The daily worker., 1933-10-12
State Employees
in Texas Get No
Aid from Pay Cuts
Special Session Votes
Own improvements;
Workers Unaided

state workers who were looking to
the state legislature for relief
from the huge salary cuts which
it forced upon them last spring
are now undergoing severe hard
ships because Of the disinterest of
this body in regard to their well
fare. When the measure was
passed providing for these cuts,
the desk of Gov. Miriam A. Fergu-
son was flooded with letters and
kilograms protesting against an
act which would cause much suf-
fering because of the high price
of living and initiation. The work
ers were promised relief of some
kind.
The legislature convened almost
three weeks ago, and it had two
good weeks to take action on this
matter before the slavery cuts be-
came effective. But other Sim
portant" issues were also to be
considered. The governors man
sion must be repaired before the
coming of winter; some means of
taxing the people in order to make
them pay for the "bread bonds"
must be decided; the Senate, dur
ing the period mentioned, became
dissatisfied with the furniture in
the private offices of its members,
so routine business had to be set
aside in order that it might spend
$4,000 on new furniture.
October 1st came, and the wor-
ried state workers received war
rants which had been reduced
from IS to 25 per cent. Because
of a state deficit, many were un-
able to cash these warrants at all.
In cases where the banks did cash
them, they charged an eight per
cent discount. These workers
turned homeward wondering how
they could send their children to
school, support dependent rela-
tives, and run a household on
these meagre earnings.
Monday, October 2, an Austin
member of the International La
Dor Defense wrote a letter of pro-
test, which was published in one
of the local papers, demanding
that the legislature take action to
relieve the state workers.
Workers in state institutions are
continually preyed upon because
they are cowed into submission
through the fear of losing their
jobs. A notable instance was of
last fall when the Community
Chest, in its annual graft drive,
wrote letters to state workers
threatening them with the loss Of
their jobs unless they donated lib
orally to the campaign. The Aus
tin l. L. D. Immediately protested,
sending committee to the chair
man, and letter to the press,
demanding that follow-up letters
be sent to these workers telling
them that contributions were vol
untary. The Community Chest
stated that the threatening letters
were a mistake, since they were
worded incorrectly. Many a worker
who was terrorized into making
pledge later refused to pay it.
Now I. L. D. branches and I'm
employed Councils all over the
state are located in cities where
there are one or more state in
These organizations
should take active steps to help
out the state workers in the des-
perate situation in which they find
In making these demands, the
following procedure should be
adopted: Send resolutions to Gov.
Miriam A. Ferguson, Austin, also
to the Appropriations Committee,
House Of Representatives, Austin,
and carbon copy of resolutions
to The Austin American, Austin,
Texas. Bring pressure to bear
upon the senator's and representa-
tives of your district and county
through committees if possible,
and letters at any rate. Send
carbon of any letter to the local
press.