Evening star., 1933-09-04
STEWARD ASSA|LS
JUS. WORKERS DEAL
N. F. F. E. President Flags
Economy Act, Raps Green
at Convention.
BY ]. A. FOX.
Stah Correspondent OF The Star

KANSAS CITY. Mo, September A.
With a caustically phrased keynote
speech from Luther C. Steward, the
president, assailing the paradoxical
stand of the Government in levying
heavy toll on its own forces in the
name of economy, while, at the same
time, calling upon private industry for
liberalized employment policy, the
twelfth convention of the National
Federation of Federal Employees. repre-
sentative Of $4,000 workers, got under
way here today at the President Hotel.
In his speech, too. Steward opened a
counter-attack against the move in
some quarters of Federation of Federal
Employees for reafilation with the
American Federation Of Labor, lashing
out at William Green, the president,
who, he said. has dcne nothing less
than sponsor and finance a racket" in
establishing in opposition to the Fed
Grafton of Federal Employees the Ameri-
can Federation of Government En-
ployes, which has representatives on
the ground here now seeking recruits
from the ranks of its rival
Federal "Injustices."
Federal employees he declared,
"have been faced with the tragic
anomaly of their employer straining
every resource to improve conditions of
wage earners, while at the same time
perpetrating upon them injustices
which it was first to condemn in pri-
vate employers. With all the force at
its command, the Federal Government
has been urging private employers to
give work to greater number, and
at the same time it has been dismiss
ing men and women of proven capacity
from its own employ. With all the
force at its command. the Federal Gov
ernment has been urging private en-
ployerS to increase wages while Federal
employees have received at the same
time wage cuts ranging from is to
more than SO per cent.
With all the force at its command
the Federal Government has been urg-
ing upon private employers the neces-
sity of shortening the working period
while at the same time the Federal
Government has, in activities where the
work has increased. actually dismissed
or furloughed employees and then re-
quired excessive overtime work without
additional compensation. With all the
force at its command, the Federal Gov
eminent has undertaken to prevent
private employers from victimizing
their employees, in all of the ways
known to sweatshoppers, while at the
same time thousands of Federal en-
ployes have had the Saturday half
holiday, granted to them by law, taken
away by administration action"
For months a cloud of uncertainty
has overhung the Federal personnel, .
Mr.. Steward continued. prominent
officials have issaed statements to
which wide publicity was given, in
volving sweeping changes in the Fed
eral structure, only to issue contradic-
tory statements within few days, or
in some instances within few hours.
Orders have issued, only to be counter
manded. altered, or postponed. Natur-
ally, with the atmosphere OF uncertain,
ty in high official places, the rank and
file of Federal employees have been in
a state of well-nigh panic.
THAT their morale has not been
completely shattered. that the great
mass of them have stood staunch and
steadfast under the most adverse con-
ditions, is due simply and solely to
their strength of character and long
habit of giving the best possible service
to the job, regardless of external con-
ditions."
Assails Business Stand.
AT the outset OF his aodreSS, steward
recounted the pay cuts, dismissals. fur
loughs and other burdens imposed on
the Federal employees in the last IA
months and laid the blame on "un-
favorable mass opinion fostered and
created by selfish and short-sighted
individuals occupying positions in the
the business world where their views
carried far greater weight than was
justified"
Every time worn slanderous state
ment aimed at civilian Federal en-
ployes was dragged out and repeated
ad inf1nitum," he continued. THE
high-powered propagandists Of the
United States Chamber of Commerce
CONTINUED on Page 2, Column 81