Evening star., 1932-10-27

/. They scuttled right and left for posts
they had never seen to geI back on the
pay roll.
Retired Personnel Affected.
Except for the enlisted man, the S1s
per cent pay reduction hits every man
and woman on the War Department
rolls. including the retired personnel
The we'll known case C. major of
eng .neers en- route to the United States
on the Pacific, July /, after a four-year
detail in the Philippines, affords a
typical example of the strange and
devious operations of the economy act.
On Leave Without Pay.
Like L. )st officers on foreign duty,
he had accumulated four months fur
lcugh and on July 81 this particular
majo", with % years service. would
have entered into higher grade of
pay, equiv aient to that OF lieutenant
colonel
Upon landing at San Francisco he
found he was on leave without pay.
that his basic pay had been reduced
BIB per cent. his rental allowance re-
! duced 10 per cent and his subsistence
allowance by 13 1-3 pc cent. Travel
| allowances to his post in Chicago also
| had been similarly reduced Quickly
I lie IISulCu llltI Tic ISutitllOllS OlI ms
existing pay and allowances reached
| $45 40 a month. OF $544.80 a year.
! But his future prospects were even
worse He was to be denied the extra
| longevity pay earned after % years.
His total reductions. based on loss Of
| present and future prospects after July
/ 80. amounted to S121.G5 a month, or
| Sl459.30 for the year.
In eXempting enlisted men from pay
| cuts there are some Inconsistencies
which Congress either overlooked or
| theory the enlisted man had waited
long enough for the privilege. Of
| ficers pointed out A quarter
master sergeant, or master sergeant.
/ for example, receives $l57.50 a month
basic pay after 20 years service. A
second lieutenant receives only $125 a
month for the first three years. The
enlisted man is exempt from all drafts
upon his pay. but the sl25 lieutenant.
with or without family. must run the
full gantlet of Controller McCarl's
rulings'
Post exchanges, subject to much
criticism because Of competition with
private business in some sections, like
wise are affected under this new era.
/ Sales are limited now strictly to Army
personnel and the Secretary of War,
in anticipation of further action by
| Congress, is under directions to submit
a report covering all activities of the
exchanges.
New Work Omitted.
Recognizing the need for rigid econ
omy the Army had omitted in its
/ budget estimates all new construction
work at military posts. This proved to
/ be an unnecessary precaution. Along
came the emergency construction act.
with a result that now the Army is
preparing to spend Sl5,000,000 this year
on long delayed projects About ST.
/ 100000 of this will be expended in this
vicinity.
! Like other departments of the Gov
! eminent. the civilian personnel of the
I War Department has borne its share
! of enforced retirements, it was stated.
| In the field service of the Engineer
Corps 70 veteran employees became vic
TINS of compulsory retirement. At
quartermaster posts throughout the
country the number was Sc.
Even the retired officers, subject to
| the usual drafts on their pay. found
other surprises in rulings under the
economy act. Approximately 180 re-
tired officers had to relinquish their
extra pay duties in the r. o. T. C. at
schools and colleges.
Payments of dual salaries are def
nitely cut This was clause said to be
aimed directly at Maj. Gen. Herbert B.
Crosby, Police Commissioner of the
District; Maj. Gen. Mason M. Patrick,
chairman of the Public Utilities Com
mission, and Brig. Gen. Pelham D.
Glessford. former superintendent of
police They were given the choice of
choosing between their retired Army
paw or their pay as District government
officials. They could not draw both.
(Tomorrow-Agricultur Department