Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-20
The Cost of Half HOLIDAYS.

The Bureau Of the Budget and the
Bureau Of Efficiency are collaborating
In an attempt to put the issue of year.
round half holidays for Government
workers on a dollars-and- basis.
When the results are known the de-
cision win evidently rest on whether
the Government can afford it, admit
ting the fact that 1t would be a good
thing for the employees.
In the QUESTIONABLE circulated among
the bureau and division chiefs the
Budget Bureau, which is presumably
collecting the data for the Bureau Of
Efficiency, takes the point of view that
the two obvious answers concerning the
cost Of half holidays must be dismissed
ct the outset. The first answer would
be that by spreading the work through
out the week and laboring harder and
faster the Government can accomplish
in i've and half days what it now re-.
quires six days to do. The other is
that the half holidays could be adopted
with no impairment to efficiency by
adding 70 the pay roll one-twelfth of
the Governments present working force.
The Budget Bureau evidently pre-
sumes that the Government is now
working at top speed, and that it would
be obviously impossible to accomplish
IN five and half days the work that
now requires six days; and likewise that
Congress would not stand for an in
crease Of one-twelfth in the working
force.
Somewhere between these two exc
tremes, however, there is a middle
ground that takes into consideration
the nature Of the human being as Welt
as the cost Of labor, and that middle
ground Gl1ould be found without great
difnculty. Even Government auditors
and efficiency experts, who usually deal
IN terms Of cold figures alone, win
admit that there is something besides
sentiment in the argument that the pros
pect Of half o day Of leisure will act az
q stifuuiant to brains and fingers. and
that with additional rest IN view extra
work can be efaciently and speedily
accomplished. The theory is as ap-
plicahle to Government employe as TO
boy who is required to paint the back
fence before he can GO fishing.
There are, Of course, exceptions Some
Of the Government bureaus establish
standard Of production that is already
high, and based on the time included
IN six fun days Of work. It would be
impossible, IN many cases, to raise the
standard In such cases additional EN-.
ployes would be necessary.
In one respect the bureau or diyi-
sion chief Is placed at distinct dis
advantage by the QUESTIONABLE. II
he has sought more employees In the
past, and most Of them have or feel
they ought to, 1t win be dificult for
him TO admit that he can do with his
present force in i've and half days
what formerly required six. If he asks
for additional employees he will feel that
he Is putting very tangible handicap
In the way Of accomplishing the five.
and-a-half-day week.
The estimate Of increased cost and
the report Of the Budget Bureau or
Bureau Of Efficiency on the proposal as
whole viii be awaited with interest.
For the Government to admit that the
cost is prol1ibitive will be to dampen
private tndustry's enthusiasm toward
gradual adoption Of the shorter work.
ing week, an enthusiasm that has been
fostered BY some Of the Governments
most able spokesman. If the Govern
ment feels that in granting the half
holiday all year in spite Of the excess
cost it can set an example as a model
employer, the experiment would be
worthwhile.