Evening star., 1934-01-05
us. WORKERS BEGIN
HIGHER PAY DRIVE
Little Hope Held for Restora-
ton of More Than 5 Per
Cent Cut.
Continued From First Page. }

tCOnClnueQ from fuSJ FdBe.D
announced yesterday both by Presi-
dent Babcock of the Federation Of
ard
Babcock said:
I'VE are deeply disappointed at the
Presidents recommendations We had
hoped that the President would see the
inconsistency of not applying the new
deal principles of the N. r. A. to his
own subordinates. We must now look
to Capitol Hill for congressional action
Lodges are being requested to continue
every legitimate effort to bring to the
attention of Congressman the real
facts The Presidents recommendation
is based on his misinformed belief that
salaries were already too high in 1928.
II will not be our purpose to attack
the administration. 1t will be our pur-
pose, however, to insist continually, in
every forum into which we can obtain
entry, that 1t is unjust to continue any
pay cut to Government employees We
will adopt the Presidents own motto,
We must go forward to the full re-
covery,' for Government employees"
Steward Gives Radio Talk.
Steward spoke over WRC last night
in Radio Joe" Kaufman's program, as
well as outlining the position of his
group in a formal statement, in part,
as follows:
Deep disappointment attends care
full study of the Presidents personnel
recommendations in his budget mes
sage.
"Under them all curtailments and
restrictions are continued, with 10
per cent, instead of IS per cent. limit
on pay reductions. The result of con-
tinuance of the drastic curtailments Of
the economy act necessarily must be to
freeze the civilian personnel in status
which is widely acknowledged TO be
unsound, unfair and unjust.
For months the civilian employees
have been carrying out the national
recovery program, bearing terrific bur-
den of overwork not only without added
compensation, but at reduced compen-
Sation.
States Basic Reasons.
Substantial recognition Of the work.
ers' contribution should be accorded for
two important and basic reasons. First,
such recognition is demanded by the
spirit and letter of the national recovery
act itself Second, sound personnel
administration practice must take into
consideration the nature OF the duties
performed and the morale of the
workers.
For the Federal Government to con-
tinue the suspension of automatic in
creases. the prohibition on the filling of
7acancies. reduction in travel allowances
and the like clearly is out OF line with
the whole plan Of the national recovery
act.
The message additionally contains
most unfair and unjustified discrimina-
ton against tens of thousands of civilian
employees in favor of the Army. Navy
and Marine Corps, in which services
restoration of automatic increases is
recommended.
The language used here raises ques-
tions of the most vital significance and,
until explained more fully and salts
factoriiy. must give rise to increasing
uneasiness among all civilian employees.
In connection with the Army. Navy and
Marine Corps it is stated in the message
that the personnel of these three serv-
ices are engaged in life service to their
country
1T is to be assumed, then. that
the tenure of service of civilian en-
ployes is uncertain" He expressed the
view that help would be forthcoming
from Congress.