Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-11-07
NO HALF HOLIDAY
ORDER YET ISSUED
Story Current in Washington
Denied at Summer Ex-
ecutive Offices.
ACTION IS EXPECTED SOON

ACTION is EXPECTED SOON
high official of the White House
closely connected with the summer eX.
ecutive offices at Asbury Park, and ir
position to know what he is talking
about. today told representative OF
Ihe Star, over long-distance telephone
that there is no truth in various reports
and rumors current in Washington today
that President Wilson has taken favor
able action on the proposition to eX-
tend Saturday half holidays to every
Saturday in the year.
This authority states that the Presi-
dent has done nothing. but is expected
to act when he has received reports
from all his cabinet officers. Two of the
cabinet officers called upon for reports
have not sent in their opinions, it is
stated. owing to their absence from
Washington on political errands. At any
rate. the President has not had time to
consider the reports received by him.
Presidents Known Sympathies.
The intimation is strong that the
Presidents action in asking for reports
from his cabinet advisers is regarded
around the summer White House as an
indication of his intention to issue an
executive order granting half holidays
the year round. This fact has not been
overlooked by those who have been ex-
pecting the President to sign his name
to such an order.
the Presidents sympathies in this di-
rection haze been pronounced for years
He personally believes in Saturdays as
a holiday, for during his term of near
ly four years in office he has rarely
failed to set all official business aside
on Saturdays and take the day for
recreation.
Reported Printing of Order.
Two reports were current today. One
of these was that the government
printing Office is now printing an ex-
ecutive order for Saturday half holi-
days all the year, while another was
that the President had acted. but that
the order would require government
clerks to begin work at $50 am. in
stead of o'clock and quit at pm.
instead of 4:30 o'clock. This would
mean an hour more each day and would
more than make up the. time granted.
Cabinet officers in Washington who
are usually well informed as to the
purposes of the President stated today
that ehey had not heard of any action
taken by him and doubted il he had
ported presence at the government
printing office of an executive order
being put into type for distribution
among the departments, it is positively
known that no official document on this
subject has reached the White House
here for printing.
The custom of the summer executive
offices at Asbury Park is to send all
official business to the executive offices
here for distribution to the respective
pect that this habit was departed from
in the matter of Saturday half holi-
days.
May Confer With Cabinet.
The opinion is expressed today that
the President may consider the matter
at the first cabinet meeting to be held
here after his return to Washington
before taking action. although this
would not be necessary when he has
before him the views of his advisers
Further consultation with cabinet Of
ficers is suggested. however. if the
President contemplates adding to the
hours of work through the week He
would want advice as to the best time
for starting and ending work.
Doubt as to Details.
Although nearly all the members of the
administration in this city are satisfied
that 1t is the Presidents purpose to have
the Saturday half-holiday applied to the
executive departments in this city all the
year round, there appears to be con-
siderable doubt as to when the new sys-
tenn shall take effect or whether or not
it also embodies an extension of hours
on the other working days of the week
Chief Clerk Davis of the State De-
partment said he had no knowledge
on the subject had been sent to the
government printing office, to be pro-
mulgated after the elections are over.
and he added that all business of that
character was transacted through his
office. He explained that in the reg
usually were sent to his office from the
Presidents Office in manuscript and
after being given a serial number were
sent to the government printing office,
where they were put IN type and then
returned to his office for issue No
proclamation or executive order relat-
ing to Office hours in Washington. de-
clared Mr.. Davis. had passed through
that routine since the subject was TAX
en- up by the President several weeks
ago Mr.. Davis said that while he
could not say absolutely that no order
changing the Office hours had been
sent by the President to the govern
ment printing Office. he could saw most
positively that no such order had
passed through his Office one way or
the other.
Longer Hours Not Favored.
The alleged plan of coupling the Sat
urday half holiday privilege with an
added hour Of labor during the other
days Of the week meets with no favor
among the clerks and other emploves
of the State. War and Navy depart.
ments. Protest was strongest agains,
the proposal to begin work at $50 in
stead of as at present. but there was
general opposition to the proposed in
crease of hours during five days of the
week to make up for the half day holi-
day on Saturday.
One clerk said he couldn't see the
justice of giving them four hours off
on Saturday and adding Ave hours
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