Evening star., 1932-01-21
WAGE CUT FEARS
IMPAIR MORALE
Federal Bureau Heads Say
Workers. Activities Are
Being Hampered.

Regardless of the outcome of the pro-
posals in Congress fer cuts in Govern
ment salaries, the morale of the work.
ers already has been seriously impaired
by the agitation, it was declared today
by heads of many of the Federal bu-
reauS.
No worker can concentrate on the
job under his nose when outside the
| window some fellow is loading a shot
gun for him." declared Luther c. Stew
ard president of the National Fedora
tlon Of Federal Employees. "Of course
their work is suffering This fear of a
pay cut is giving them 'goosef1esh'
Throughout the Government depart
ments and establishments and in the
homes OF Federal workers the most vital
subject under consideration Is, viii
my pay envelope be reduced?"
Pay Held Below Average.
The pay of Government people. ac-
cofding to this official, had never reach
ed the average of the pay of those on
the outside. During all the years of
booming prosperity under President
Coolidge he pointed out, Government
pay was not increased commensurstely
side of the Government,
The pay raise offered by classification,
he said, had been half nullified by op-
Grafton of the average" provision in-
serted by Congress- and now that a
policy of no promotions" had been in
effect fer some time, with prospects OF
no more promotions except those ap-
proved by the President himself, the
tendency already Is to hold the salary
levels down to the lowest rates In the
grades,
There was considerable bitterness
expressed among Government workers
of Representative Wood of Indiana,
former chairman of the House Appro-
priations Committee and now ranking
minority member, who la arch cham
pion of pay cuts,
Many Have Big Burdens.
Many Government people in Wash
ington, it was pointed out in one de-
partment, have taken on added imam
cial burdens because of the effects OF
the general depression ON members OF
sands of Government people IT was
said, are helping TO support some
member of their family who has been
out of employment or who has be-
come sick Home purchases have been
made In the faith that Government
salaries would continue, as they have
continued throughout the past, on a
steady level Other obligations have
been made by Government workers to
the support of worthy charity, outside
the Community Chest, and immediate
family burdens, which have laid stu
heavier tolls against the Government
hi In
II Congress cuts the pay Of Govern
ment workers, according TO the predte-
ton of one Government ofleial, 1t Will
not only sharply curtail the purohas-
ing power of the largest group OF buy
ers In Washington, but will have de-
pressing effect upon the whole inter
related business life of the National
Capital. breaking the Capital into de-
preston of its ewn IN the midst of the
big celebration of the Washington ht-
centennial year. :,
President Steward of the Federal
employees warned today that the wage
cut was tricky" and would have to be
watched.
"Stampeding the Herd"
Cutting the salaries Of Government
workers, Mr.. Steward charged to be
the most wanton kind of extrayagance,
materially lessening the value. OF some
thing that the taxpayers Of the coun-
try are paying for faithful service"
Declaring the agitation for lower pay
was bringing many protests to his own
organization from the ranks of Gov
ernment workers, Steward today went
so far as to declare they are stamped
ing the herd"
Asked II the danger OF pay cut
was more imminent now, In his opin-
ion, Steward answered,
IF Mr. Wood expects to lead his
hosts of wage-cutters to victory on a
campaign Of I6-cent eggs and cheap
tomatoes In Cuba, cannot imagine
he'll win majority of the House on
that He admitted rents have not gone
down, and if the grocers here were to
give eggs away free to Government
workers, 1t wouldn't offset the effect
of high rents, His argument Is as
sound as the fellow who praised the
effect of so per cent cut In pepper,
while. admitting afterwsrd that the
prices of -four and potatoes were still
high, or maybe higher"
The Employees Federation is throw
ing the full weight of it's entire strength
against wage cut, Steward announced,
declaring that it would depend on the
good sense OF members OF Congress
to offset such ridiculous proposals as
have been made"