Evening star., 1934-10-31
Chief Executive Certain
Mounting Prices Will JUS
tify Order Then, but Not
Before.
ANNOUNCEMENT DASHES
HOPE FOR JAN. | BOOST
Restoration Will Mark First
Time in Three Years That
Workers Have Received Full
Salary-District Staff Also Will
Benefit.
BY ]. RUSSELL YOUNG.


Full restoration of the Government
pay cuts next July l will be recon-
mended by President Roosevelt, it
was announced today at the Presidents
semi-weekly press conference.
Mr.. Roosevelt said provision for
elimination of the remaining 5 per
cent OF the pay cut has been made IN
the preparation of the budget esti-
mates for the fiscal year beginning
July !.
The President explained he is bas-
ing this action on the fact the cost
of living is increasing, and that it will
reach the point before July l, which
will give him authority to issue the
necessary executive order restoring
the pay.
The President, under the economy
act, which put a Is per cent pay cut
into effect, was required to issue an
executive order each succeeding six
months, either continuing the cut or
else restoring a part or all of it. How
ever, Mr.. Roosevelt was not given dis
cretionary powers, but was directed
by law to act only in accordance with
figures on the cost of living. If the
cost of living was found to have in
creased sufficiently, he had authority
to restore part or all of the pay cut.
No Change in December.
In discussing the subject the Presi-
dent said that while there has been
some increase in the cost of living. at
present it is not sufficiently large
to Justify restoring the remain
ing 5 per cent with the ending
of the present six-month period, De-
cember 81. He said his order cover
ing the present six-month period will
continue the per cent pay cut until
the end of the next six-month period,
June 80.
Mr.. Roosevelt said there is every
reason to know now that the increase
in the cost of living before the ex-
piration of the fiscal year will be Suf-
ficient to permit him to issue the Ex-
ecutive order. He added that all of
his advices are that the living cost
will rise high enough to make this
order justifiable.
AS a result employees of the Federal
and District governments next July
will receive thei' full pay for the first
time in more than three years. The
Is per cent pay cut was in the econ
omy act of 1888 More than a year
before that, curing the administration
of President Hoover, an economy meas
ure was passed providing for an 8l3
per cent cut in addition to certain fur
loughs.
Babcock Opposes Delay.
July is too late date to restore
Government pay, E. Claude Babcock.
president of the American Federation
of Government Employees, said in a
statement on learning of the Presi-
dents action
I'VE are not surprised by the PreSi-
dents reported statement that full
restoration of pay is almost certain
on July l, the beginning of the next
fiscal year" Babcock said. I'VE had
anticipated that.
Restoration as of July is restora-
ton at too late date. The restora-
ton should be made as of January l
and no one can say what living costs
may be by July l. They are and have
been for some months rising rapidly
and there is no provision in the econ
omy legislation for increasing salaries
over the basic rate in the event of an
abnormal rise in living costs.
THE American Federation of Gov
ernment Employees is already prepar-
ing to meet further rises in the cost
of living by campaign for increases
in basic salaries of all Government
workers"
Congress Voted Return.
Congress at its last session felt the
burden being borne by the Govern
ment employees was too heavy, particu-
larly in the face of increasing living
costs. 1t then included provision in
the veterans compensation ect re-
storing 10 per cent of the original Is
per cent pay cut. Five per cent Of
this restoration was retroactive to
February last year and the other 5
per- cent restoration was made with
the beginning of the fiscal year, July
Continued on Page S, Column So