Evening star., 1932-04-29
Johnson FIGHTS
SMALLER FUNDS
Californian Objects to Caus-
ing Dismissal of Commerce
Employees.

The 10 per cent reductions being
made by the Senate in departmental
appropriation bills led to a lively de-
bate in the Senate late yesterday, with
Senator McKellar, Democrat, of Ten
nessee, accusing department heads OF
sending propaganda to the constituents
of Senators, while Senator Johnson, Re-
publican. of California, vigorously de-
Tended the right of Government officials
to protest against cuts they believe
would cripple their services.
The California Senator also made a
strong plea to the Senate against cut
ting appropriations which lead to the
dismissal of Government workers who
have homes only half paid for and
children in school. He asserted he
would never vote to turn such people
out on the streets
The discussion started when Senator
Johnson, while appealing for restoration
of some of the money cut from the
Commerce Department, submitted g
statement he said he had asked be
prepared for him to show what would
result if the Senate cuts are sustained
W0utd Lay OH WOrkerS.
The statement showed Commerce
employees would have to be dismissed, as
follows: In Washington, 252; in the
field service throughout the country
153, and in the foreign service, 88. Il
also showed that 20 foreign Offices anc
ID district Offices throughout the
United States would have to he closed
He asked for the restoration of S465,-
600 of the Senate reduction, which
would still leave the departments tota
81 100000, or ID per cent, under pres
ent funds.
Il venture the assertion" Senator
johnson continued, that there was
no member of the commit
tee who understood that he was elimi-
mating the various offices in the vari-
ouS sections of the United States al
the time the elimination was made
Chairman Jones of the Appropria-
tionS Committee and Senator Nickel
lar Joined in replying that Johnson
was mistaken and Senator McKellar
added:
If I recollect right the head of the
department. notified his constituents, he
certainly notified mine, that certain
offices were going to be abolished. ]
understood from my constituents that
this cabinet officer urged my constitu-
snts TO protest against my action geek
ing to reduce them. In other words,
CABINET oficerS have sent out propa-
yanda to the constituents of Senators
on that question"
Has Right to Protest.
Il know nothing about cabinet Off
GERS sending out propaganda" Senator
johnson retorted. but I do know. sir,
that were I a cabinet officer and ] saw
the service of the United States in
Iured, crippled, halted and ruined. ]
would do everything within my power.
and would conceive it to be my duty
TO do 1t, to prevent that injury, that
Mating, that ruin. So, 1 do not think
any man who is in the service of the
united States, no matter who he is, is
open to criticism in the slightest de-
gree because he protested either to
or to Senators against the
Gripping OF his particular depart
ment"
Senators McKellar and Logan of
Kentucky argued the reduced Apron
rlatlonS would not necessitate closing
any Offices.
Senator Jones said he sympathized
with the position taken by Senator
Johnson, but that the Senate has
spoken two or three different times
with reference to the policy of reduc-
tions. Senator Jones then told of q
communication he received yesterday
morning telling him that If the bill
passed In its present form one of these
offices in his State would be discon-
tinued.
Senator Jones said he thought there
was force in the suggestion that it
would not be necessary to discontinue
any OF the off1ces even with the ap-
propriations reduced as proposed in the
Senate bill. There may result, he said
decrease in the number of the force
employed
Appeals for Full Fund.
Senator johnson. in appealing to the
Senate not to reduce appropriations
that VIII lead to the dismissal of en-
ployes. declared:
In the matter of the discharge of
employees there Is an economic problem
presented to this Government; but
there is another problem, too. I know
people who have their homes partly
paid Tor. their children in school, who
depend upon the meager salaries they
receive from the Government, and these
people. constituting the great human
problem, are the ones who are affected
by our action in providing insufficient
appropriations that will require thier
While I am here I never will con-
sent, If there be the reasonable proba-
ollity OF the necessity of the service of
these people, TO the reduction of an
appropriation which will send them
out on the streets with their homes
half paid for, their children taken from
schools and their whole lives blighted
because We have set up a fetish of
economy at whose feet We are wor-
Shipping, and yield to no man on the
face OF the earth in desire for economy
IN government. and for doing every-
thing that may be essential to be done
IN order that We may have a due
economy in the Government of this
land"
Senator Copeland of New York came
TO the support Of johnson, declaring
that while he conceded the need for
economy and balancing the budget, I'VE
cannot balance the budget wisely and
sanely If we proceed along the lines we
have followed the last three or four
weeks" Copeland favors taking per-
nanent Federal improvements, amount
ing to three or four hundred millions
Of dollars, out of the current budget
and financing them over q period of
years.
Final action was not taken yesterday
On the State, Justice, Commerce and
Labor appropriation bill and It prob
ably will be resumed this afternoon.
BIG EXCAVATION FOtjND