Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-03
President Signs Measure
Providing for Short Satur-
day for U. S. Employees.
BUDGET DIRECTOR SETS
COST NEAR $13,000,O0O
Estimate Was $27, o0o,000 Before
44-Hour Week for Postal
Workers Was Adopted.

The bill providing for Saturday half
holidays the year round for the EN-
ployes of the Federal and District gov
ernments became law today when Presi-
dent Hoover affixed his signature to it
shortly before noon.
Mr., Hoover signed the measure soon
after receipt from the Bureau of the
Budget Of a report which made no re-
vision Of the earlier estimate Of nearly
$27,000,00o as the entailed cost of such
a change in the routine of Government
working hours, but which the director
of the budget estimated would be re-
duced to a little less than $4,000, 900
under the bill as it finally passed Con-
gress.
Cost Estimated at $4,000, 900.
The original estimate had been made
on December 8, 1880, and since then
the Budget Bureau has made no detailed
revision of the costs Of operating on a
Saturday half holiday. That estimate,
however, included approximately $13,-
0O0,000 for the Postal Service employees.
Recently Congress passed q bill pro-
viding a 44-hour week for employees OF
the Postal Service who are exempted
from the Saturday half-holiday law.
Employees in the Canal Zone and the
field service of the Interior Department
were exempted from the earlier eSti-
mate, and now, it Is understood, they
are included in the Saturday half holi-
day.
With the exclusion of the postal serv-
ice employees, 1t was said at the Budget
Bureau today that trough estimate"
would place the cost of this new law at
slightly less than $4,000, 900, account
ing for other changes also.
Some Postal Workers Included.
While the post ONCE forces are cared
for under the separate 44-hour law, 1t
was said today that the approximately
1,70O employees In the Post once De-
partment are included within the scope
Of the Saturday half holiday.
Legislative action was completed BY
House and Senate yesterday and the
measure was at once sent TO President
Hoover. There was no doubt but that
the President would forthwith sign the
bill as it was known that he had de-
termined to let the decision as TO .
gress. No ceremony was attached to
the formality Of signing it today.
Becomes Law Immediately.
The bill becoming . law Immediately
with the Presidents signature, its first
effect vii be felt In all departments this
Saturday. In all departments Its final
enactment was haled with rejoicing by
the employees Of every class whom 1t
affects. Machinery was Immediately set
in motion to rearrange schedules in
time for the first half holiday on
Saturday.
The latest capitulation by the Civil
Service Commission, on January 81 last.
showed a total Of 71,252 Federal execu-
tive and civil employees In Washington.
These figures do not include, however,
the legislative and judiciary employees
or the enlisted personnel Of the Army,
Navy and Marine Corps on ONCE duty
here, but does include civil employees
in those departments.
So far as the District of Columbia
government Is concerned, the number
Of classified employees was given as APP
$500 and per diem work.
ers, mechanics and laborers, about 5000
at the present time, the number always
varying. In addition to these there are
$500 school teachers, 1909 policemen
and 900 flremen.
d. C. OffciaIs Studv Law.
It was said at the District Building
today that the school teachers naturally
would not be affected by the new law.
and while 1t was believed 1t was certain
the police and firemen also would not
be affected, officials said they would
have to study the law before deciding
definitely on this point
The bill affects all Government en-
ployes, except those in the field service
Of the Department Of the Interior and
employees in the Panama Canal Zone.
It provides that four hours work, ex-
elusive of time for luncheon, shall con-
stitute a days work on Saturdays
throughout the year, with pay for the
day the same as on other days when
full time is worked All classes of en-
ployes are effected by 1t, whether on
per diem basis or not.
It will mean for the Government de-
partments in Washington an extension
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