Evening star., 1932-06-24

ference report on the general econ
omy bill, Senator Bingham of Con-
necticut made a motion in the
Senate this afternoon to recommit
the entire report to the conferees
with instructions to iron out alleged
injustices in the measure.
A fervent plea to the Senate to stop
playing "Shylock" to the Government
employees was made this afternoon by
Senator Dale, Republican. of Vermont,
who urged that the general economy
bill, with its combined compulsory pay
less furlough-pay cut plan be sent back
to conference for eradication of in
equities
We've been playing Shylock toward
the Government employees too long
Dale declared. THE only way we can
remedy 1t is to send the bill back to
conference and play Portia for a while
and see if we can't find some way of
saving Antonio from losing a pound Of
| flesh"
Senator Dale made his attack on the
bill when the Senate resumed consider
alton Of the conference report. He
aimed his criticism, particularly at a
provision which would result in the
automatic dismissal of superannuated
employees upon reaching the retirement
| age prescribed in existing law, irrespec-
tive OF whether they would draw re-
| tirement pay.
i This would affect 1900 employees, 300
OF whom would lose retirement an
nuities under that provision. Dale
/ pointed out. 1T is outrageous" he said.
when you stop to analyze it,"
Scheduled for Passage.
Despite inequities that viii impose a
hardship on Government employees, the
economy bill is scheduled for final pas
| sage late today.
The rising tide of resentment against
some Of the features in the bill was
clearly reflected in the Senate late yes
terday during an hour -and -a-half de-
| bate on the conference report.
Tnere was every indication the Sen
| ate would not accept the changes made
IN conference with the House If the
bills savings of $150,000,0o0 were not
so vital to the Governments plan OF
running on balanced budget through
the coming fiscal year beginning July l.
But with the current session Of Congress
nearly over. many of the opponents in
the Senate are disposed to let the meas
/ ure pass and seek to correct the in
/ equalities later. Any alterations now
would send the bill back to the House
and jeopardize its enactment.
! The principal target Of attack during
| debate was a provision for dismissal
of married workers when q personnel
| reduction becomes necessary to keep
within appropriations. Criticism came
| from both the Republican and Demo-
| cratic sides of the Senate, with Sena-
| tor Reed of Pennsylvania leading the
| debate.
Busting Up Families"
| busting up families" declared Senator
Reed. Senators Walcott Of Connect
cut and La Toilette of Wisconsin joined
i in the protest.
Il cannot escape the conclusion" said
| Senator Walcott, that the provision
will force the separation of couples who
have children to support. ! know Of
! three cases in which separation would
be necessary"
Vigorous protests also were made
| against provisions permanently curtail-
! ing annual leave to is days, beginning
with the 1884 fiscal year, the so per
| cent cut in the night pay differential
| and the section which, Senator Bratton
/ of New Mexico and others believed,
| would deny District policemen and fire.
/ men and other employees exempted from
! the compulsory furlough any annual
! leave with pay in the 1888 fiscal year.
I
| charge of the economy bill, explained,
| however, that under his latest inter-
probation of the annual leave clause the
various classes of employees who get a
salary cut instead of a payless fur
/ Tough would not be deprived OF leave
| in the coming fiscal year.
/ Frank admission was made by SEN
/ ator Jones that he did not favor all of
| the changes made in the bill by the
/ ka
| Some 60 or 10 provisions of the bill, he
pointed out. had to be settled by COM
promise.
Furloughs May Be Longer.
Senator Jones also admitted that
under the bill in its present form the
| projected one-month payless furlough
may be extended to three or even four
months in the case Of departments
| with sharply curtailed appropriations.
/ Furlough extensions, he said, could be
made under the provision giving de-
partment heads authority to order in
| definite furloughs to keep within sp-
/ propriations.
Senator Logan, Democrat. Of Ken
/ tucky opposed changes in the i'm
pounding clause returning amounts
saved through pay reductions into the
| Federal Treasury instead of applying
them to retain workers in the service.
He contended that under reductions in
appropriation bills and the economy bill,
employees are getting a double cut
J The economy BILL Senator Jones ex-
/ planned, should be considered apart
| from the appropriation bills. There
may be a cut so far as bureaus are
concerned, but it will not be a cut in
salaries" Jones added. Senator Brat
| ton Joined him in this view.
Senator La Toilette was particularly
bitter in his denunciation of the alleged
"inequities" in the blll IF the friends
OF this bill had approached this prob
/ lem from a sympathetic point OF view
and had been willing to resist the drive
! to have Congress adjourn in order that
| they might attend the Democratic con-
vention," he declared they could have
\ irened out many of the inequalities and
| injuStices which they have Incorporated
/ in this report"
! The Senate amendment relating to
sick leave was attacked by Senator
/ Brookhart, Republican, of Iowa, who
+. declared 1t would work an injustice on
! employees of navy yards, arsenals, the
Government Printing ONCE and the
| Bureau of Engraving and Printing, who
| have no sick leave.
why should the Senate have left out
| these classes of employees / mention?"
asked Brookhart. Under the law they
get no sick leave, and will get none
under this conference report, whereas
all other employees get their sick leave
all right"