The Washington times., 1933-12-18
MASS MEETING
TONIGHT WILL
ASK ACTION
President Expected to Make
"YuIe Gift" of Partial
Salary Restoration
BY DUNCAN FORSYTH

Expectation was rife today that
President Roosevelt will announce
this week plans to reduce the Fed.
eral pay cut for the six months
beginning January l.
Timed for Friday or Saturday.
it would have the effect of a Yule-
tide gift, and though it is now
recognized that the relief to be ac-
corded will not be so great as was
originally hoped for, Federal en-
ployes expect some modification
of the pay cut in their favor and
will be grateful for whatever they
get.
1928 Prices Are Basis
The President, under the econ
omy law, is required to base Gov
ernment salaries on living costs.
The 1928 scale is taken as the
basis, a somewhat unfortunate
choice, in the opinion of Govern
ment workers familiar with the
situation, inasmuch as salaries at
that time had not been adjusted
to the high living costs then in
effect.
However, they are confident
that the new survey recently en-
titled to some measure of relief,
because living costs here have
changed less than in most cities
and less among government en-
ployes than among other classes
of workers, because of the prom
inence of fixed charges in their
budgets.
Rents Reduced Little
Rents, home financing charges,
insurance payments and similar
items have not been reduced in
the least by the decline in living
costs since 1923, and these
charges figure so prominently in
the finances of Government work
ers that they must be given con-
siderable weight.
This circumstance. it is be-
lieved, will make it inevitable
that the recent rise in other
items should be reflected in some
sort of pay roll relief. In addi-
ton, the political and psychologi-
cal effect of restoration of part.
at least, of Federal employees
salary deduction, is expected to
be taken into account.
Union War on Cut
Both organizations of Federal
employees will campaign for elini-
nation of the pay cut through re-
peal in the next session of Con-
gresS, and as a preliminary step
the District Department, American
Federation of Government EN-
ployes, will hold a mass meeting
tonight to crystalline sentiment
for restoration of basic pay.
Speakers at tonights mass
meeting will include Senator Pat
McCarron (DO of Nevada, Repre-
sentative Jennings Randolph CD
of West Virginia, John P. Frey
of the American Federation of
Labor, Comdr. Rice w. Means of
the District department, American
Legion; E. Claude Babcock, pres
ident of the American Federation
of Government Employees; Harry
King, former president of the
Washington Chamber of Com
merce; James G. Yaden, president
of the Federation of Citizens
Association; DR.. John O'Grady,
George D. Riley, and Mrs. Lille
Clinedinst as the representative
of William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor.
A bill embodying the views of
the American Federation of Gov
ernment employees on the repeal
of the pay cut is being drafted by
Representative Ernest Lundeen
CID of Minnesota.
Statistics Completed
All work of gathering statistics
in Washington for analysis in
the cost of living survey has been
completed, it was announced to-
day by officials.
No final figures on the survey
are yet available, but it was in
dicated that the survey will re-
veal living costs today are much
below those of 1923, although q
little higher than they were last
March.
n