Evening star., 1932-03-29
POSTAL CLERKS HIT
SALARY CUT PLAN
Charge ECONOMY Propa.
ganda' Is Being Used by
Business Interests.

Charging that economy propaSsnsa''
by business interests and MANY uubp.
cations is responsible for the proposal
to reduce Government Salaries thA
United National Association of Post Of
flce Clerks has submitted to CONGRESS
a resolution of protest against wage cut
ting.
The effect Of such reduction IN thk
salaries Of the employees. the hreskjnS
down OF their morale. their diminished
purchasing power and the rank inius-
tlce OF such proceeding does not seem
to concern the ptopagandiSts," the resE
olution as announced by President
Thomas F. Dolan of the association,
said
ITO save few dollars in indirect
taxes, not to mention the 'psycholesicar
effect this reduction would create and
thereby encourage and enable employ-
ers OF labor to further reduce the wages
OF their employees, has only Hhetted
their feverish desire to strike down
those In the public service.
Political Move Seen.
There is also the suspicion that the
Federal service is being used for a
political foot ball with the desire Of
political power. Many statesmen con-
ceive new legislation merely for the eff
fect 1t may have in placing the 0ppo-
site party in political predicament"
The organization called attention to
war costs and asserted the Federal en-
ployes are to be made to suffer because
of such debts. The employees also are
to be 'penalized," it was stated, for
the stock market collapse, the wheat
ct hiIizotiry,
lie works program of the Government.
Public employees constitute a class
which ordinarily emanates from people
in very modest circumstances, the
resolution said They. themselves,
have no easy time making a decent liv-
ing Many of them are helping to sup
port relatives without occupation. In
most of these cases, Government en-
ployes are actually suffering on reduced
incomes, due to the necessity of assist
ing others. We wonder If the pro.
ponents of the salary-reducing move
ment have any conception Of what S100
ing and struggling of the average small=
salaried man to exist is pitiful Life
is not worth while If each generation
is to be faced with this constant strugs
gle for existence, and this in our great
land of plenty.
Must Prove Competency.
civil Service employees merited their
positions through competitive exam
nations; they maintain these positions
through daily proof Of their competency;
they render services which are abs0.
lute1y essential for the efficient c0nduct
of the Governments business; they acA
eept these positions knowing that they
are blind alley jobs, with no better
than fair pay, but with the expectancy
that they will be protected in their posi-
tions and at least a fair salary
paid which will not flhctuate with the
outside or labor market.
Their salaries are barely a living
wage. The most that the great majority
can hope to receive Is in the neighbor-
hood of S2,100 year This Is barely
enough to live upon, but only If no ex-
traordinary expenses are encountered.
Every Congressfnari knows, and every
business man knows, that such salaries
are merely equitable. However, they do
not seem to realize this in a practical
way. ,
Government employees have an abid-
ing faith in the judgment Of their rep
resentatives in Congress. and are con-
fident that their knowledge and. sym
pathetic understanding will enable them
to devise means Of raising revenue and
thereby balancing the budget without
resorting to the method embodied In
the proposed wage-teducing measures"