Evening star., 1932-03-22
CONSIDER ENDING
OVERLAPPING Jobs
Economy Committee Would
Cut Rolls in Line With
Reorganization Plan.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
salary-slashing bill as an amendment
on the legislative appropriation bill.
Mr. McDuffle is nursing along the
most widespread Of all the proposals.
drastic 10 per cent cut on all salaries,
including the lowest paid Government
workers, receiving $700 year or less.
All Of the proposals would contain
a provision against filling any vacancies
III making any promotions.
Although Chairman Byrns has vigor-
ously declared, outside Of the executive
sessions of the committee his stubborn
opposition to any cuts In the low sal
aries. under $2,500, yet in the commit
tee yesterday he presented several al
tentative proposals which would cut all
the way down to 81 900.
It has been made clear to the ex-
ecutive conference by Herbert D. Bown,
chief of the United States Bureau OF
Efficiency, that it will be impossible to
make any material reduction in the
Government pay roll that would really
impress the people Of the country that
the upsetting of the entire structure Of
Government salaries was at all justified
as a means to balancing the budget,
without hewing into salaries under
$4,000.
One Of the proposals thus presented
to the Economy Committee by Chair
man Byrns will probably be reported to
the House. One Of those proposals is 20
start with a per cent cut in salaries
between 81 900 and $4,000; 3 per cent
on salaries between $4,000 and $4,000;
10 per cent on salaries between $4,000
and $4,000; Is per cent on salaries be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 and 20 per
cent on all salaries above $4,000. 1t
was estimated that this would yield a
saving of SAL 100000.
Another of the proposals presented
by Chairman Byrns was for per
cent cut on salaries from $1,000 to
$4,000; per cent cut on salaries
from $4,000 to $4,000; 10 per cent on
salaries from $4,000 10 $4,000; IS per
cent on salaries from $4,000 to $4,000
and 20 per cent on all salaries above
$4,000. 1t was estimated this would
save $55, 100000
A third proposal presented by Chair
man Byrns was for 3 per cent cut on
salaries from 81 1000 to $4,000; 5 per
cent on salaries from $4,000 to $4,000,
and 10 per cent from $4,000 up. This
also would make a saving OF about
S55 900, 900.
lHe OIlG UlCHlUCI VI IllC ECOllOlhJ
Committee who is making a stubborn,
single-handed fight against salary
slashing Is Representative John Coch-
mittee on Expenditures in the Execu-
tive Establishment, which tabled early
in the session four bills designed to
cut salaries ruthlessly.
Offers Compromise.
Representative Cochran Is against all
salary reductions because he believes
1t is an inefficient way for an economy
committee to tackle its problem. If
there is any cut he declares it should
not be on salaries under $1,000. He
calls it heartless, inhuman and ridicu-
lous to attempt to make cuts in salaries
of charwomen, and the enlisted men of
the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
Mr.. Cochran has offered a compro-
mise proposal which received scant
courtesy at the hands of the Economy
Committee yesterday. He points out
there are some 5000 veteran Govern
ment employees who have passed the
retirement age and who have enjoyed
one or two extensions, who might
properly be retired The difference
between their retirement pay and the
mated at S10,000,000 which could be
saved.
He proposes also to cut the annual
leave from 30 days to Is which would
result in a saving of some 4,000,0 900
days, he says, and Director Brown of
the Efficiency Bureau estimates this
would mean a value of $4,000, 900 saw
ing to the Government
In those extra IS days the Govern
ment employees in each office would be
able to catch up on all the extra work
due to retirement or failure to fill
vacancies.
The Cochran compromise would also
include a provision not to fill vacancies
or to allow any promotions. Since the
Presidents order prohibiting promo
tons, the operations of the Personnel
Classification Board in carrying out
the law and making reclassifications
have added S400 900 to the pay roll,
Mr.. Cochran says.
In support of his proposal to
retire all those who have passed the
retirement age. Representative Cochran
received detailed report from the
Civil Service Commission, which showed
there are 3440 included in the 81, IS,
So and 10 year groups who are eligible
for retirement, but whose services have
been continued in various Offices of
the Government The total amount in
volved in these continuances is $8,102.-
288.63, and the average salary is
s2355.3l.
BY far the largest group is in the
Navy Department, where the number
past the retirement age is 1877, with
total salaries of $3,6l5,531.25. The sec
ond largest number is in the postal
service, where there are 1872 rural car
riers, with total salaries of Sl,579, ,63l .25 !;
SOS railway postal clerks with salaries
of 81 l,443,900, $50 clerks. carriers, etc,
with salaries totaling s547,200 and 10
postmasters receiving S44, 300. In the
Interior Department there are 306 over
the retirement age, with salaries total
ing s7l4,956 In the White House there
are two past the retirement age, in
unclassified service, at salary of
$500. In the Treasury departmental
service there are 246 superannuated en-
ployes at a total salary of $530,560 and
in the field service of the Treasury De-
partment, 252 at an aggregate salary
of S621, $40 In the War Department
there are 212 past retirement age, with
total salaries of $472663.