Evening star., 1932-04-30
FIGHT IS PLANNED
ON HOUSE PAY CUT
Administration Hopes to
Substitute FurIough Bill
When Senate Acts.

With 10000 Government employees
today facing dismissal If the present
economy legislation passes both Houses,
the Administration was reported pre-
pairing for big fight in the Senate
against the House IL per cent pay cut.
and in favor of a modified furlough in
order to save as many jobs as possible
The strength of the administration
1t was predicted, will be thrown against
the House IL per cent pay cut which
has been branded by its opponents as
''inhumane. The House Economy
Committee, on the other hand. has
claimed that the II per cent pay cut
with its exemption of S2,500 had the
advantage of exempting from cuts all
income below that figure and therefore
was fair to the little fellow"
The pay cut, it was explained BY
administration officials, cannot be used
to soften the blow of the 10 per cent
reduction in all appropriation bills
ordered by the Senate.
Could Spread Pay.
A furlough on the other hand, II
was explained, could spread available
work and available pay among a large.
number to reduce dismissals which are
necessary on account of reduced ap-
preparations.
Under the pay-cut plan, 1t Is claimed
by its proponents, that there is not
only an exemption of S2.500, but when
the computation is made it works out
so that there is a dividing line at $4,000
salary with all those above getting a
heavier cut and those below that
figure less of a cut.
Possibility also that the proposed
furlough may be reduced from forced
four-week idleneSS to perhaps two
weeks arose today. The furlough pro-
poSal which the House yesterday def
nitely turned down in favor of the IL
per cent cut would have forced four
weeks leave without pay.
The action of the House yesterday
was interpreted as seriously raising
objections to the proposals which had
been gaining popularity among Gov
eminent departments to start furloughs
after July l anyhow, despite the failure
of Congress to authorize furloughs.
Some furloughs are now in effect. for
instance, in the Bureau Of Engraving
and Printing, where for years 1t has
been customary to prevent dismissals
by dividing the work among the en-
ployes. Some departments had been
hoping to use the furlough more ex-
tensively.
Some to Be Dismissed.
But the House yesterday definitely
put itself on record against furlough
Unless the Senate reverses this action
and succeeds in substituting the fur
Tough for the pay cut, 1t was predicted
today that Government administrators
would probably be running a risk III
attempting to use the EXTENDED 1ur-
lough.
It was emphasized today by pro-
ponents of the furlough that the House
IL per cent cut will not save people
who will have to be dismissed from the
Government service on account OF the
Senate 10 per cent cut.
Another advantage of the furlough
it was pointed out, is that it woulo
cause no reduction in service rendered
but would take the place Of annual
leave with pay.
The attitude of proponents of the
furlough plan was clearly outlined III
statement issued over the signature;
of the Republican members OF the
House Economy Committee: Will r
Wood. William Williamson and G. w
Ramseyer.
Pointing out that from $4,000 tt
80 600 people would be thrust into
the pool Of unemployment" by the leg
islation as it now stands, the statement
declared that the inhumanity anc
sheer malevolence of increasing the
burden Of the local communities with
vast number of Federal Government
employees will bring upon the Fedora
Government not only the censure oi
these communities, but the just claim
from them that it should provide fol
the destitution created by this unnec-
eSSary action"
Furlough Plan Defended.
The furlough was proposed, it was
explained, as the humane suggestion
that the remaining work in the Gov
ernment should be divided among the
whole governmental staff in order that
there should be no increase in deStitu-
ton at the hands of the Government.
Proponents of the furlough plan
claimed it would save 100000
1T maintains the standard OF living
established by the Government among
its own employees" declared the state
ment, with the mere temporary con-
cession on their part that they are tc
take their holidays without pay. II
does not permit private industry to use
the pay-cut to Federal employees as ar
excuse for further bearing down on the
standards of living of the Nation.
IF this Nation is to recover from
this depression, it cannot make progress
by deliberately increasing destitutior
on one hand and by lowering the
standards of income of the people on
the other"