Evening star., 1932-04-23
House Group Agrees to Plan
for Departmental Reor-
ganizationS.
BITTER STRUGGLE STILL
TO COME OVER PAY CUTS
Measure Will Give Congress Right
to Veto Presidents Actions
within 60 Days.

With major struggle due soon over
the proposed Federal pay roll reduc-
, tions, the Governments retrepchment
program was advanced today TO the
point Of definite agreement by the spe-
| cial House Economy Committee to rec
| ommend giving President Hoover a lin
tied power to reorganize the bureaus
and departments of the Government.
He will not be authorized, under the
plan, to do away with any existing
functions, but merely to transfer and
consolidate activities in the interest of
economy and efficiency, his action be-
ing subject within so days to veto by
Congress. But the bill will direct him
to recommend abolition of unnecessary
tasks to Congress for its action.
This decision brought near to COM
pletion the omnibus retrenchment bill,
a measure which will save the Govern
ment roughly $2OO,OOO00G next fiscal
year if its many controversial proposals
can survive opposition in House and
! Senate.
! Although the Democratic leaders all
expressed themselves against giving Mr.,
hoover consolidating power when he
flrst proposed it, there have been grow
! ing indications that many, If not an.
have swung around, so this COMMITTEES
| recommendation may not have so rough
| a passage
Meanwhile, Representative Patu1au.
Democrat Texas, told newspaper men
| Secretary Lamont is encouraging pro.
tests to Congress against cuts in APP
| preparations for the Commerce De-
| partment.
Patman made public a telegram he
| SAID was sent by Lamont to Tracy
Locke Dawson, Inc, of Dallas. Tex.
Tne message, dated April IS, said
Greatly appreciate your telegram
protesting against proposed reduction
in funds of foreign and domestic COM
merce Tor next year.
| 1T would have very serious effect on
service of bureau both domestic and
abroad. Suggest you communicate
your interest to your Senators and Req
! resentativeS in Congress"
/ bitter fight is in prospect over
the Federal pay roll reductions, which
VIII be proposed when the bill is
| offered the House next Wednesday as q
| rider to the appropriation bill for Con-
greSs. Many croSS-currentS of senti-
ment confuse the issue. Attaching the
pay reduction plan to this particular
bill was admittedly planned with the
intention of making each member vote
for or against cutting his own pay, a
delicate matter for pay-cut foes so
close to election time
Sponsors of the fiat pay cut, IL per
cent for all but the lowest salaries,
contend 1t Is the faireSt method Pres
ident Hoover's opposition is intense.
He reasserted yesterday his desire for
passage OF his own furlough plan as
the one causing less hardship as well
as saving more. Some Representatives
are opposed to both; others are divided
on which to accept. Many are thinking
of the effect of either plan on industrial
employment policy. The House will
have chance to vote on both.
The Presidents greatest opposition,
however, now Is directed at the fat 10
per cent cuts in appropriations launched
by the Senate.
Hoover Urges Flexibility.
In signing the first bill so treated
yesterday, he expressed hope Congress
would grant flexibility in use of the
funds voted so as to avoid or reduce
dismissals which he believes may total
$4,000 to $4,000 employees if the policy
is applied all the way through and pre-
vent interruption Of some Government
functions.
Brig. Gen. Frank T. Hines, veterans
administrator. went before the Economy
Committee today to discuss various
phases of the Presidents proposal for
cutting 100000 of the funds for
ex-service men, especially those disabled
as a result of their war service. Each
member Of the committee has received
flood of letters from members of the
American Legion protesting against
slashing the funds provided for care of
the disabled.
Confidential Data Studied.
The committee also had before 1t to-
day a confidential print of the omnibus
bill drafted to meet the tentative agree
ment reached by the committee both
on its known ideas for reducing Gov
ernment expenditures and the Presi-
dents proposals.
In his opposition to the 10 per cent
cut in appropriations and the fiat pay
cut for Federal employees, Mr.. Hoover
contends Congress would be making a
grave mistake If such steps are carried
out, principally because of the thou
sands of employees who would be dis
missed.
The President contends the Govern
ment has a moral and social RESPONSE
bllity, so far as its employees are con-
cerned, and to enact legislation that
would deprive thousands Of these men
Continued on Page 2. Column g.