Evening star., 1933-09-20
ECONOMY
HITS 143 WORKERS
Employees Whose Husbands
or Wives Are on Pay Rolls
to Lose Jobs.

workers in the local post Office, or by
their wives or husbands who are en-
ployed elsewhere in the Government, it
was made known today.
The cut is due to 60 into effect
either September 30 or in October,
and the postal workers hit by the mari
tai status law have the option of Drop
ping out themselves or having hus-
bands or wives take that course.
Inasmuch as most OF those affected
are carriers and clerks, with wives In
Government employ, it Is thought that
the latter will be the ones to go. There
are only few women in the local Of
fees whose husbands also are in serv-
ice, it was said
Party of National Policy.
The retrenchment is part of the Ma
wide policy inaugurated under the
economy act, which, between July / and
December 81, is expected to separate
some 5000 workers from the Govern
nent pay roll. Only about $50 OF these
are leaving by reason OF the marital
status law, the others going out by the
30-year retirement route. Separations
here under the latter thus far total 18,
and it was said today that no more are
in prospect.
The resort to the marital status law
as measure of saving is an innova-
tion in the department, where the an
nounced policy has been mo dismissals,"
the procedure having been rather to
spread work and not to fill any va
cancies that might occur in the natural
course of events.
On the 30-year retirements also, it
has been stated, the principle followed
Is either voluntary separations or re-
moyals where inetficiency Is basis
Under the Attorney Generals inter-
probation of the economy act. married
workers are first to 60 where reduction
of force is necessary.
One means Of bringing about the re-
tirement separations is through con-
solidation of rural routes, approx
mately $500 of which are expected 10
be effected. although this problem has
not been worked out in detail.
AS compensatory measure, the nine
day furlough assessed against postal
terminates September 80 and
is not to be continued. Whether the
reduction in equipment allowance to
rural carriers. from cents to a little
more than l cent per mile, Is to be
continued has not been announced.
Here the trend of postal revenues is
to be the determining factor.
No report ever has been made by the
department on receipts since July i.
when the local mail rate was cut to 2
cents in q move it was hoped wou4u
boost revenue and would also serve as
a trial balloon" to see if the rate coui.
be cut back from 3 cents for all fi..--
class mail
Despite the decrease in blsr
which generally Is running abou.
third less than In the peak yea.
1929 the postal force as Wno.e
of only around 5 per cent from l.
year, and this by retirements. de~i
and related causes. The postal for
is about 100000.
The departmental service here h.
been untouched thus far, the perso
mel having been at minimum 14gI,e
for some time.
A. G. o. Clerks Renew Fight.
Meanwhile, married clerks in the
Adjutant Generals Office at the WI
who are being disni se,
next month beacuse their mates draw
Federal pay, are planning to carry Their
fight for retention for the second time
to Secretary Dern on his return to
Washington in a few days.
Petitions will be circulated, it was
said today, asking the War Secretary
either to cancel the custer order, which
he approved before leaving. or to re-
lieve the situation by substituting the
general furlough system in the Adju-
tant Generals ONCE. Provided Secre-
af
these two steps, it was said he would
be asked to furlough the At married
clerks whose services are under 30
years, so they will not lose their civil
service status
Charges that the custer order vio-
lated the letter and spirit Of the econ
omy act were made today on behalf
OF the married group by Miss Anita
Pollitzer. vice chairman Of the Ma
tional Women's Party, who has taken
a lead in their defense
Miss Pollitzer declared the dismissal
Of this group of employees could be OBJ
economy act. which makes furloughs
mandatory to save employees jobs
In view Of the specific wording of
section 216," she said. 1T is clear that
it was the intent of Congress that fur
loughs. rather than dismissals, should
be placed in effect. and that such fur
loughS should be applied first to those
drawing the largest salaries, thus pro-
tecting the small-salaried employe"
Inquiries developed today. however,
that section PIG Of the economy act,
which authorized direct application of
the furlough system" was repealed and
by additional legislation con-
tanned in the recent Independent Office
bill.
Stands by Custer.
While the War Department preferred
to stand by its custer order without
further explanation, the State Depart
ment, which already has dismissed 40
married persons out of 81 employees
dropped from the service since July
l. came to its defense today. It was
declared that all the departments in
Washington have first dismissed married
women whose husbands are carried on
other Federal pay rolls and then ap-
piled section 9 of the independent Of
fees bill. which repeals and supersedes
the mandatory furlough clause in the
economy act.
This section merely authorizes" ap-
plication of the furlough. omitting spe-
cific direction. it was said. This leaves
II tUtlTely WlJIiul tllc OlSCIeIlOll VI Lile
head of the department to furlough en-
ployes or exercise other means to reduce
the personnel to keep within the salary
limits
Additional charges were made on be-
half of the group in the Adjutant Cen
erals Office that four married clerks in
that Office are being retained on the
pay rolls despite the fact that their
mates draw either Federal or District
pay.
1t was claimed the custer order did
not affect those above grade S. in which
clerks receive salaries ranging from $2,-
900 to $4,000. The married clerks ex-
empted from the custer order, it was
said, are in the higher pay brackets.
In these specific cases, it was pointed
out at the department. the men were
not let out because their duties are
necessary to maintain the efficiency of
fkA o(8ro