Evening star., 1932-03-12
gO PER CENT CUT
OF j. 5. SALARIES
. 0VER$3,0OASKED
New Bill introduced in House
=. Would Be Effective for
Two Years.
VOTE FASTENED IN MOVE
TO SLASH FEDERAL PAY
Senate Removes Provisions Pro-
hibiting Increases and
Promotions.

Drastic reductions in the salaries OF
Government officials receiving $4,000 a
year or more is provided in a bill in
troduced in the House today by Repre-
sentative Gable, Republican, of Ohio.
The bill provides two-year cut of 40
per cent of that part of the annual
salary for any Office in excess of the
salary paid on January l, 1924, and a
two-year cut of 10 per cent of the
salary for any office created after that
date.
Mr.. Gable said his bill would affect
44,587 officials of the Federal Govern
ment and would save the taxpayers be-
tween $3,000,000 and $5,000,000 a year
for the next two years.
I'VE should make every effort to bal
ance the Federal budget by reducing
Government expenses" declared Mr..
Gable. BY accepting 10 per cent cut
in their pay the railroad men of Amer
lea have set a worthy example for Of
ficials of the United States Govern
fnent.
Reduction in Federal expenses
should begin in the legislative branch.
My bill would cut the salary of every
member of Congress $1,000 a year. It
also would cut the salaries of all officials
who were given increases because of
the increased cost Of living. Living
expenses have been reduced and the
reason for the entire amount of the
increases given no longer exists"
A movement for a general reduction
IN the salaries of all Government en-
ployes gained momentum in the House
today as result of the action of the
Senate in removing from the Interior
Department appropriation bill sections
prohibiting increases in pay, promo
tions and filling of vacancies without
executive order.
Several members of the powerful Ap-
preparations committee predicted that a
vote on a general wage cut now ap-
peared inevitable. The Appropriations
Committee, 1t was pointed out, had
hoped to avert a salary reduction
through economies made possible by
restricting pay increases, but this plan
obviously had gone awry in both the
House and Senate.
With the proposed restriction on pay
increases, and promotions, and leaving
vacancies untitled, the Appropriations
Committee estimated that between ST.
600, 900 and $4,000 900 would be saved in
the 1888 fiscal year. If this plan fails,
which now appears likely, members of
the Appropriations Committee de-
clared the only alternative is general
pay cut in view of the determination
OF the Democratic House to bring about
drastic economies in the Government
service.
Support Is Promised.
The movement for general reduc-
ton in salaries will be led by Chairman
Byrns of the Appropriation Committee.
He already has been promised the sup
port OF q number of influential mem-
bers of the House, Republicans, as well
as Democrats. Among them are Rep
resentative Woodrum of Virginia, chair
man Of the independent off1ces appro-
priations subcommittee; Representative
Kitchener, Republican, Of Michigan,
and Representative Blanton Of Texas.
In fact, Woodrum declared on the
floor of the House when the ban on
pay increases in the Government serv-
ice was struck from the Treasury and
Post Office appropriation bill, that
sthere is no power under high heaven
that will be able to stem the tide OF
popular demand for drastic salary re-
ductions in the pay roll Of the Govern
ment."
BIanton Working on Bill
Blanton himself is at work on bill
he plans to introduce next week, to
bring about a reduction in the salaries
of Government employees now earning
in excess of S2,500. The object Of his
measure viii be repeal Of the reclassi-
fication act, in so far as It affects Fed
eral workers earning more than $2,500,
which will automatically place those in
the present high-salary groups in the
status that existed prior to Federal re-
classification.
Thus far the Senate has left the ban
on pay increases out Of the two supply
bills reported there-Agriculture and
Interior. The House included the pro-
hibition in three bills, then dropped it
from the fourth.
Attempt to Avoid Injustice.
Chairman Byrns Of the House Appro-
priations Committee declared the incon-
sistency of action with respect to the
salary issue would work decided in
justice on employees Of departments not
affected by the ban, and that the move
ment for general pay slash was born
in the interest of fairness and justice
for all Government workers.
that separate bill will not be neces-
sary to bring about general pay re-
duction IN the Government service, as
a provision to accomplish the same re-
suit can be attached as rider to any
appropriation bill upon the issuance oi
a special rule by the House Rules Com
mittee.
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