Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-06
Administration Acts to Get
Complete Comparative Fig
ures for Hearings.
ISSUE is DEBATED
ON FLOUR OF SENATE
Federation of Employees Prepares
to Wage Fight When Meas
ures Come Up.

With the Federal pay-cut issue grow
ing more acute every day, the admins
tration moved today to accumulate a
comprehensive set Of figures to show
the exact status at present Of Uncle
Sans army of workers around the
world.
The Bureau of the Budget is sending
out a QUESTIONABLE to the heads of
Government departments and establish
ments to get these figures. 1t is expect
ed they will be returned within about
10 days.
Figures on the exact number of Fed
eral employees and their salaries are not
available in any one place in the volu
minous records of the Government at
the present time. Especially is it true
that the figures are not available show
ing the employees of the Government by
pay groups, according to their range of
salary.
Compiling Big List
The Budget Bureau is compiling
list, it is understood, which, when final
ly analysed will show all the salaries in
the Federal Government according to
500 ranges. 1t will include the en-
ployes in the services, departmental,
field. temporary, seasonal, commits
stoned. enlisted and retired personnel,
whether they work here in Washing
ahrOoH
Many requests have come in to the
administration for such figures, since
the agitation for Federal pay cut and
nowhere was there comprehensive
set of statistics available. But 1t IS
expected the new figures will be avail
able before long, on which some exact
computations can be made.
To give some general idea Of the size
of Uncle Sans establishment, however,
it is learned from the annual report OF
the Civil Service Commission that the
Federal executive civil service at the
end of last year had BOOST employees,
exclusive of the postal service. In the
postal service were 3l6,259 more, max
ing a total of these civilians of 6l6,837.
This is exclusive Of the military and
armed forces of the Government.
Contrary to the general notion that
here in Washington, the Civil Service
figures show that here in the District OF
Columbia there were listed only IL ,693
employees at the end Of the fiscal year.
Issue Debated in Senate.
The advisability Of cutting Govern
ment salaries was both advocated and
opposed during debate in the Senate
this afternoon on the question OF econ
omizing in governmental expenditures.
The salary discussion started during
a speech by Senator Harrison, Demo-
crat. of Mississippi, in which, after
urging a pairing down OF appropriations
all along the line, the Mississipian
added that although he hated to do SO,
he would even be willing to vote to re-
duce Government wages If necessary to
balance the budget.
When he had finished Senator
Brookhart, Republican, of Iowa, charged
that big corporations were making large
incomes in the form of profits and
that as long as such profits are per-
mitted he would not vote to reduce
the salaries of Government employees.
Personnel Slash Suggested.
While Senator Harrison was speaking
the discussion turned from salaries to
the question of whether the number OF
employees in the Government service
could be reduced. Senator Morrison,
Democrat, of North Carolina, asked
Senator Harrison if he had considered
the ACCESSIBILITY or the possibility of get
ting along with fewer employees.
Senator Harrison replied that he had
letters from several informed persons
contending that if the Government
would cut out the 80 days annual leave,
avoid too many holidays and issue an
order under which vacancies would not
be filled as they occur, these steps
would result in tremendous savings.
Senator Smoot, Republican, OF Utah,
joined in to observe that he had made
similar statements in the past about
Government expenses and the number
of employees, but he added
Il have learned that whenever
Government employee is let out, the first
thing that employe does is go to his
or her Congressman or Senator, and
the member frequently writes or goes
to the department to object to the
dismissal"
Senator Harrison agreed that what
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