Evening star., 1932-01-22
FEDERAL PAY CUT
FIGHT IS DELAYED
Representative Wood Not to
Press Amendments to Ap-
preparation Bills.
Continued From First Page }

balancing the budget by starting at
the top and determining how far down
we should go to relieve the Federal
Treasury.
II believe" continued Mr.. Smell, that
we should deal with this problem in
such a way that 1t would not be con-
fused with other questions. I am not
ready to express my own personal views
regarding pay cut. I am merely stating
that If and when this problem is pre-
sented to the House it should be pre-
sented on it's merits and in a manner
which will permit an intelligent vote
without prejudice or coercion through
other matters involved.
II believe" Mr.. Smell continued, that
the question of salary cutting should
be withheld from decision until the
fiscal course and policy of the Govern
ment has been more definitely de-
termined. We should not talk of cut
ting salaries either in blanket form or
here and there. The latter course of
piecemeal would inevitably result in
Inequality, which we have been en-
deavoring for several years to correct.
When we get through with the ap-
preparation bill and when we have an
opportunity to see what must be done
dDOub GdASS III OI Idcl W UdIdllCC
budget, regardless of whether we cut
salaries or not, then it is time to see
where we must 60 to get additional
revenue or to conserve the resources
of the Treasury"
Granfield Scores Cut.
The proposed salary cuts was de-
clared to be both unfair, unjust, un-
scientific and inopportune by Repre-
sentative William J. Granfield, Demo-
crat, Mass, and a member of the House
Appropriations Committee, speaking in
the House today during consideration
of the agricultural appropriation bill.
1T is unfair" explained Mr.. Gran
field, because Federal employees get
ting salaries less than $4,000 per year
have given faithful and loyal service.
1t is unjust because thousands of these
employees have remained in the public
service during periods of initiation and
prosperity, at small wages, while thou.
sands of other citizens received higher
wages by reason of prosperous cond1-
tions.
LAS a reward for loyalty it is urged
on the floor of this house that dur
ing these times of great distress and
trial they be penalized by salary cuts.
ITO legiSlate general reduction on
all Federal salaries is unscientific.
Government employees receiving a SAL
ary of 1900 year would sustain a
reduction of $130, which they can i'll
afford I do not believe there is man
in America today earning a salary of
81 300 year who is not in debt at the
end of the year. Common sense must
indicate that Federal employees earn
ing $4,000 a year suffer less by 10
per. cent reduction than the employees
who are forced to accept reduction of
10 per cent on salaries of $1,000 to
$4,000 per year.
against Hoover Policy"
Certainly a reduction of salaries at
this time is inopportune, and such q
policy Is diametrically opposed to that
urged and advocated by President Hoo
yer year ago when he called into con-
ference our nationally known leaders OF
industry. At that time President Hoover
stated that wage cuts would interfere
and retard our return to prosperity.
"It is inopportune because after two
years of the worst industrial business
and economic depression in the history
of the world this wage-cut program Is
recommended at time when all of the
hope. as predicted many times, that
prosperity is Just around the corner
ITO those Federal employees who are
in debt this policy will add to their
already heavy burdens Tt is inoppor-
tune because our citizens are urged to
spend literally, to stop boarding, to
consume more, SO that momentum may
be given to the wheels of industry and
the return to prosperity accelerated
| Those slogans of business cannot be
effectively carried out unless Govern
ment and private industry maintain
present salary levels. This is a time
to place money into the hands Of the
people by the payment of fair salaries
so that it may be freely spent by them
ut is the plain duty of representa-
tives of the Government to point the
way to private industry to the enc
that industry will follow the example
of Government. This is no time tc
| indicate to private industry that wage