Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-19
Slash in Higher Salaries
Alone Would Not Give De-
sired Results, Brown Says.
LA GUARDIA is PREPARED
TO TAKE LEAD IN FIGHT
Declares Program Seeks Low-Paid
Glass, Who Can Be Exploited
Through Competition.

Herbert d. Brown, chief Of the
United States Bureau of Efficiency, to-
day presented detailed information and
new tables in compliance with q re-
quest made yesterday by the special
subcommittee of the Economy Commit
tee which e to bring into the House
Monday bid to slash all Government
salaries in the hope of saving $50, oO0,-
900 to $100,0o0,o0o to help balance the
budget
Mr.. Brown was in executive session
all morning with the special sub
committee explaining Just how much
could be accomplished in the way of
reduction by applying graduated per-
centage salary cut running from l per
cent on all salaries under $1,000 to 20
per cent on all salaries of $4,000 or
more. A cut of IS per cent on some
| OF the higher salaries Is being con-
sidered. Some members of the COM
mittee are still advocating a fiat 10
per cent cut as the easiest way to solve
| the problem, but Chairman Byrns Of
the House Appropriations Committee
IS one Of those who is standing firm
against such a fiat rate cut.
In the executive conferences Mr..
Brown has made it quite plain to the
| subcommittee drafting the bill that the
desired saving cannot be made by cut
ting only the higher salaries, but that
the reduction will probably bear most
heavily on the great bulk of employees
receiving less than $500.
Report to BE Made.
A meeting of the full Economy Com
| mittee will be held this afternoon, at
o'clock, at which report viii be
made by the special subcommittee.
Chairman McDufie of the subcom-
mittee said he hoped the subcommittee
viii be able to report bill to the fun
Economy Committee Monday. He de-
MED any decision has yet been reached
as between fiat 10 per cent cut and
2 graduated percentage scale. although
it was reported about the Capitol that
the subcommittee had abandoned the
shdlng-scale percentage scheme and was
contemplating fiat-rate cut.
La Guardia Prepares 10 Fighf. So
The admission by McDufie that they
are seriously considering reducing
the lowest paid Government en-
ployes, receiving only $1,000 or less. SO
| cents month, has aroused considerable
A
Congress. As a result, those who are lead
| ing the fight against salary slashing
are now predicting that II salaries un-
der $4,000 are cut, the bill will be de-
feated on the floor.
Representative La Guardia, New
| York. who led the successful
hight to prevent cutting the sala-
clared he Is prepared to lead a similar
hight to prevent the ruthless slashing
| OF the Government pay roll He de-
| clared the demands being made for this
salary reduction legislation are part of
q general program to establish firmly a
low-pay class Of workers, who can be
exploited through heart-breaking COM
petition for work
| They are the same people" he said,
| who threatened the President that un-
less he would declare a moratorium
they would close the banks; the same
people who threatened that unless Con-
| greSS passed the reconstruction bill
I providing $4,000, 100000 for depleted
banks on bankrupt business they would
default on their obligations and ruin
the small banks and insurance COM
panies; the same people who told the
small banks not to make loans to any
one unless they would agree to reduce
wages in industries; they are the same
people who are behind the drive for
the sales tax to make the poor people
pay for the blunders of the banks and
industries. 1t Is part of the campaign
to reduce all salaries, to make the
people so poor there will be an easily
manipulated competitive labor market;
to firmly establish poor class who can
be readily exploited because they must
eat to live. They are seeking to force
Congress to reduce the salaries of its
q m driy M ~
legislative body many men with families
and have their places taken by rich
! men.
Connally Offers Measure.
IF they want to further force the
fight on these grounds they will find
many of us--and trust a majority
ready to meet them and show them
that they cannot further exploit the poor
and impoveriSh those who are earnest
| workers in this country-those who for
many years have been carrying faith
fully the burden of Government labors"
In the Senate yesterday Connally,
Democrat, of Texas, offered a measure
proposing to Is per cent cut In all
Government pay above $4,000 a year
until June 80, 1888.
II am willing that my own salary be
| reduced, and my bill cuts 81 1000 an
nually from the salaries Of members Of
Congress and Senator'S" Connally said.
Chairman McDufie of the House sub
committee said its bill probably would
be ready Monday. This bill also Is ex-
pected to include House members and
Senators.
A Senate agriculture subcommittee
also began inquiry today into the sal
aries paid officials Of subsidiary organ
izationS Of the Farm Board. The bill
Of Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho,
to cut the pay Of members of the Farm
Board from $4,000 to $500 and to
ban salaries of more than SIS, 900 to all
officers connected in any way with the
board is before this committee.
There Is considerable doubt that much
progress will be made in the Senate on
any of the appropriation bills until the
tax-raising legislation Is out Of the way.
Only one bill, appropriating funds for
the Agriculture Department, has passed
both the House and Senate.