Evening star., 1932-06-01
The Senate Economy Program.

The program reported by the Economy
Subcommittee Of the Senate Appropria-
tions Committee speaks for itself
through comparison Of its total savings
with those achieved under the House
bill. House ,272, ,740; Senate
savings-s23S COS, ,OOO But even this
does not tell the full story for, added
to the savings under the economy pro-
gram of the Senate. the major item of
which is the recommended fiat ten per
cent cut in all Government salaries
except military enlisted personneIc-e
those that will be effected by the policy
Of cutting all appropriation bills ten per
cent under the House figure. The total
savings proposed by the Senate through
both policies will be in the neighborhood
of $3.50, 100000.
The Senate Economy Committee,
maintaining an appropriate and neces-
sary secrecy while it went about its
grim job, did not falter until 1t reached
the item of Disability Allowance" for
veterans, amendment of which might
have achieved an additional saving Of
$5l 100000. At the last minute it
needed the old call Of the voting vet
Grams and eliminated this item from its
drastic program. Otherwise, the Sen
ate committee did courageous and
thorough job of cutting down ex-
penses. In the light of the new emer-
gency that now faces this Government
and the resulting sacrifices demanded
of every citizen, its harsh program
should be accepted, in general, with
good grace.
There are, however, some notable ex-
ceptions. The major saving by the
Senate has been made at the expense
of the Federal employe. There is no
reason, in the face of the serious situa-
tion regarding need for revenue, why
the Government employe should not be
called upon to bear his part of burden
that will fall on every mans shoulders.
The Federal employe would be last to
claim any extraordinary immunity.
But 1t is impossible to agree that the
salary -slashing program, which may
be regarded now as inevitable, should
be applied in the same proportion to all
salaries. Such a principle is contrary
to the spirit of every tax on earnings,
of either individuals or corporations.
There is no equality or equity in re-
duction that applies with equal pro-
portionate force to the $1,000 man and
to the SIS 900 man. The cuts should be
graded, and there should be exemptions
that will place the Congress of the
United States on record as refusing to
recognize any justification under the
sun for reduction of pay to those who
barely manage to exist in these or any
other times.
The ten per cent cut in appropria-
tions on departmental bills is coupled
with a modification of the President s
plans for furlough and for interchange
ability within departments of por-
| ton of departmental appropriations.
But the Senate committee has not made
known, nor has any one else at this
time, the measure of protection that
these will afford against a wholesale
dismissal of Federal workers. That
point should be Immediately clarified.
AS long as the Presidents proposals
did not mean any increase in expense,
the Congress should give to the heads
of departments and independent estab-
lishments all the leeway in the world
| to prevent the dismissal Of workers,
adding them to the ranks of the un-
employed by as an inhuman and short
sighted policy as can be imagined. The
| ten per cent pay cut is in effect for
one year only. The loss Of job, to
those who have reached a certain age,
will probably be permanent. The whole
aim of the economy moves should not
be the saving Of money. A large part
of the effort-more than has been
demonstrated in the Senate committee
program-sh should be toward saving hu-
man lives from the wreckage that is
I