Evening journal., 1919-12-26
AnusE or GOVERNMENT LEAVE.

~, lIB Republican Congress just now confronted With
1 an Irritating problem In connection with the subject
OF annual vacations for government employees IN Tie Dis
lric OF Columbia There at the present time about
10000 employees at the national capital and
there Is indication that there viii be decrease, not
withstandlng tho fact that the ended moro Than a
year and most OF the activities have ceased. Be-
OF tho arse number OF employees and the tendency
20 increase rather than decrease tho number the subject
s Of importance TO the rest OF the country At least
10 Is proper that The taxpayers OF The country shall
derstand Tho situation.
In most government departments Il is the practice to
give each ompoyo 30 day. vacation called here annual
leave" each year, with pay, In years y there was
loose administration OF the 'sek leave rule and en-
ployes could usually take sick leave worry slight ndca
lion OF Illness. At present however physicians cer-
t0cOlo OF illness Is usually required that In order IA
secure compensation during a period Of absence
count Of Illness tho ompoye must have consulted phys-
clan.
To tho unsophlscated tho 30 days OF annual vacation
month. In actual practice II means much moro
than that AS there only six working days In wook,
the 30 days VIII period OF nvo weeks only tho
working days being deducted II tho vacation be taken 10
summer. II than that, FOR government en-
ployes The District OF Columbia given Saturday half
holidays. There being only fvo and half working days
week in summer tho usual vacation than
vo weeks Most OF tho government employees honest
In taking sick leave but there pretty well founded re-
porS tnu many tokc SICK odNo hpchu tlo tiu WIN
their personal affairs IN pursuit Of pleasure. Those
who resort to that procedure get maximum OF about
ten weeks absence with full pay
addition to vacation all government employees
absent with pay legal holidays including Christ
mas, New Years Fourth OF July, Washnslon's Birthday
Thanksgiving Labor Day. and usually one or two days
specially proclaimed holidays for the celebration OF
special event On the whole, the holiday period
covers between six and seven weeks.
subject Of annual leave" has just been forced upon
the attention Of Congress by presentation OF petitions
from government employees asking legislation making the
allowance 30 days mandatory in all departments and
bureaus AT present there few branches Of the ser
vice where only Is days leave granted Since the
employees formed unions there has been an
organized effort TO the enactment Of legislation
establishing the five weeks leave matter OF right
not OF favor II is said that members of Congress
arc irraled by demands Of the unions and contemplate
introduction OF bill cutting the vacation period to 10
days which would make not quite thrco weeks, In sum
mer time.
Although the subject Is in which heretofore only
government employees have taken interest the rapidly
growing number Of people in government service is likely
to arouse interest in the subject among people generally
especially since the employees have formed unions TO press
recognition Of their demands.