Evening star., 1932-04-22

treasury Mills ana postmaster General
Brown explain what the effect of the
10 per cent cut would be on their
respective departments, and to amplify
their recommendations as to how best
to meet the cut.
Senate Ratification Necessary.
After the subcommittee and the Ap
preparations Committee decide how the
10 per cent cut should be distributed
the bill will have to be taken up in the
Senate again for ratification of the de-
tailed changes made in committee
Senator Oddie's intention is to appeal
to the Senate at that time to rescind its
decision in ordering the cut in these
two departments. The Senate has not
yet considered the Treasury Post Office
bill in detail having adopted the 10 per
cent cut resolution as preliminary step
to the reporting of the bill from commit
tee. Senator Oddie has been opposed
to the fiat 10 per cent cut, but the Sen
ate adopted the resolution and the COM
mittee must make the cut before bring
ing the bill to the floor.
In connection with the Post Office
section of the BILL Senator Oddie point
ed out today that the House included in
the tax bill an increase in the rate of
postage that will bring in approximately
sl20000,00 of additional revenue He
said that Congress should not impair
the efficiency of the postal service by
slashing appropriations at the very time
that users of the mails are being asked
to pay higher rate.
Cut Applies Uniformly.
Secretary Mills, in letter to Senator
Oddie yesterday, said that an arbitrary
cretion to every bureau, irrespective of
its Importance and ability to bear the
cut, would not be businesslike and may
not even prove economical.
After showing that the bulk of the
cut would have to be met by reduction
in personnel unless a system Of fur
loughS is authorized, the Secretary
recommended adoption of the Presi-
dents pan for a 5-day week for per
diem employees, and a one-month fur
lough without pay for the annual en-
ployes.
The Secretary also recorded his belief
that it would be better to defer some of
the building projects for new post offices
than to cripple the personnel of the de-
partment.
Senator Oddie is strongly opposed to
cutting the Treasury and Post Once
bill by 10 per cent, and fought against
the proposal by which the Senate Or
dered it done. The Senator said that
he would do his best to carry out the
Senate's mandate, but he warned lis
colleagues ye-tarday of the grave con-
sequences Of putting the policy into
Ctiect. After Mr Nils letser hGd been
read to the Senate, Senator Oddie COM
mented:
THE Secretary of the Treasury has
very clearly pointed out the only alter
natives open in this matter-e1ther
adopting the suggestion OF the Presi-
dent in regard to the furlough without
pay and the five-day week. or decreas-
ing the efficiency of the Treasury De-
partment to such an extent that pos
sibly $50 600 900 Of revenue will be lost
Secretary Mills has pointed out that
about 5000 faithful, efficient, and use
full men and women will have to be
thrown out in the street if the 10 per
cent cut is made without the furlough.
II can not bring myself to believe
that creating the policy Of the furlough
and the five-day week is the practical,
right thing to do. I do not favor 1t.
1t will result in reduction of wages to
a very large extent. This reduction IN
couraging effect on our country. I
do not think it should be adopted. l
believe we can get through better
without I am not in agreement with
the Secretary's opinion in respect to the
Senate's action in eliminating the build
ing program from the 10 per cent cut.
Eliminating the building program from
the 10 per cent cut will save a great
deal to American labor and to Ameri-
can industry and prevent a vast amount
Of suffering and a large increase in the
ranks Of the unemployed
Pay Cut Petition Presented.
petition a mile and a quarter IN
length protesting against Federal pay
cuts. signed by $4,000 taxpayers OF Mil
waukee, was today presented to 6ena-
tor La Toilette and the members Of
the Wisconsin delegation in the House
by representatives of postal employes'
organizations. The petition was co
dressed to Representative James NJ.
Mead. chairman of the House Post
ONCE Committee, who turned it over to
the Wisconsin members on the east
steps of the Capitol. Senator Oddie of
Nevada, chairman of the Senate Post
Office Committee, participated in the
ceremonies.
The petition is the result of an edu-
cational campaign conducted by the
big three organizations of postal en-
ployes-the National Federation OF
Post Office Clerks. the National Asso-
citation of Letter Carriers and the Rail-
way Mail Association. These groups,
representing directly 10000 postal
employees, are acqua!nting business men
with the fact that a Fe6eral pay cut
means a diminished purchasing power,
reacting against the restoration of pros
perity IN every community in the
country.
The officials of the postal organiza-
tions making the presentation we're Leo
z. George, Thomas F. Flaherty and
William Otte of the National Fedora
ton of Post Office Clerks; Edward j.
Gainor, M T. Finnan and Clarence
Stinson Of the National Association OF