Evening star., 1932-01-05
Chief Executive Reported
Ready to Take Part to
Defeat Proposed Cuts.
PLAN REGARDED AS BAD
FOR FEDERAL SERVICE
President Also Sees Attitude In
consistent With Policy to Keep
Industrial Salaries Up.
6Y j. RUSSELL YOUNG.

President Hoover not only disapproves
of the idea of general reduction Of
pay for Federal employees, but will, if
he finds it necessary, personally oppose
any attempt on the part of Congress to
enact legislation that would put such
a salary-reduction plan into effect.
This is the opinion of those who
have discussed the subject with the
Executive. While he has not made
known his attitude publicly, he has GER
tainly made no secret of it in converss-
tions. The impression at the White
House today was that the President
doubts very much if the salary cut
movement will reach a serious stage on
Capitol Hill. The impression also is
that he has no intention of taking any
step in the way of an ultimatum until
such a movement does reach serious
stage.
In the meantime, the President ex-
poets the inSistence on the part of
some Senators and Representatives to
die down. But if he finds that the need
for action on his part arises he will
make known his opposition. 1t is not
thought likely that he will use the
medium of a special message or any
thing of that sort, but that he will
communicate his views to the leaders
Of both houses.
Resolute Against Cuts.
Mr.. Hoover, however, is absolutely
definite in his opposition to salary cut
proposals. He is even more than that.
He IS resolute in a determination to
see that decent wages in the Govern
ment are maintained He Is repre-
! Sented further by intimates as looking
| upon reductions as being not only
| highly unfair and unjust, but unques-
| tionably inadviSable.
He is convinced that such a step
| would not only injure the efficiency Of
| the departments of the Government
and impair the morale of the employees,
but that it would set a very bad ex-
ample for industry and private business.
| The President has been urging in
| duStry and business to do everything
within their power to maintain decent
wages during this economic distress.
Moreover, Mr.. Hoover is known to be
firm believer in paying workman a fair
wage, and he favorS maintaining the
wages and salaries at their present scale.
He realizes that some little saving to
the Government would accrue from the
slashing of the pay envelope, but he
is not unmindful that there are other
things to be considered He is con-
vinced from surveys he has conducted
from time to time that this saving in
Government expense to be derived from
cutting the pay of employees would be
too insignificant to warrant such step.
The damage to efficiency and morale
faT ofYc hn oOf1F Fal fVHf 1f
money saved from such source.
Decent Salary Imperative.
From his study of the pay subject.
Mr. Hoover has reason to know that
many of the employees, particularly
those in expert and semi-eXpert and
technical positions, are paid less for
their talent and experience than they
would be if they were employed out
side the Government. He believes this
to be especially true of jobs paying
from So, 500 to $500 Furthermore, he
has reason to know from personal eX-
perience. not only as President, but dur
ing the long years he was head of the
Department of Commerce, that in order
to attract capable experienced men and
women a decent salary must be main
tanned.
Another contributing factor in the
Presidents opinions on this subject is
that maintenance of wages is necessary
if the consuming power of the country
is to be maintained.
Inasmuch as he has urged business
and industry to keep as many people
employed as possible and not to lower
wages, except as a last resort during
the period of widespread depression, the
President certainly would hate to see
the Government resort to what he has
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