned an amount commensurate with the responsibility
supposedly involved in these positions. The others received $1,200,
$1,400, and i1,600. Some men received the low rates that women
did, but over half received $2,000 and over.
As statisticians, work requiring college graduation and some practical experience, women accepted positions at $1,200, $1,800, and $2,000.
Men secured $1,800, $3,000,. and $4,000 jobs. Of the :four women
taking positions as verifiers of income and excess-profit tax returns,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
,v
36_·
WOMEN IN THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE.•
two r~ceived $1,400, one $1,800, and one $2,000. Nine men appointed .,
to these positions received less than $1,400, but 103 received ·over ,
$2,000. Two women were appointed as treasurers in the vVar Savings .
and ,var Liberty Loan Bureau at $2,000 and $3,600, respectively. ·
As the partic1.1lar training and experience required to fill the scientific and professional positions open ·i n the Government service is .
as varied as the field of science and art, the appointments falling
in these services have been divided according to the character of
the work to be done. Under field and laboratory investigation are
included not only persons appointed to study biological problems
but others who are to solve problems in physics, mineralogy, geology:, . ·
and physiology. Only 16 women undertook this kind of work in
t he first two months of 1919, their average salary being $1,564. The .
average salary £or the 244 men appointed as scientific investigators
was $1,685. More numerous were the appointments of women as
collectors 0£ statistical data. However, both the largest number of
women and the largest number of men appointed to such positions
secured data on economic and social conditions rather than on agricultural and physical conditions. Twelve hundred dollars was the
salary offered most frequently. Only 19 per cent of the women
accepting the positions received over this amount, but 79 per cent
of the men got more than $1,200.
Unfortunately, the greater number of persons who were appointed
to assist farmers and housewives and children in rural communities
in farming and domestic problems could not be included in this
salary study, as one part of their salaries was paid by State
agencies and another by the Federal Government. As the amount
and proportion p aid by each of the cooperating bodies varied with
the individual, only the records of both bodies could have given the
complete figures. · Those £or whom complete salary figures were obtainable were employed not only to aid in agricultural matters but
in educational, economic, and commercial fields. The lowest salary
received by women undertaking this work was $1,800, by men $1,200;
the highest salary received by a woman was $2,500, while the highestsalaried man received $7,650. Appointments of women to othe,r
scientific and professional services during the first two months of
1919 were few. Nurses were paid $720 a year and maintenance;
librarians, $1,800 and $2,400; researchers and translators from $900
a year to $15 a day; while women engaged in publicity or in editorial
work received from $1,860 to $3,000.
Here, as in the majority of the occupations to which women and
men were appointed in any numbers, although men frequently receive lower entrance salaries than women and although men £re-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WOMEN IN THE· GOVER~MENT SERVICE.
.
37.-·
quently receive the same entrance salaries as women, the proportion
o:£ men appointees to the higher paid positions in each occupation is ,
always in excess o:£ the proportion of women appointees to these ·
positions.
Not until the entrance salaries to :be paid in 'each occupation are
fixed for probational, temporary, and excepted positions in accordance with the responsibilities and difficulties of the tasks to be undertaken, not until the classes o:£ work within each occupation are so
well determined and their salaries fixed so that the persons marking
examination papers will be able to mark each· applicant's class and
salary status on the examination paper, will it be possible to eliminate
the inequalities which have arisen through custom in the beginning
salaries offered to women and men .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.0
