Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-03
WOOD SALARY CUT
PLAN MEETS MORE
FOES IN CONGRESS
Members of Both Houses
Voice Opposition to Lower
U. S. Pay Rates.
BATTLE is PROMISED
IF PROPOSAL is MADE
Appropriations Committeeman Are
Against Move, but Decline to
Make Public Statements.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

| proposal OF Representative VIII II.
Wood of Indiana, chairman of the
House Appropriations Committee, TO re-
duce Government salaries. Even mem
bers of Mr.. Woods own committee,
which under the Holman rule might
reduce Government salaries by pro-
visoS in the Appropriation bills are
| antagoniStic to the Wood program even
| though they do not care at this time
to be quoted as quarreling with their
prospective chairman. Not single
member of the Appropriations Commit
tee thus far interviewed is willing to
support Mr.. Wood in the salary reduc-
ton effort.
Members of the Civil Service and Of
the House District Committees, who
come into closest contact with the Gov
eminent workers and their conditions
of employment, are most emphatic in
their declarations that they will stub
bornly fight the proposed reduction in
salaries.
Clancy Against Pay Cut.
Representative Robert H. Clancy of
Michigan Republican member of the
Civil Service Committee, believes that
| he would be stultifying his record of
many years If he supported this wage
cut "AS a member of the House Civil
| Service Committee" he pointed out, II
have always been in favor Of having the
Federal Government set q high stand
ard for employees as to wages, hours,
retirement funds, ETC."
Representative John w. Mccormack
of Massachusetts, Democratic member
Of the Civil Service Committee, an
nounces his vigorous opposition to any
effort to reduce salaries. ANY attempt
on the part of Congress to reduce the
wage levels of Federal employees will be
met with serious opposition and cannot
be successful" he emphasized. Any
such policy, if pursued by the Govern
ment will do more to aggravate exist
| ing conditions than that of any other
agency. The early policy and principle
of President Hoover-that there shall
| be no leveling of the wage scale-he has
reiterated whenever large companies
have used the present temporary de-
preston as an excuse for making wage
reductions 1 do not believe that the
President will stand for any leveling
of wages of employees of the Federal
Government Personally, I will vigor-
ously oppose such action and I know
that am speaking for many of my col
! leagues, both Republican and Demo-
cratic. It is the duty of every citizen
and every member of Congress to re-
solve in the Presidents favor and exert
GNGIY GlOIb W liCiH AAAAAA IA AAcAAAASoAAAAAA6
wage standards"
Will Fight Reductions.
Representative Clarence j. Mcleod
of Michigan, prospective chairman Of
the House District Committee II the
Republicans organize the House, as
sures all Government workers that they
can depend upon me to be on the
alert to object and oppose any reduc-
ton in salaries for Federal or District
employees that may be suggested In
the coming session of Congress. am
| in thorough accord with the arguments
of the National Federation of Federal
Employees and there must be no reduc-
lions, especially in the groups which are
already receiving less than decent
| living wage
Representative Frank w Bowman,
Republican, of West Virginia, said he
was ready to "go to the mat with
| Chairman Wood or any one else who
seeks to decimate the salaries OF the
Government workers"
After President Hoover's appeal to
| outside business not to cut salaries 1t
would be breach of faith on the part
| Of the United States Government to
make any reduction, not to mind 10
per cent slash in pay checks" said Mr.
Bowman today Just when the Gov
1 CT DC S6Lbluk oil
| pie OF confidence in the turning OF the
tide of prosperity and better times it
is most uniting to suggest whiting
down on the Federal pay roll. We GER
tainly have had hard enough job get
! ting the Government salaries built up
| to living wage, and have not yet sue
ceeded in getting full justice and equity
| for the veteran workers and those we
wish to have continue in the service
NJ nnyv IN fVtg Il
| prepoSterous in temporary emergency
to break down the structure that it has
taken years Of persistent effort to
build up.
Sees Failure of Effort.
Besides, we hired these workers at
regulated salary. with grades Of pro-
motion and increases fixed by law and
| supposed to be scientifically and auto
matically operative. 1t would be rank
| injustice ruthleSSly to reduce these
salaries. II a great army of workers
cannot have confidence in the stability
OF their rate Of pay from their Gov
eminent, what hope is there for them?
The Government employees can count
on me to take an active part in the
| fight that is coming if Chairman Wood
F.. or any one else attempts to hew into
the Government pay roll. am heartily
| against any such tactics. There is no
reason or justice in it, I predict that
! such an effort will not succeed"
Representative Phil D. Swing of Cali
| fornia has fastened to assure various
large groups Of Government workers
and their national organization, the
National Federation Of Federal Employees
that ne Will oppose the proposed reduc-
ton in salaries
Senator Hiram w. johnson of Cali
/ fornia, chairman NJ the Senate Conn
merce Committee, has assured the Fed
| eraI employees organization that their
views on the. salary question will have
his most earnest consideration
Vandenberg Cautious.
Senator A H. Vandenberg. Repub-
ncan, OF Michigan, a member of the
Senate Commerce and District of Co
lumoia Committees, expresses general
sympathy with the Efforts of the Ma
tlonal Federation OF Federal Employees
IN behalf OF the workers threatened
with salary cuts
No one can foreSee." he said, "all
the difficulties which the country may
yet confront and therefore 1t would be
unWiSe TO speak too conclusiyely about
the future. But I hope and expect to
proceed in entire concurrence" with the
plans OF the National Federation of
! Federal Employees TO protect the SAL
airy structure Of the Federal service
Senator Samuel w Shortridge Of
California. a member of the Senate
Finance and Public Buildings and
GROUNDS Committees, was emphatic in