Evening star., 1933-02-03
Asks Reconsideration on Co.'S
tigan Amendment to Pro-
tect Workers Jobs.
VOTE ON MAKING PLAN
GENERAL CONSIDERED
Five Per Cent Reduction Under
Appropriations to Be Sought
for All Supply Bills.

Contending the Costigan amendment
prohibiting further wage cuts or fur
loughs as means of making the per
cent saving in the Treasury and Post
Office Departments would force those
departments to dismiss some employees,
Senator Bingham, Republican, of Con-
necticut, today entered a motion to re-
consider the vote on the Costigan pro-
posal, adopted late yesterday, 81 to "a.
Bingham explained he was entitled
to enter such a motion because he did
not vote yesterday. He said the ban
again.t wage cuts or furloughs in carry
ing out the per cent saving would
cause severe hardship by making 1t
necessary to discharge employees, whereas
without the amendment the slack could
be taken up through administrative
furloughs that would keep the en-
ployes somewhat at work even at re-
duced rates.
The motion to reconsider will not be
voted on until later today or tomorrow.
Costigan Sees Benefits.
Senator Costigan. Democrat Colorado,
contended this afternoon his amend
ment would prove beneficial to the great
majority of Government employees. He
indicated he does not believe it would
lead to a large number of dismissals
from the service. Costigan said he
would, therefore, oppose the Bingham
motion to reconsider the amendment.
Commenting on the argument ad-
vanced by several Senators that pro-
hlbltlon against pay cuts in connection
with the new 5 per cent saving would
result in reducing the number of en-
ployes, Senator CoStigan said this might
be true to a minor extent in certain
cases, but that to 95 per cent of the
employees his amendment would be ad-
vantageous He intimated further
amendments might be proposed to take
care Of the exceptional cases re-
ferred to.
The question as to whether there Is
any conflict between the Costigan
amendment and the general authority
contained in the economy law enabling
department heads to apply administra.
tive furloughs in order to keep within
reduced appropriations is likely to be
discussed later on when the economy
section is taken up.
While the amendment would save
workers from further pay cuts, it would
not prevent departments from dismiss
ing some employees in order to effect
the contemplated saving. In this con-
nection, some Senators argued that if
broader reorganization power is to be
given the President in the general
economy section of the bill, reductions
in force would follow through con-
SolidationS and eliminations.
The Costigan amendment bans pay
cuts or furloughs ''other than those
heretofore in effect or in this act pro-
vided." The general economy section
OF this pending bill provides for con-
tinuation for another year of the pres
ent 8ls per cent payless furlough and
also recommends a new cut of 123
per cent on top of that furlough.
Action Due Shortly.
These proposals have not yet been
reached, but may be taken up for ac-
ton today or tomorrow.
After the Senate had voted to eX-
empt salaries from the application of
the new per cent saving in appropria-
tlon totals, Senator TydingS, Democrat,
of Maryland argued that what the SEN
ate really had done was to force de-
partment heads to dismiss employees
outright, and thereby destroy their civil
service status, instead of permitting the
saving through furloughs that would
enable the employees to retain their
civil service status.
This question of permitting depart
ment heads to place employees on lad
ministrative furloughs," in addition to
the general 81-3 per cent legislative
furlough, as a means of avoiding dis
miSsalS when funds are inadequate.
also will arise for debate when the
general economy sections of the pend
ing bill are taken up. The committee
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