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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