Evening star., 1933-02-07
Senator Says Five Per Cent
Saving Is Silly if Workers
Are Forced From Jobs.
DECLARES FUNDS WOULD
GO TO PROVIDE CHARITY
Michigan Leader Warns Congress
Against Losing It's Head in
Wave of Economy.
BY the Associated Press
The Senate today voted to ex-
clude salaries from a proposed
blanket cut of per cent in Gov
ernment expenditures

blanket cut of per cent in Gov
ernment expenditures.
In vigorous protest against further
wage cuts or dismissals in the Govern
ment service in order to save per cent
of appropriations, Senator Couzens, Re-
publican, of Michigan, told the Senate
today it is silly" to add to the unem-
ployed at this time, in order to make
this saving, and then appropriate mil
lions to feed them in the bread line.
Congress recently appropriated $685.
900 for feeding the bread lines in the
District Of Columbia" Senator Couzens
declared, "and now we are talking
about amendments to lay off more Fed
eral employees, or reduce their salaries
to point where they will need Fed
eral assistance.
Furthermore, I am informed thai
thousands of Federal employees are
using part of their money to keep rela-
tives out of the breadline back home
Is this the time for Congress to lose
its head in wave of economy"
Unable to Understand.
Senator Couzens said that only few
days ago a Senate subcommittee sug-
gested further authorization of $780,
000,000 to be used by the Reconstruc-
ton Finance Corporation in feeding
breadlines throughout the country.
Isn't it silly to spend time talking
about taking 5 per cent off somebody's
col off
getting few thousand dollars year?'
Senator Couzens said he was unable
to comprehend such an economic propo-
sition.
The Senate is heading toward votes
this afternoon on amendments to the
pending economy bill-to lop S per cent
of the total to be appropriated for each
Government department, the new pay
cut of PA per cent in Federal salaries
and the conferring of wide power on
the incoming President to reorganize
Uncle Sans agencies.
Senator Costigan, Democrat, Of Col
orado, opened his fight at noon today
to prevent department heads from
making further wage cuts or furloughs
in order to save the per cert contem-
plated by the Brattof amendment
When Senator Bingham of Connecticut
al SAidA &c Ol bllC Dillf diS SuCu Illdt LilC
Costigan proposal would result in the
ployes who might otherwise be re-
tanned on temporary furloughs, Senator
CouZenS, Republican, of Michigan, told
the Senate it can avoid such dismissals
by voting against the Bratton per
cent amendment as well as the Costigan
amendment.
Senator Costigan said he was per-
fectly willing to prohibit dismissals as
well as further wage cuts, but had felt
that would not meet the wishes of the
Senate. He said If the Senate is will
ing to prohibit dismiSSals also, he would
be as happy as any one to approve it.
On Indefinite FurIoughs.
What I am trying to do is to save
as much as possible of the wage stand
ard and living condition of Government
employees" Costigan said. He declared
himself opposed to the Bratton amend
ment.
Costigan said he wondered If Sena-
tors realized there Is already in the
economy bill a continuation of the
administrative furlough clause" Un-
der that provision, Costigan declared,
many employees have been given inde-
terminate furloughs which are in eff
&C costigan S'eiS; Quoted Senator Bratton as
having said last night he believed de-
partment heads could save 5 per cent
without touching personnel In view
OF that statement, Costigan said, he
has been hoping Bratton would amend
his proposal so that there would be no
wage cuts or dismissals.
Senator Bratton explained that he
hn RI al 0;,N44
ment head should find it necessary to
go into personnel to accomplish the 5
per cent savings. the Costigan amend
ment would require dismissals rather
than pay cuts.
The Bratton amendment was among
the chief issues remaining to be
decided when the Senate recessed
at 10 o'clock last night, after
nine hours of work in which nearly all
other sections of the general economy
measure were acted on paragraph by
paragraph. The principal steps taken
during the afternoon and evening were
Approval of the section subjecting
enlisted personnel of the Army, Navy,
Marine Corps and Coast Guard to the
pay cuts ordered for civilian employees,
estimated to save $7633,000, approx
mately 100000 of which comes from
retired men.
Approval of the section to abolish
the Bureau of Efficiency, with an
amendment to make it effective at the
beginning of the third calendar month
following passage of the act
Agreement on the continuation of
the administrative furlough" clause
for another year with an amendment
by Senator La Toilette, providing that
Continued on Page 2, Column A.