Evening star., 1932-12-04
u. s. WORKERS SEEK.
WAGE RESTORATION
Various Groups to Continue
Fight Against Burdens of
Economy Act.
Continued From First Page.)

ECUIiUIIly ACt.
Continued From First Page)
doned because of an hysterical attempt
to balance a budget which is already
balanced, if capital and expense items
are separated in accordance with sound
business principles, and the capital ex-
penditures are spread over the life Of
the asset
Program is Outlined.
Supplementing testimony given yes
terday for their organization, President
Luther Steward and Secretary Treas
urer Gertrude McNally of the National
Federation of Federal Employees, also
issued statement last night, announc-
ing that during this session of Congress
that organization will endeavor to ac-
complish the following program:
Defeat pay-cut proposals; secure uni
form annual and sick leave to replace
unfair leave restrictions in the "econ-
omy" act; support the Bingham resolu-
ton to repeal the married persons
clause; restore authority to fill vacan-
cies repeal the compulsory retirement
provision contained in the economy"
act and secure in lieu thereof optional
retirement after 80 years of service;
restore travel and pay allowance, and
secure downward revision Of charges
for quarters, subsistence and laundry.
"It should be apparent to all mem-
bers of Congress" Steward said. that
the economy act was a huge mistake:
that it is not accomplishing the end
of true economy and that it is work
ing severe hardships upon thousands
of loyal and faithful workers who have
made the Government service career.
The porgram of the National Feder-
alton of Federal Employees is construc-
tive in every sense, and is aimed toward
the betterment of the service in be-
half of the taxpayers, as well as III
behalf OF the individual worker.
Law Held Unjust.
"The present law is thoroughly un-
Just and in the large view is serving no
constructive end. But whatever ones
personal thought on that subject may
be. none can gainsay that certain pro-
visions of it are utterly out of line with
sound tenets of both efficiency and
fair play. Toward the alienation OF
these specific and pressing evils, the
National Federation will devote its best
Efforts
The argument that the necessity of
balancing the budget requires continua-
ton of Government pay cuts was taken
UP by the National Association OF Letter
Carriers in a brief presented TO tne
Economy Committee yesterday, as fol-
lows:
In spite of all the injustices and
hardships inflicted upon the postal en-
ployes by the economy act. and the in
Jury to the service which it causes, the
savings effected are barely drop IN
the bucket compared with the total
Federal budget or even with the
budgetary deficit of the United States
Government.
"It is not in our province to suggest
how the Federal budget can be bal
anoed, but we would respectfully point
out that if it is necessary to reduce ex-
penses, 1t is reasonable to seek that re-
duction in the largest items of expense,
and in items which are not necessary
for daily service of the public in times
of peace. The total Post Office deficit
is but trifling and inconsiderable part
of the burden on the Treasury. Many
times it has been pointed out that the
chief burdens on the Treasury arise
from appropriations to meet the costs
incidental to past and future war. Some
of scaling down armaments are the de-
sirable, nay, the essential conditions of
any substantial reduction in Federal
expenditure. If these objects cannot
be achieved, the only way to balance
the budget Is to increase revenues.
Futile attempts to balance the budget
by savings of little consequence in the
aggregate, but involving great hardship
and injury to loyal employees of essen
tial public services, do far more harm
than good"
Brown Cites Inequalities.
Postmaster General Brown, in a let
ter to Chairman Bingham of the Econ
omy Committee, yesterday stated that
in the main the provisions of the econ
omy law are satisfactory to the depart
ment, have in no way interfered with
the efficient administration of the
postal service, and will accomplish the
saving contemplated in that depart
ment. He called attention, however, to
several inequalities in the law affecting
certain groups in the postal service and
suggested amendments in these cases.
One had to do with the fixing of COM
pensation Of postmasters at offices of
the first, second and third class, and
of assistant postmasters and other super
visory employees at first and second class
offices. Another amendment is to cor
rect an inequality affecting substitute
employees. Another suggested amend
ment provides that restoration of en-
ployes to their former grades or their
advancement to intermediate grades
following reductions of compensation
for disciplinary reasons shall not be
construed to be administrative promo
tions for the purposes of the economy
law. A final suggestion is intended to
correct an inequality in the retirement
pay of large group of employees who
were separated from the service early
in July, but who could not be given
retirement payments until August /
which left these employees without either
salary or retirement annuity for 81
days.
The opening hearing yesterday was
presided over by Senator Bingham and
attended by Senators Dickinson Of Iowa
and McKellar of Tennessee.