Evening star., 1934-01-17

Continued From First Page.)
not only q sharp but q substantial rise
with employees of the Federal Govern
ment again tagging behind other work
ers in salary, as they did in 1915. when
rise in price levels was under way"
Some Pay Halved.
Steward told the Senate subcommit-
tee of branches Of the service in which
employees have suffered reductions In
earnings much greater than IS per
cent, by means Of administrative fur
loughs and other indirect pay cuts. He
said there were even some cases where
the loss in income was so per cent.
He told Of instances IN which EN-.
ployes were furloughed on certain days
of the month and then had to put in
overtime to keep their particular work
from getting too far behind.
The subcommittee also heard testi-
mony to the effect that c. w. A. work
ers have been assigned to work where
regular employees previously had been
furloughed. Steward said he heard Of
case Of this knd at the Hampton
Roads naval base Senator Steiwer
Republican, of Oregon, said he had
been told that in the Biological Sur
vey large number of regular employees
were furloughed and the work done
later by c. w. A. appointees. The Sen
ator said 1t was probably done at lower
wage rates, but by inexperienced per-
sons and at greater ultimate cost to
the Government.
pending bill under which the pay cut,
~ ka knI tyy
that part Of compensation which Is paid
in cash. His reason for this, he said
Is that employees whose work requires
them to live on q Government reServa-
tion or away from home get part Of
their compensation in the form Of liv-
ing quarter allowances. He asserted
that double imposition has been placed
on these employees by computing the Is
per cent cut on these living allowances
as well as on the cash salary received.
whitney Joins Plea.
A. r. Whitney, representing railroad
brotherhoods, backed up the A. +. Of L.
and the Federal employees association
in urging restoration Of the entire Gov
ernment pay cut.
Green told the committee Of the de-
pressing effect the Government pay cuts
Washington.
Labor feels that q continuation Of
the pay cut is not justified, either by
the logic Of events or the economic
facts involved in the whole policy of the
administration of the industrial recov.
cry act, which is to increase wages,
shorten hours and restore buying
power" Green declared. ut seems, In
deed, a contradictory policy for the
Government to reduce the buying
power Of its employees by many millions
Of dollars. The Government cannot fol-
low the two philosophers.
Senator Russell, Democrat, Of Georgia,
wanted to know what 1t would cost to
restore the Is per cent.
Senator Glass replied about 1920 ,00o,-
600.
THAT amount doesn't sound big any
more" Senator Townsend observed.
Alifas Asks Repeal
Elimination Of the economy section
Of the bill was requested in q petition
presented by N. p. Alias, president of
District No. A, International Assocta-
ton Of Machinists and representative
OF the Metal Trades Department Of the
American Federation of Labor
Alifas, who said he represented "75,-
900 or more per diem workmen en-
ployed at navy yards, arsenals, the
Panama Canal and numerous other d.
visions of the Federal service" urged
repeal of "all those sections Of current
economy legislation which reduces pay. !"
These, he pointed out, include the IL
per cent pay cut and the prohibition Of
automatic and administrative promo
tions and furloughs.
Navy yard employees in particular, he
declared, have suffered by the economy
act, having had their hours reduced "a
an average Of about 40 q week, with
every other Monday on without pay.
This f,lrlough," he asserted, 'haa
practically become the permanent pol
Icy Of the Navy Department, and r.
suits in . permanent reduction Of over
"a per cent in the base pay Of thess
employees"
Wages Of the workers represented BY
Alias are fixed by boards or other au-
thor tiles, it was pointed out.
Alifas also requested protection fog
the workers represented BY him in the
event the Is per cent pay cut Is re-
stored. Wage fixing bodies, he declared
should not be permitted to reduce pay
rates below the level maintained before
June /. 1892.
A. Mitchell Palmer. former alier