Evening star., 1932-01-03
Approval of SIashes in SAL
aries Over $1,000 Feared
Despite Opposition.
PROPOSED ECONOMY
CALLED DROP IN BUCKET
Opponents Say Reduction Would
Be Incentive for Curtailment
by All Employers.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


Members of Congress who oppose sal
ary cuts for highet-paid employees OF
the Federal Government, civil and mill
tary, are becoming alarmed at the
growing movement for these cuts.
Since the Christmas recess of Con-
greSS began the movement has gained
impetus, notwithstanding the opposition
Of President Hoover and many congress
sicnal leaders.
Those who are against these salary
cuts-and there are great many mem
b9rs of Congress who believe they would
be futile in hating the increasing deficit
and signal to all employers through
out the country to cut salaries and
wageS-are laying their plans to oppose
the cuts
Hearings Start Thursday.
Chairman John j. Cochran of the
House Committee on Expenditures In
the eecutive departments, an oppo-
nert of the proposed salary reductions,
announced last night that his commit
tee would hold hearings on bills intro
duced by Representatives Rich of Penn
sylvania CARRIER of Oklahoma and
Shalenberger of Nebraska next Thurs
day. This will be the first airing Of the
question at an open hearing before q
congressional committee.
With the House prepared to begin
work on appropriation bills this week,
the question of salary cuts may be
thrown on to the floor of the House
itself, however, If an amendment to one
Of Al l.
aries is offered. The legislative appro-
priation bill, carrying the money to pay
members of Congress, is one of the first
scheduled to come before the House.
The great difficulty in dealing with
the proposal for salary reductions for
the higher-paid employees of the Gov
eminent, now proposed not only by sew
eral members of the House, but also by
Senator Borah of Idaho and other
members Of the Upper House, lies in
the fact the question Is like a live elec-
trio wire-once taken hold Of, it is diff
f1cult to let go.
AS one leader expressed it, and he is
a Senator who is really opposed to q
salary cut for Government employees:
If the matter ever comes to vote
I shall support it. I could not afford
to be put in position of voting to
keep my own salary up when the Gov
ernment faces a huge deficit and when
corporations and business concerns all
over the country have in many in
stances cut salaries in the last year or
two"
Proposal Is Limited.
So far the salary cut proposal is
being limited to those Government en-
ployes and officials who receive $4,000,
$2.500, $4,000 or even $4,000 or more.
Proponents of the salary cuts deny
desire to have the cuts apply to the
great mass of loWer-paid Government
workers in the civil service or in the
military
Furthermore, the proposal for salary
cuts is, in most instances, for period
not to exceed two years. In other words,
the proposal is put forward as an
emergency measure, to help the Govern
ment meet the deficit, which promises
to mount to $2,100,0 100000 or there
abouts by the close Of the fiscal year
1888 unless steps are taken to halt the
growing discrepancy between Federal in
come and Federal expenditure.
At the expiration of the two years, 1t
is hoped that the Treasury will find
itself in better position and it will
be possible to return to the present pay
scale.
There are plenty of arguments
against the cut in salary Of Govern
ment employees and officials. advanced
by leading members of Congress, and
by representatives of the Government
employees. 1t would appear to be the
time to put them forward" and to do
everything to prevent salary cut pro-
posal actually coming up on the floor
of the House or Senate.
Among the arguments against the
salary cuts are the following:
That the cuts would be q mere, drop
in the bucket toward balancing the
accounts In the Treasury.
1t has been estimated that the salary
cuts would lop anywhere from $40
900 900 to S150,000,000 from the expen-
ditureS of the Government. AS COM
pared to a $4,000, 100000 deficit, these
savings would be very small.
Incentive to Other Cuts.
That cut in Government salaries
would merely be an incentive to salary
and wage cuts in private industry
the country.
That much fairer way of meeting
the deficit is to increase the income
axes so that all classes of people,
whether they work for the Government
Or whether they are employed In pri-
yate industry or in the professions,
would help to meet the burden.
That it is unfair to Government off,
,ials and employees whose salaries are
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