Evening star., 1936-01-12
RY RoSAMOND COLE.


necessities, debts unpaid, insurance
policies lapsed, children deprived ot
the education and recreation they
need-these are few Of the woefu
results of section 213 of the economy
act of 1882, the famous marriage
clause"
Concerted assault on the law pro.
viding, In personnel reduction, fol
dismissal first of either husband OF
wife where both hold Federal posts
Is to be launched this session in Con-
gress to drive 1t into oblivion along
with most of the other features Of the
legislation asked almost four years age
by President Hoover to save the Gov
ernment $150,000, 900 annually.
Hoover's economy act Is little more
than q skeleton now, but the pony
hands of section 2l3 still bar from
Government employment some l,60C
men and women.
The marriage clause was an elev-
enth-hour idea of a few Representa-
tives and Senators anxious to bring
the long debated legislation To q final
vote before its date of effectiveness,
July l. Neither the original House
bill nor the original Senate bill con-
tanned section 2l3. 1t was supposedly
a compromise, inserted to temper the
economic effect on families Of the
personnel reduction features Of the
act. Exasperated opposition by many
members was futile when the bill in
final form was returned to the Senate
and House, for action before the July
/ deadline was vital. AS 1t was,
President Hoover did not sign the
measure until June 80.
Marriage Clause Goes On.
Most other features of the act are
memories. The prohibition against
reallocations was lifted, the involun-
tary retirement law was repealed and
the curb on administrative promotions
was removed. Yet the marriage clause
goes on.
Remaining also, to the annoyance
OF Government workers, is the reduc-
ton in annual leave from 80 to Is
days. Efforts to repeal that section
have been as unsuccessful as have
those to repeal section 2l3.
President Hoover signed the econ
omy act with limited satisfaction, -
expressing the hope that the next
Congress would remedy it.
Railing against the type of legis-
lation which still persists in the mar
ried persons clause, Hoover said:
1T falls short of the economies
promised by the cabinet and other
executive officers of the Government.
1t imposes unnecessary hardships on
Government employees in minor mat
ters of little importance economically.
The cryptic language of this ia
nous short section of a long law
states:
In any reduction of personnel in
any branch or service of the United
States Government or the District of
Columbia, married persons diving
with husband or wife) employed in
the class to be reduced, shall be dis
missed before any other persons en-
ployed in such class are dismissed, if
such huband or wife is also in the
service OF the United States or the
District OF Columbia. In the ap-
pointment Of persons to the classi-
ned civil service, preference shall be
given to persons other than married
persons living with husband or wife,
such husband or wife being in the
service Of the United States or the
District OF Columbia.
Crusade of Repeal.
Groups began to grid for the CRU
SADIE of repeal as protests rose against
the dismissal Of hundreds of men
and women. The latter usually suf-
Tered because most couples figured
that the wives would find other work
sooner and because in MANY cases
husbands had been in the service
longer or were receiving larger SAL
aries.
Chief among the organizations
which have fought for repeal of Sec
ton 2l3 are the Government Work.
ers' Council, the Business and Pro-
feSsional Women's Club, the League
OF Women Voters, the Zonta Club. the
Soroptomists, the Quotas, Federal en-
ployes' organizations and National
Women Lawyers Association.
Three times Representative En-
manuel Celler, Democrat, Of New
York, drum major in the march for
repeal, has introduced bills to abolish
the law. His most recent measure Is
before the House Civil Service Com.
mittee.
Celler plans to renew his fight this
session. The bill is listed on the con-
sent calendar, which gives it an op-
portunity for consideration under
hurried debate. Chairman Robert
Ramspeck of the House Civil Service
Committee said yesterday it would
probably come up for discussion on
the House floor January 20, II the
former House procedure of taking up
the consent calendar on Mondays is
observed.
Determined on Passage.
Celler is determined to get the bill
through this session. No real purpose,
ne believes, is served by the injury
and hardship which section 213 i'm
poses on its victims. 1.-THE misery the
section has caused has outweighed
what benefits have accrued from the
act" he declared.
Il am going to use all the parlia-