Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-20
PAY SLASH REPORT
IS DUE TOMORROW
House Subcommittee to Send
Bill to Economy Group
in Afternoon.
Continued From First Page

Mr.. Brown of the Bureau of Eff
cheney has told the committee that a
fiat 10 per cent reduction on all EN-
ployes of the Government will yield
Sl32,000.000, but that two-thirds of that
will come from people whose salaries
are $4,000 or less per year. If the
committee uses sliding scale of redue
ton, starting with l per cent on SAL
aries OF $1,000 or less, the reduction in
the pay roll would amount to only $685.
000,0
Mr.. Brown has made 1t very plain
to the committee that there can be no
considerable saving on the Government
pay roll without substantial cut on all
of the lowest salaries in the Federal
service, thus causing severe suffering to
many thousands Of persons.
William r. Valance, president of the
Federal Bar Association, whose men,
berShip IS made up Of attorneys on the
Government pay roll In all branches Of
the Federal service, yesterday asked the
Economy Committee not to take pre-
cipitate action and to grant him
hearing before reporting the salary
slashing bill
This important legislation vitality
affects the interests of thousands of
are serving their country to the best
of their ability" Mr.. Valance wrote
Representative McDuffie.
Like other citizens they pay real
estate taxes, personal property taxes,
income taxes, inheritance taxes and If
a sales tax bill is enacted, they will
carry the burdens of the Government
with their fellow citizens However
to discriminate against them by oblig-
ing them to make a forced contribu-
ton toward the costs of Government
| QT1nIIv1fi11d n Is I'D
salaries, seems most unjust and I'M
American.
| Had Small Increases.
ut has been fully demonstrated that
the salaries of Government employees
have not been higher than, those paid
in private employment. During the
period Of the war and the 10 years of
initiation following 1t, during which
salaries and income of those outside
the Government service were increased
and large bonuses were paid, the Off
GERS and employees of the Government
continued to perform their duties with
only small increase against the con-
siderable advance in the cost of living.
No Federal employe has amassed a
large estate from the salary paid to
him, whereas many persons of no
greater ability and engaged in private
enterprise have amassed fortunes as
the result of no greater effort.
This Government should have Off
GERS ana employees with high standards
Of professional ability and personal
| integrity. The large sum dealt with
or involved in Government contracts
and similar obligations make such high
standards absolutely essential. Many
of the most capable men, after train
ing at the Governments expense, are
taken from the Federal service by
private corporations who realize the
savings that can be accomplished and
the increased incomes that can be OBJ
tanned by acting on the advice Of
| trained experts.
| Those advocating salary cuts are
| found to be principally representatives
of commercial or financial interests
that will rot benefit to any great ex-
1 tent by salary cuts. One of the leaders
| has stated that the cut was for
psychological reasons. What does
this mean?
Cites Latvian Occurrence.
Nothing less than that the cuts in
| the salaries are to be followed by
similar cuts in the pay of employees
has resulted in other countries; for
|
on which the cut in governmental
salaries was put into effect, numerous
business enterprises throughout that
country announced equal cuts for all
of their employees. Is it your desire
! and that of your colleagues on this
committee to bring about that result?
The proposed bill will undoubtedly
lower the American standard of liv-
| ing, reduce the purchasing power of
! the working classes and increase hoard
| ing of funds because of the sense of
suit from the adoption of this measure
In fairness to those who will be
adversely affected by the proposed
| legislation, we hereby petition you to
give an opportunity for a hearing on
! the proposed bill before it is reported
| from your committee.
A new angle developed yesterday in
| the Senate, when it became known
| that Senator Borah, Republican, of
Idaho, author of one of the pay-cut
measures, has given some thought to
the possibility of attaching the salary
question to the tax bill when it reaches
| the Senate, in the event it is not han
| died in some other way in the mean
time.
Starts at $4,000.
The Borah bill would not affect low
| Salaried Government workers, since 1t
would start with those receiving SIS 900.
The bill provides for per cent cut
| in all Federal salaries from $4,000 up
| to but not including $1,000; those re-
| ceiving $1,000 or any amount above
| that sum and less than $4,000, 10
per cent all salaries of $4,000 or more,
/ 20 per cent.
Two days ago Senator ConnaIly,
Democrat, Of Texas, introduced
measure to reduce temporarily, until
June 80, 1888. all salaries ranging up
ward from $4,000, as follows: From
$4,000 to $4,000, per cent cut; from
| 5000 to 10000, 10 per cent, and above
| $4,000, Is per cent.
The Connally measure was referred
to the Appropriations Committee, but
Chairman Jones Of that committee will
recommend to the Senate that ii be
| transferred to the Civil Service Com
mittee, where the Borah bill is pend
| ing subject to study by a subcommittee.
The Senate Appropriations Com
mittee probably will turn its attention
this week to another question deeply
| affecting the Government service, al
though not related to salaries, namely
| the Mcclellan proposal to reduce the
total of the Interior Department ap-
preparation bill 10 per cent below the
sum allowed by the House.
This would mean cutting the amount
allowed by the House for this depart
ment from $50,000,000 to $45, 600 600.
When the Senate adopted the motion
of Senator Mcclellan, Democrat, of Ten
nessee, to send the Interior bill back to
committee 1t did not specify where the
reductions should be made, but merely
that the total of the bill be cut by that ,
percentage under the House allowance.
| Appropriations Committee members
have not met to discuss how the cut
| should be made.
1t was pointed out yesterday that
when the Interior bill is brought back
to the Senate 1t will be open to full
| AGAIN CHINA hot