Evening star., 1933-10-04
TOMBSTONE LAUDS
RELIEF PROGRESS
MADE IN DISTRICT
Reductions in Pay of 27 En-
pIoyes Approved by
Controller.
FIELD Representative
URGES FURTHER STUDY
Increase in Demands for Aid Brings
Big Problem, Official
Says.

resentative of the Federal Emergency
Relief Administration after a check of
the District organization and manage
ment. but he advised additional study
of relief problems here because Of the
steady increase in demands for aid.
Johnstone issued a statement early
today after Controller General Mccall
disallowed pay increases to Leroy H.
Halbert, director of emergency relief
for the District, and 81 other employees.
Salary reductions ordered for 27 others
were approved by the controller and
while advances were ordered returned
to the Treasury. no restoration is to be
made to those whose pay was cut.
The proposed increases and de-
creases," Johnstone declared, do not
compare unfavorably with the rates of
pay OF other employees Of the District
in similar positions. or with those pre-
vailing in other temporary or emer-
gency arms Of the Government. The
relief problem in the District has
greatly increased since the inception OF
the organization on July /, 1882.
Law Forbids Raises.
"The law, however forbids salary in
creases once the salaries are fixed
While these salaries may not be sub
Ject to the automatic cut, 1t Is not
understood that the controller has ruled
that no salaries may be cut on the
merits Of the case or on the basis of
reasonable reclassification.
The increases. therefore. are not al
lowed by the ruling, but the cuts are
not disapproved and consequently
stand"
Johnstone also said reports that three
employees had resigned because of the
pay cuts were erroneous Two Of them,
he said quit to accept positions pay
ing more money. and the third was
dismissed because of unsatisfactory
service.
1T was also reported" Johnstone
said. that 80 persons ON work relief
suffered unreasonable delay in receiving
relief on account Of an unsatisfactory
or inefficient system in computing and
discharging work relief pay rolls. The
fact Is that the delay occurred as to 80
men out Of total of several thousand
on account Of an untoward seizure of
an automobile in which the pay roll
data had been temporarily placed, and
from an unemployed man who was act
ing as messenger and who, doubtless on
account of unemployment. was in ar
rears in payments on the car.
Calls Charges Untrue.
1T has been stated" he continued.
that certain relief cases have been
arbitrarily given work relief and for
periods and in total amount out of pro-
portion to the general run Of cases.
No basis has been found for such a
statement. A study of files does not
disclose any trace Of favoritism.
congestion and delay are disappear
ing from administration of relief in the
District. The establishment Of five Dis
trict Offices has been completed. Three
are now occupied. and two others will
De occupied by the end Of this week.
Only current applications await in
vestigation and rejection or acceptance.
The process of consolidation and co-or-
dination of relief efforts and admins
tration Is almost completed The relief
JOB In the District is a big one The
relief rolls continue to grow, and that
fect seems to increase scrutiny and
study.
Work Being Well Done.
AN inspection of the headquarters
at John Marshall place and Of the Dis
trlct offices shows that the relief divi-
sion Is advancing in competence and
ability to handle the problem. Allowing
for error and accident in such an un-
precedented undertaking, the work Is
being conscientiously and capably done"
In addition to giving the District en-
ergency relief organization clean bill
OF health" Johnstone declared Mr..
Halbert was not responsible for the two
pay increases he had received as direc-
tor before McCarl's ruling yesterday
voiding them.
Mr.. Halbert," he said did not pro-
pose an increase in pay for himself and
knew nothing of it until it was proposed
by the Relief Committee. The committee
and the District Commissioners were
unaware of the rule of the Federal EN-
ergency Relief Administration that
salaries of all workers in a State or
district where the Relief Administration
is cooperating by grant of funds must
be approved by it. Hence the proposed
schedule was not submitted for approval
until 1t was called for
After completing his inspection here,
Johnstone left for Virginia to visit
number of relief organizations set up in
that State.