Evening star., 1932-08-04
More Confusion Over Economy.

More Confusion Over Economy.
The so-called economy law and the
interpretations of that law by the Con-
troller Generals office share with the
Einstein theory the distinction OF be-
ing understandable only to small
group of men, endowed by Providence
with super intellect developed along
specialized lines. But every interpre-
tation of the economy law makes more
definite the fact, recognized from the
outset, that 1t probably represents the
worst and the most thoroughly con-
fused piece of legislation ever enacted
by the Congress. 1t has succeeded
admirably in disrupting the govern
mental service and destroying what
vestige of morale remained among en-
ployes after the grueling period OF un-
certainty that marked the ups and
downs of the bill in Congress. Through
the decisions Of the Controller Gen
eral-who is powerless to do otherwise
than interpret the law as Written
provisions inserted in the bill ostenSibly
to save employment appear now in the
form Of provisions that force unem-
ployment. Heads of some independent
establishments and of the Department
bsrked upon the five-day week, thus
to comply with what was originally
intended to be introduction of this
policy in the Government service, may
now have to reverse themselves and
start out on some new plan. Some of
the employees in the Government service
are relatively sure the worst that can
happen to them under the bills pro-
visions Is the loss Of a months pay,
while others, who are performing
exactly the same sort of work, will lose
3 months pay to begin with, face an
indefinite and additional loss of pay
and furthermore have their very jobs
placed In jeopardy.
Mr.. McCarl's latest ruling gives
" I1lC SO-CdllSO ICkISLdllNC
furlough" over the so-called admins
trative furlough," which means that the
legislative furlough-or the furlough
ordered by Congress as a uniform policy
in lieu of the straight pay cut-must be
used up before the employe may be
placed on the administrative furlough," !"
the furlough that the executive officers
In the departments or establishments
may order to keep within their appro-
priations. All the money saved by the
legislative furlough must be impounded
and as no employe can be furloughed
without his consent for more than five
days-with surrender of six-and-a-
quarter days pay-in any one month, a
barrier is thus set up which prevents
the application of the administrative
furlough for at least six months The
Government establishments which must
apply the administrative furlough to
save employment are those which suf-
. fered, in addition to other cuts the fiat
ten per cent cut in appropriations which
originated in the Senate, among these
being the Interior, Commerce, Labor,
Justice and State Departments, and
such independent establishments as the
Civil Service Commission, Farm Board
and Personnel Classification Board.
The full effects of the various interpre-
tationS Of the act are not yet known by
the department executives to whom they
have been given Each succeeding week,
apparently, presents new problems that
call for new interpretations Nobody
can accurately forecast what the result
OF all the interpretations will be in De-
cember, when Congress returns for its
short session.
OF one thing there should be no un-
certainty. The Central Labor Union
Is already preparing its case for pres
entation to the next session of Con-
gress, the plea then to be presented to
ask for a correction of the many in
equities already apparent. other or
ganizatlons will be prepared to submit
additional evidence Of the unworkabil-
ity Of this law. To hear this evidence
and to prepare corrective measures i'm
mediately upon the convening of Con-
gTeSS, committees Of House and Senate
should meet in Washington at least a
month before Congress assemblies. The
corrective measures should be ready
for report en- the first day Of the ses-
sion and enacted as speedily as posi-
bic. 1t was the implied understanding,
when the hodge -podge economy bill
was so hurriedly passed, that Congress
would be able to amend the bill in De-
cember. Certainly no time should be
lost, and department executives should
be as lenient as the law will allow in
the interval between now and the first
Of the next calendar year. Action still
may be taken by Congress to make up
In the last half Of this fiscal year, for
some OF the injustices that have shown
themselves in the first month of the
new fiscal year.
Turning his back on elephant anc
donkey, Senator Borah favors tbs
sphinx as his political emblem.