Evening star., 1932-12-07
The Proposed Pay Cut.

The Proposed Pay Cut.
10 the severity Of the blow to Fed
eral civil employees IN the Presidents
recommendation for an additional pay
cut of eleven per cent is added the bit
terness that comes from knowledge that
such a pay cut Is untustified.
Tho pay cut is recommended to help
balance q Gargantuan budget Of more
than four billion dollars. But the size
Of this budget Is not due to the salaries
paid to Federal workers. Their pay
averaging 81, 400 . year when the aver
are Includes the daily wage Of the low
lest laborer and the salary Of the
President-can be cut by eleven per cent,
and total savings from the cut VIII
barely approximate that part OF the
postal deficit representative Of postal
subsidies and non-postal functions. In
cluding free mail for Congressmen; the
savings from the salary cut will barely
approximate five per cent OF the cost
of the Veterans Administration alone.
Tho Government never ran into q
deficit by paying big salaries and 1t
win never get out Of one by cutting
salaries.
III the Federal worker is to be asked
to help balance the budget-start the
balancing somewhere else!
Then, when the real and burdensome
cost of Government has been reduced,
the Federal worker may more appro-
priately be called upon to render his
tribute.
But not before!
Out Of his small salary last year, or
by eliminating his Job and throwing
him on the street. the Government
made practically its only contribution
to the cause Of Federal economy. And
now, with workers besieging the COM
mittees Of Congress for relief from one
OF the most ill-considered pieces OF
legislation ever enacted, there comes
the proposal to continue all the re-
strictive features Of that legislation
ana to it add another salary cut.
The Federal employe learned with
establishment from the Presidents mes
sage yesterday that continuance OF the
furlough system installed last year is
recommended not only because OF the
economy 1t represents but
Because. being tantamount TO the
ssfiye-day week." It sets an example
which should be followed by the coun-
try. and because It embraces within It's
workings the "spread-work" principle
and thus serves to maintain . number
of public servants who would otherwise
be deprived Of all income.
Yet, In only one department has the
snve-day week" been found applicable.
The f,ulough plan has not spread work
In the sense of spreading It among those
who are out Of work. The furlough
plan furnished no new jobs. Why at
tempt to sweeten the taste Of last years
pay cut-appiied IN the present fiscal
year-by further illusions to 1t IS five-
day-week plan. when the plan viii not
work In the Government departments
why not call 1t Pay Cut No. /?
II there was any spread-work plan
in the Government service It lay in the
so-caIled administrative furlough, the
euphonious title conferred upon the
expedient necessarily resorted to among
administrative heads to keep within ap-
preparations by laying OF" employees
without pay. Whether that feature will
be continued is q question. The budget
bureau has recommended certain "in-
creases' IN departmental estimates to
avert further administrative furloughs,
but Congress does not look with favor
upon increases. The name is enough to
condemn them. In this connection, 1t is
to be noted that Attorney General
Mitchell, In his annual report published
today. says that:
There Is grave doubt whether we can
keep within our appropriations for the
current year without imposing addi-
tional administrative furloughs, which
will necessarily reduce the amount OF
HOih pciAoIinS0 dao VIII inAPoA CA-
cheney.
That Is the rule and not the excep-
Hon In Government departments today
The Federal Government has set nc
example to industry, except to cut
salaries and lay off employees. This
added eleven per cent cut would give new
momentum TO the vicious circle Of the
depression. Taxpayers viii be saved
by pay roll cutting, and then forced to
supply the money thus saved in order
to feed the unemployed. 1t is robbins
Peter to pay Paul, and then taking II
away from Paul.
The President alludes TO the addi-
ttonal sacrifice demanded on the part
Of "salaried officials Of the Govern
ment." In Washington there are
thousands Of these 'salaried officials,
otherwise known as $l,500-a-year en-
ployes. In many cases the sacrifice de.
manded will equal the amount Of their
real estate taxes, or the interest or
loans for home purchase. Taxes have
not gone down In Washington. The,
have gone up. Other things shoule
precede this sacrifice demanded Of Fed
eral workers. It should be the last. no
the first and the second resort.
Foreign Affairs.
international affairs are treated onl!
superacially In President Hoover's mes.
naae Ia Concress Even the var-debt,