Evening star., 1932-08-09
Disbursing Officers Uncertain
as to How to Make
Up Pay Rolls.
SOME PLAN DEDUCTION
ALREADY RULED OUT
Controllers Position Attacked and
Defended at Bar Associa-
ton Meeting.

While disbursing officers throughout
the Government service were uncertain
today as to hcw they are to handle the
pay roll next Monday with regard to the
five-day week and the administrative
fulough, Controller General McCarl
was busy writing his eargerly awaited
decision to the Civil Service Commission,
now expected to be forthcoming within
the next "a hours.
AS time passed by calls to the Office
of the Civil Service Commission came
in from officials of many other depart
mentS and establishments, wanting to
know whether the decision had been
rendered.
AS the situation stood today, some
establishments had deducted Sl3 per
cent from the last pay day while on a
five-day week, a procedure which Nc
Carl has ruled out, holding that instead
they should have deducted one-eleventh
of the pay.
Approval Is Sought.
The commission has asked McCarl to
approve the five-day week as admins
tratively established in the commission
and to reverse his decision that all leg
islative furlough must be worked off
before any administrative furlough may
be applied.
McCarl's position on the f1ve-day
week and administrative furlough was
defended and attacked last night before
the Executive Council Of the Federal
Bar Association, meeting at the Univer-
sity Club.
Charles w. Flora. attorney in Nc
Carl's office, told the council he saw
no way to get away from the control
1er's ruling. but he was careful to make
no predictions as to what the control
1er's answer to the Civil Service Com
mission would be. The commission, he
said. had presented all the arguments
in its case, and the matter probably
would be decided soon. Flora discussed
the duties of the General Accounting
Once in interpreting the law on ex-
penditures of money, according to law,
and irrespective of personal opinions.
He said that enforcement OF some OF
the decisions on the economy act no
doubt would call attention OF Congress
to ineQuities involved and result in
remedies.
Contention Supported.
Taking an opposite stand George E.
Warren Of the solicitors Office Of the
Interior Department supported the
Civil Service Commissions contention
concerning operation Of the five-day
week. He could not see why employees
on a five-day week should have their
salary cut one-eleventh while other en-
ployes suffer cut Of only one-twelfth,
thus penalizing those on a f1ve-day
week Mr.. Warren also objected to the
McCarl decision taking away all an
nual leave with pay this year. He. con-
tended that under the law there should
have been granted at least IS days an
nual leave with pay, which had been
earned.
The executive council of the Bar As
sociation also heard report from Maj.
Gen. Blanton Winship, judge advocate
general of the Army, on plans for the
entertainment here of the American
Bar Association october IL to is. The
legislative Committee of the Federal
Bar Association was authorized to pre-
sent to the special Senate Committee
investigating inequities in administra-
ton of the economy act any matters
which should be considered Of interest
to the association members.
In a decision to the District Com
Ynissioners, following the precedent es-
tablished in previous ruling to the
Treasury Department, McCarl held that
about 80 municipal employees would not
be affected by the compulsory furlough
8ls per cent pay cut OF the economy
act because their pay came not from
the Government but from other sources
such as the public utilities here. Spe-
cifically they are paid from trust funds,
It will exempt about 81 special cross
ing policemen, 25 or 80 Public Utilities
Commission employees and few others,
II was estimated.
MandamuS Is Hinted.
Meantime McCarl received from
Chairman Mead of the House Commit
tee on Post Offices and Post Roads
letter asking whether mandamus pro-
ceedings might be necessary to force
the Postmaster General to grant mill
tary leave with pay to people in the
postal service McCarl has previously
ruled military leave car be taken with
paw.
Charwomen need not have their pay
cut under the economy act. under an
other decision of McCarl They receive
less than 81 1000 a year, working part
time.