Evening star., 1932-01-22

cuts are the order of the day. 1t is
the duty of the Federal Government on
the other hand to set a good example
for private industry and retain the
present wage scale to encourage private
industry to follow the same course.
100000 Idle in Nation"
ALREADY in America there are 8,000,-
900 men and women idle, many of whom
are depending on public and private
charity Others are dependent for the
bare necessities Of life upon relatives
who have employment. These 5000, 900
and their dependents. who number sew
eral millions more. are not consumers
in the real sense today. If we ever hope
to return to normalcy we must maintain
the wages of those who are fortunate
enough to have work, and our Govern
ment must as speedily as possible find
employment for those who are idle.
II am unalterably opposed to any
policy or program which means to re-
duce the salaries of Federal employees
earning less than $4,000 per year. Dur
ing my public service l have advocated
passage of legislation to better the
working conditions and to make SAL
aries commensurate with the services
rendered by those men and women in
| the humber stations of life. I refuse
! to stultify that service today. A reduc-
| ton of salaries as urged in this Con-
gress would destroy the fruit of years
| of effort by faithful employees, and
refuse to be party to any such
program.
Il am opposed to any legislation that
| will place the responsibility for thf
failure of leadership in Government
upon the shoulders of those hard-work-
ing, small-salaried employees who have
| no part in the management of the
Government, but that would be the
result if legislation we're approved call
ing for reduction of Federal salaries.
La Guardia Fights Slash.
Representative La Guardia of New
York, Republican, vigorously assaileo
| in the House late yesterday any at
tempt to slash salaries. Referring tC
the attempt last year Of Representative
| Wood to reduce wages, La Guardia said
I'VE licked him in the first appropria-
| ton bill, as we will lick any attempt
that Is made to reduce living wage
and bring down the American standard
of wages during this session.
| This attempt to reduce Government
wages is the result of an insidious ano
organized attempt to tear down the
standard of living throughout the
country. =.
"I want to say to the gentleman from
Indiana-although I can not speak
with authority as to the White House
that I do not believe his statement
| that the President is in favor of a
| reduction in salaries is spoken with
| authority. I believe that statement is
about as accurate as his statement that
| fresh eggs are available in Washington
| at 16 cents a dozen. If find any eggs
at Is cents a dozen, 1 will ask tha
gentleman from Indiana to eat those
eggs.
Blanton Suggests Economy.
| Representative Blanton, Democrat, of
| Texas, during an attack on extrava-
gance of the present administration
| suggested that President Hoover should
dispense with footman, valet and any
| other superfluouS help at the White
House-as Speaker Garner dispensed
with an official automobile. He said
in part:
| "Mr. La Guardia and myself few
days ago joined hands on the PROPOSE
ton that we would fight against any
| effort to reduce proper salaries. Because
we did that the press has heralded
broadcast that we were fighting against
all decreases. Just the opposite is the
fact, speaking for myself, and I don't
! think that it has ever been in the mind
/ of Mr.. La Guardia not to fight against
| improper salaries. I have been making
a fight for years against paying the sal
j