Evening star., 1932-09-05
WORKING WIVES
WHO RESIGN JOBS
MAY FAIL IN PLAN
Husbands Still Can Lose
Federal Positions Under
Economy Act.
MANY AT NAVY YARD
AGREE ON SEPARATION
81 Skilled Workmen Receive No.
tice They Will Be Dropped
Because of Provision.

Even though married women in the
Government service resign IN order to
save their husbands jobs at the WASH
ington Navy Yard. under the terms of
the economy act, there is no assurance
the mems jobs are secure, 1t was re-
vealed today
Women affected by the act, and Navy
yard officials were agreed on this. The
women fear there will be a lay-off In
the next several weeks that will send
some 800 Navy yard workers into un-
employment, but naval officials secuted
this, insisting that there Is nothing to
it."
They conceded, however, that some
81 have received notices to quit, and
these are mainly machinists whose wives
are also employed by the Government,
and that in addition about Is boiler
makers and Is helpers are slated to go
in about two weeks. Any large number,
however. they asserted, will not be sep
arated from the service.
Many to Leave Wives.
About 10 of the 81 who have thus far
received notices to quit, because they
are married and their wives are like
wise employed in Government work,
have agreed with their mates on a mari
tai separation. and have thus saved
their Jobs for the time being, the wom-
en- say.
Wives caught in the jam of the
economy act were authority for today's
statement that there is pending. either
before Secretary Adams or Controller
General j. r. McCarl, an ARRANGEMENT,
whereby the Navy Department will be
compelled to accept a furlough from
the Government, on the part Of the
wife, thus saving the husbands Job
until Congress convepes and can iron
out the crux.
The women asserted that no court
action Is required in a separation to
satisfy the requirements of the economy
act. A mere agreement between the
married couples is sufficient, they said,
provided it Is bona flde and each main
tains separate residence. Written state
ments to this effect must then be pre-
sented by each party to their superiors
In the Government service.
Can Still Lose Jobs.
Men working at the Navy Yard are
faced with the problem of having their
wives resign from the Government
service in order to save their own jobs,
only to be ousted themselves later. This
means, the women say, that both hus-
band and wife are without work. The
wife, who has resigned, can not get
back into the Government, for the
Government is not filling vacancies
and no one has been employed as the
result Of her getting out, and the hus-
band, unable to pass the physical ex-
animation. even after he has given the
best years OF his life to the Federal
Government, is barred from being re-
employed at the Washington Navy Yard
as the work load shifts and new jobs
appear. This is the picture presented
by married women, employed by the
Government. who are married to men
working at the Washington Navy Yard.
Naval officials said that they are
obliged, under the economy act, to re-
lease first the men whose wives are also
employed in the Government. If these
men present papers showing that they
have separated from their wives, they
are then taken out of that group. Later,
the officials conceded, If these men have
low efficiency ratings, or, if for other
reasons, they are in Line tor release,
there Is nothing in the economy act
that assures them their jobs.
Women Are Bitter.
OuQeE LIle pTcSeIlt SySIclii, Tic WOlilcA
say, husbands with wives employed in
governmental activities and who
have but few years in the service, are
preferred to veteran craftsmen who
have had IS years or more with Uncle
Sam, but whose wives are also Govern
ment workers.
Even though Congress grants relief
from the severity Of the separation
clause of the economy act. the women
say that a present separation CT three
or four months Is more than the out
slider can appreciate. The women are
bitter against the economy act, for they
say it destroys the whole purpose of
the civil service, based on seniority and
merit. They ask, who is beneflted?"
For, they point out. no new jobs are
created and Uncle Sam Is losing many
skilled workers. They are determined
to besiege Congress when 1t convenes
in December to get the intolerable situ-
alton remedied