Evening star., 1932-12-25
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


Depression ana its running mate
Economy, have discouraged the usua
avalanche OF Christmas greeting cards
with which the employees Of the post Of
fee in the House ONCE Building have had
to sort out-both outgoing and incom-
ing. but especially the former. Mem
bers of Congress who have made 1t q
custom for many years to send out
Christmas cards by the thousands and
who have Wed with each other in trying
for the most elaborate cards, have this
season devoted the cost to charity in
stead.
Representative A. Piatt Andrew, Re-
publican, of Salem and Gloucester,
Mass, has opportunely and psychology
cally taken the old depression bull by
the horn and given him a surprising
twist. He has written the line. If hopes
were dupes, fears may be liars" on the
Christmas cards which he has sent out
TO his friends He was evidently referring
to the troubled times through which the
whole world is passing and his belief
that they are approaching an end.
The words we're quoted from poem
written in a time of encouragement
some four score years ago by the Eng
lish poet Arthur Hugh Clough, which
Col. Andrew thinks might well be re-
read in the present period Of hardship
and misfortune.
The poem from which the line Is
quoted is as follows:
Say not the struggle nought availeth,
The labour and the wounds are vain,
vain,
The enemy faints not, nor faileth,
And as things have been they remain.
If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars;
It may be, in yon smoke concealed,
Your comrades chase cen now the flyers
And. but for you, possess the field.
For while the tired waves, vainly break
ing.
Seem here no painful inch to gain.
Far back. through creeks and inlets
making.
Cones silent, floating in: the main.
And not by eastern windows only,
When daylight comes, comes in the
light,
In front. the sun climbs slow, how
slowly.
But westward look, the land Is bright.
These days. when the economy act OF
last year Is being continued in all the ap-
preparation bills carrying salaries for
Government employees, with threat
for further slashing Of their salaries as
recommended by President Hoover, one
OF the outstanding champions OF the
Government workers - Representative
John j. Boylan of New York, a member
Of the House Appropriations Committee
has been compiled and Is giving Ma
tion-wide distribution to careful sum-
mary of facts regarding Government
salaries.
This shows that for the past Is or 80
years. and during the past decade, the
money earnings of Government en-
ployes have averaged one-third less
than the money earnings paid to indus
trial employees holding similar positions.
The average salary Of the Federal en-
ployes is 81 1850. This average is main
tained by the few high salaries at the
top of the scale, since two-thirds of the
employees receive less than the average.
That is. two-.Airds Of the $40, 900 Fed
eral workers, Mr.. Boylan emphasizes,
scattered all over the United States, OF
whom $1,000 only are located in Wash
ington. receive less than 81 900 and not
ihOlS tAiuIi olpvVV. -AOlC tAidll OAiS S-iioIA
Of these, he points out, receive less than
a living wage for a family Of three
members
He calls attention that more than
100000 CT the Federal workers are in
the Post once Department. which is
capable of being self-supporting.
Since the cost Of city and State gov
ernments has increased rs per cent in
the past 10 years" Representative Boy
Ian argues. ''as against IA per cent in
crease in the cost Of Federal Govern
ment, and represents 10 per cent Of to-
tai national income, it would seem this
cost should have received attention
ahead of reduction in Federal salaries.
If the taxpayers throughout the
country are really intelligently inter-
ested in the reduction of Government
expenses, they will elect men who will
vote for economies where economies are
most needed and practicable and will
refuse to urge that 10 per cent Of the
economies effected through the economy
bill be assessed against one small group
Of workers who represent less than six
tenths of per cent OF the people"