Evening star., 1934-01-06
Preparing Special Message
Asking Congress Support
Against Credit Peril.
PRESENT SCALE DECISION
EXPECTED NEXT WEEK
Proponents of Full Restoration
Organize Campaign, With Capitol
Support Growing.

With opponents organizing their
Lines at the Capitol, President Roose-
velt is preparing to send special mes
sage to Congress asking support for his
budget recommendation that the Gov
eminent pay cut be continued at a 10
per cent level in the next fiscal year.
This message, bolstered by figures
designed to show, the principle is in
harmony with the extent to which liv-
ing costs are increasing, is to 60 for
ward in the next week, it was dis
closed late yesterday at the White
House. where the President called into
conference Chairman Buchanan of the
House Appropriations Committee and
chairmen of appropriations subcom-
mittees, to urge that all budget esti-
mates be strictly adhered to, that the
credit of the Government may not be
imperiled
! Sees Congress Support
Buchanan and the other conferees
were understood to have told the Presi-
dent his advice would be followed, and
today the chairman expressed conf
dence that his committee and the
Democratic membership in the House
generally would SO along with the
President not only with regard TO pay
4 cut, but all other economies proposed.
! There might be deviat!onS in some
minor matters, he said.
| The economy legislation will be car
ried in the independent Offices bill,
! which today was marked up by the,
subcommittee headed by Representatives
Woodrum, Democrat. Of Virginia, ano
will be ready for the House Wednesday.
This will be the first Of the large ap1
preparation bills to come before the
House, and will set the principle to be
followed in the others.
Follows Presidents Plea.
The subcommittee had previously
voted to include a full restoration OF
basic salaries Today Woodrum, when
questioned relative to the decision az
to the amount to be carried for sal-
aries. made the following statement:
Il can state without improperly that
the subcommittee has followed the rec
ommendation of the President in his
budget message with reference to SAL
aries. It will be recalled that under
the terms Of the economy act the Pres
ident is directed to adjust salaries of
employees in the classified service in
| accordance with the cost of living as
compared to the 1928 level. This au-
thority applies during the remainder
Of this fiscal year. which ends June 30,
The President now has under advise
ment the question of whether or not
| there will be any restoration or any
amount thereof during the remainder
of this fiscal year"
In view of the fact the President is
planning the special message, with its
inclusion of living-cost figures, it would
occasion no surprise should he wait until
it is ready before announcing the pay
scale that is to prevail during the next
six months.
Logically, this would come early N
the week. for the reparation of the
nidmonth pay rolls will be begun about
the 10th, and the Government agencies
vii lrequlre scale on which 10 WoTK
at that time.
Meanwhile, speculation is turning on
the strength that will be developed by
forces in both Senate and House which
favor return to the regular pay level
in July. rather than the alternative Of
the per cent restoration that is pro-
posed. Leaders have reported strong
sentiment in both parties for elimina-
tion of the pay cut, and the employees
organizations are preparing for Wig
orous campaign in this direction.
Smell Hints G. o. P. View.
An indication of what may be eX-
pected from the Republican side is
seen in statement from Represent
ative Smell of New York, the minority
leader, expressing doubt that the cost
of living has shown but a 5 per cent
increase since April. Smell is an advo-
cate of full restoration.
A number Of pay measures also have
been introduced by both Democrats and
Republicans, the latest coming from
Representative Mcleod Republican,. +.
of Michigan. He proposed not only a
return to the regular salary level, but
also elimination of the furlough system
prevent diSmiSsals; restoration of pro-
motion rights and 30 days annual leave
and the filling of vacancies.
In discussing his bill, Mcleod said
"the wage Slashing program of the Fed
erA Government for its own employees
is inconsistent and entirely at variance
with its policy concerning private in
dustry.'
Cites Recovery Policy.
THE fundamental principle Of thf
entire recovery program" he said, az
based on the conception that increased
consuming power among wage earneli
is vital to resumption of normal busi'
ness activity; in line with this theort
approximately four million unemployed
have been given work on C. w. A.
projects. The N. r. A. has been created
to correct industrial abuses ard inI
crease the earning capacity of workers.
Millions of dollars have been spent I'll
increase the prices Of farm products.
AS a result of this concerted pro-
gram, the cost of living has recently
taken sharp upward trend. Farm
products have risen As per cent. All
d. commodities, on an average, have in
creased 20 per cent. The wage rate in
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