Evening star., 1935-06-30
BY J. A. FOX.

BY J. A. FOX.
The hulk of the once sturdy econ
omy act lists a little further at mid
night tonight.
Launched with a back-handed ben
ediction from President Hoover on
July /, 1882, the craft that was looked
to to bear the Government through
Depression Shoals has known only ad-
verse winds on its three-year passage
Billowing sails have become shredded
canvas on warping sticks, and an ILL
starred voyage that was destined to
end nowhere Is about complete.
No tears are being shed.
Cargo Being Jettisoned.
The end of the fiscal year 1885 to-
night sees more of the cargo of the
economy act being jettisoned.
Going overheard are the ban on re-
ALLEGATIONS; the curb on administra-
tive promotions; the involuntary re-
tirement' law; provision for rotating
furloughs, and the vesting of sole
authority to fill vacancies in the
President.
Hanging on principally are the re-
duction in leave from 80 to Is days;
the martial status law; reduced
travel allowances, and some pay re-
ductions pertaining to officers of the
armed forces and TO members of some
commissions.
How much effect will be felt from
Of Aa -,
and administrative promotion legisla-
tion is q question. The first permits
Of a regarding of positions. a step
that has been held up for the full
three years. The latter allows promo
tons within grades-which, after an
absolute ban of two years, has been
permitted for the past year, whenever
savings could be effected in other
salaries to care for adyancements.
With appropriations being held down,
widespread promotions are not an
ticipated.
Leave Restoration Seen.
Restoration of 80 days annual leave
is In prospect. A bill already has been
reported out of the House Civil Service
Committee. and action is expected
shortly. No opposition to the meas
ure is in sight, either in House or
Senate, and if the legislation can be
kept clear of the log jam. passage is
expected without trouble. In addition
to the 30-day leave restoration. the
measure allows accumulated annual
leave up to 100 days, and the same
for sick leave.
The House Civil Service Committee
has held hearings on q bill sponsored
by Representative Celler. Democrat,
OF New York to do away with the
marital status law, which provides
that in mandatory dismissals one or
the other of an employed husband or
wife must step out, but no one looks
for favorable action. There not only
is opposition in Congress to such a
step. but President Roosevelt has
called on the emergency establish
ments to hold job-placements down
to one to family, which would seem
definitely to doom the Celler measure.
This law cost about 1,700 Jobs.
There is little agitation in evidence
about other restrictive features still
applied to Government employes
There is 5000 ceiling" on COM
bined retired pay and salary for any
retired service officer-not disabled
taking a civilian position, although
they may accept either retired pay or
the nf tho
ceeds the $4,000.
Travel Allowance S..
Travel allowance still is down to IS
daily from So; the Interstate Com
merce Commt sioners are on a $4,000
annual basis instead of $4,000, and
the international joint commission
erships-Mex'tsn and Canadian
once comfortable $4,000 berths, are
down to S5,00c
Veterans allowances. arply
slashed at the outset of the Roose-
welt administration. have been beat
ing back to their old basis. For di-
rect service-Connected disabilities. it
was said yesterday. payments are
about where they were. For nom
service connected classes, payments
also have been restored. In the pre-
sumptive' service connected cases,
the ban on compensation still holds.
The first economy act, passed by .
Congress over which he had lost con-
troll, was signed by President Hoover
with limited satisfaction"
He said in explanation: "First, it
falls short of the economies promised
by the cabinet and other executive
officers of the Government. Second, it
imposes unnecessary hardships on
Government employees in minor mat
ters of little importance economically"
Hoover expressed the hope the next
Congress would remedy it. At that
time, the Government deficit was
81, ,885, ,000, 900, two-billion- dollar
jump in a year, and the economy
measure was supposed to save $780,
600. 900 annually.
1t carried an ga per cent nay re-
duction and the Various employment
restrictions, including reduced leave.
Salaries Restored.
Within two weeks after President
Roosevelt had taken Office. he boosted