Evening star., 1932-07-09
Sentiment in Departments
Generally Believed to Be
Against Move.
WORKERS WOULD LOSE
ANY EXTENDED LEAVE
Council of Personnel Administra-
tion, However, Ready to Ap-
prove Principle"

The proposal to inaugurate the five
day week in the Government service
today appeared to be on the rocks.
The Council of Personnel Admins
tration, composed of the members of
the cabinet and other ranking officials,
which has been studying measures for
administering the furlough plan, had
completed report for President
Hoover recommending the principle"
of the five-day plan be adopted wher-
ever feasible, but, in responsible quar-
ter it was said that developments had
shown that only in very few instances
did those in authority believe it could
be applied
AS it was pointed out, the President
may have his own ideas on the matter,
and his word will be final, but it was
said that sentiment generally in the
departments was against the move.
Two Principal Reasons.
This was ascribed to two principal
reasons: First, it was so much of a de-
parture from established practice its
practicability was held to be doubtful,
and second, that by absorbing the man
datory furlough over week ends, Gov
ernment workers would be precluded
from accommodating any extended leave,
and vacations would be possible only
at the expense of more lost time.
1t was pointed out, too, that under
existing conditions, the five-day week
could not be applied uniformly, because
departments generally furnish continu-
Gus services, which must be performed,
and lack OF funds precludes staggering
the work.
At the. same time, the Government
establishment was confronted with
ruling from Controller General McCarl,
covering pay deductions under the fur
lough plan, which offered a solution
known to be favored by opponents of
the five-day week, in that it would
permit leave to be earned.
This opinion was one of a series
handed down late yesterday by McCarl
In it he held that pay deductions
would be made at the rate of one and
one-quarter days for each half month,
which would mean eight and one-third
per cent, and that these deductions may
be used as the basis for cumulative
leave.
Council Completes Work.
The Council Of Personnel Admins
tration, headed by Thomas E. Camp
bell, president of the Civil Service Com
mission, was ordered week ago by
President Hoover to offer recommended
tions for administering the furlough,
and completed it's work early last night
at a meeting at the Department of
Commerce, by ironing out report that
had come from its Executive Commit
tee, and was based on a series of con-
ferences in which representatives of
various Government establishments par
ticipated and aired their views.
This report was understood to recon-
mend first of all that the five-day week
be invoked wherever practicable with
out hurting the service, increasing costs
or working hardship on the employees
the last referring to leave.
This, 1t was amplifled, would make
the plan have only limited application,
for even where, in the case OF depart
ments, only fraction of their service
may be continuous, 1t Is felt, 1t was
added, that they must keep at least a
skeleton force on hand for co-ordinating
administrative duties.
In only one of the executive depart
ments, it was said, did the spokesman
feel the proposal could be applied
throughout.
FurIough Suggestion Made.
LIE COuIlCll ID dASO Q4lQClSbOOA W OC
suggesting that within given activities.
for which there are sufficient funds to
do the work required, but not to main
tain the existing forces, that the fur
lough principle be invoked uniformly
to avert dismissals, with regard to the
law which provides that the highest
salaried personnel be furloughed first
wherever possible without injury TO the
service.
Already, 1t was said, this principle
has been departed from in certain in
stances, and furloughs of varying
Iength-some indefinite-hsve been
ordered.
The council, it was said, had hoped
that these furloughs-termed admin
istrative in comparison to the 24-dsy
legislative furlough-might be taken
when desired; that is, when it was fore
seen that furlough would be necessary
eventually, that 1t might be taken at
the option of the department or en-
ploye, and the pay deduction made at
some future date when required. The
McCarl decision, however, calling for
deductions at the time of absence from
work, barred this.
The obstacles which formed In the
path of the five-day week, which earlier
looked to be on a fair way toward
accomplishment in general, came as a
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