Evening star., 1933-09-08
DRIVE TO RESTORE !
.. PAY CUTS PLANNED
Five Organizations Announce
Intention to Campaign for
Federal Workers.

A movement for restoration Of the
Is per cent salary cut to all Federal
and District employees, sprung up al
most simultaneously today In i've differ
ent quarters, while the Budget Bureau
revealed it would prepare the 1885 esti-
mates on . 100 per cent salary basis.
The American Federation Of Labor.
the Columbia typographical Union. the
Central Labor Union, the Washington
Chamber Of Commerce, and the Amert-
can Federation of Government En-
ton to campaign for abolition Of the
pay slash. The Central Labor Union
and the Columbia Typographical Union.
viii join with the Chamber Of Com
mAece in the dght. s-sg ssess s,,-
WeEkess' Hope Revived.
The plans Of the Budget Bureau re-
vived the hope Of Thousands Of Gov
ernment workers for restoration Of full
pay beginning July next, but the
various organizations joining In the
campaign are anxious to have the cut
restored before that time because Of
rising commodity prices.
The Budget Bureau disclosed its plans
In 3 circular letter to all budgetary ON
GERS Of the Government, with instruc-
tons to prepare estimates for salaries
on Q 100 per cent basis. The bureau
made it clear, however, that the In
structions were not to be understood
as Q change in existing policy.
Budget Bureau officials pointed out
that their action Is governed by the fact
that the economy act providing the
Government pay cut expires June 80
next, and salaries automatically will
be restored to 100 per cent, unless Con-
gress re-enacts the measure. In that
event, it was said, the difference be-
tween the full salary and the amount
Of the reduction prescribed. would be
impounded.
Half May Be Restored.
However, there Is growing feeling
among fiscal officers Of the Government
that President Roosevelt may restore
half II not all Of the present Is per
cent reduction by January /. The Pres
ident can take such action by executive
order under the economy act, 1t was
explained, If there Is q marked increase
in the cost of living.
The economy act, 1t was said, fixes
the pay reduction on the basis Of 1925
living costs, and stipulates that the per-
centage by which the cost OF living
index period Is lower than such index
for the base period shall be the per-
centage of reduction in determining
compensation to be paid during the fol-
lowing six months.
While the latest figures Of the De-
partment of Labor showed that living
costs In the United States were IS per
cent lower for the six months ending
June 80, last, than in the 1928 base
period, oflcials point out there has been
q marked uptrend since that time which
Is destined to 60 higher under the
N. r. A program. The upward trend.
according to the Labor Department, has
been In food prices particularly. the
increase for the country In August be-
ing about per cent higher than In
April, when 1888 food prices reached
their lowest level.
Increase Cost Cited.
To support the belief that Govern
ment wages may be raised, fiscal agents
called attention to these increasing
costs, and the economy acts provisions
that salary reductions be based on fluc-
tuations In living expenses, and that
January Is the next date for deter
mining these factors.
Budget officials have figured that res
toration of the is per cent cut would
add approximately $125 5,000, 900 to the
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