Evening star., 1933-05-30
EMPLOYEES
WILL KEEP Jobs IN
!. FACE OF ECONOMY
Savings to Be Made by VOL
untary Retirements and
Cutting Hours.
FARLEY ASSISTANT GIVES
ASSURANCE IN SPEECH
Departments Policy Is Explained
by Harllee Branch in Ad-
dress at 0cala, Fla.

The Post Office Department does not
propose to discharge employees to bal
ance its books, although saving of
100000 is in prospect for the next
fiscal year to bring its operations "out
of the red," while at the same time
maintaining unimpaired service.
This word today was given on behalf
of Postmaster General James A. Farley
by his executive assistant, Harlee
Branch, in addressing a joint assembly
Fla.
The speech. made public here, was
viewed Importantly inasmuch as the
Post Office Department is far and away
the largest employer in the Govern
ment, and the mo dismissals' policy
was linked with the declaration that
the available work will be spread"
among the existing personnel, thus con-
forming to the principle previously
urged by Farley and incorporated in
economy legislation.
Subdues Apprehension.
Pointing to the retrenchment pro-
gram under way throughout the Gov
H..
manded by the country" in the interest
of economic recovery, Mr.. Branch ex-
pressed the opinion that there may be
more or less apprehension among postal
employees here in Florida and through
out the country that, as a means OF ef-
fecting necessary economies in the pos
tai service, the department will resort
to wholesale diSmiSsals of supervisors
and clerks and letter carriers; In other
words, that by an immediate major
operation it will cut it's personnel down
to the reduced level of business and
revenues"
II am authorized to say to you. and
through you to postal employees every
where, that this will not be the depart
ment's policy" he emphasized.
Then explaining the steps 1t Is pro-
posed to take In view of the falling of
of business, he said:
Whatever reduction Of force may be
necessary in the postal service will be
accomplished in the main by voluntary
retirements; by cutting down the hours
of labor or the tours of duty of clerks,
city carriers and supervisory employees.
and by lowering the allowances of rural
carriers and not by dismissals.
Many Change Class.
The single qualification in this respect
concerned those second-class offices
which may, by falling receipts, be rele-
gated to third class. Under this latter
status the personnel administration is
up to the postmaster, who gets fixed
allowance for clerk hire.
Along with improved business condi-
tions, this program Is expected to solve
the departments problem.
No nf M
applied has not been determined, in
asmuch as the business trend cannot be
forecast, although it is showing an up
turn. Mr.. Branch continued, adding:
Il can assure you that whatever Is
done will be done in moderation and
equitably throughout the service" The
extent of the cut to be applied to rural
carrier allowances was not made known
either. Now they get cents mile.
Retirement Explained.
On the question of retirements it
was explained on Farley's behalf that
the original provision for compulsory
retirement after 80 years service had
been opposed. mot only because it would
cost the Post Office Department its
most experienced and valuable men
Gin supervisory and administrative po-
",
fairness of any assumption that man
of 80 years service has outlived his
usefulness and should be forced to step
aside, regardless of his ability, his ef-
ficiency, his financial condition or the
situation of his family and those de-
pendent upon him for support"
Recalling that this proposal had
been modified, Branch said: -
while the exact manner OF apply
ing this provision remains to be deter
mined, think I can safely say that 1t
will not, in any event, be resorted to
by the Post Office Department except
at post Offices or in branches of the
service which are definitely overmanned
and that, while any employe who is
made eligible to. retire will be permitted
and perhaps encouraged to do so, the
department, as far as 1t is given any
latitude in the matter, will endeavor
to apply the law in such way that no
man whose work is satisfactory and
whose record is good will be compelled
to retire against his own wishes before
he reaches the age fixed by law for
compulsory retirement"
Decrease Emphasized.
In the course of his speech, Mr.
Branch brought out one point in re-
CARDS to postal personnel that Is COM
mon to all Federal agencies, and that
has been pointed to by opponents OF
the threatened program of dismissals
throughout the Government as obviat-
ing any necessity for such action-that
is, the large decrease which naturally
| occurs each year.
RetirementS, death. designations anc
removals for cause take about 400 en-
ployes a month, he said, amplifyine
that the postal force has been cut down
from its peak Of 255 900, reached about
three years ago, to 100000 by this me-
dunn, coupled with policy of non
| filling of vacancies.
The department expects to finish the
current year with purely postal deficit
! of approximately $70,000,000, which
will represent a drop of $83 3,000,0 ,00(
from the net deficit of last June 80
Branch said. This does not include the
air and ocean mail subsidies and the
charge for free mail, including that
| handled for Congress.
If, as anticipated, the budget is bal
anced in 1884, it will be the first time
L.,