Evening star., 1937-07-09
BY ]. RUSSELL YOUNG.

L
President Roosevelt made the posi-
tive statement today that his plan
to save 10 per cent of appropria tions
for Government activities during the
present fiscal year does not call for
Government employees to be discharged
or furloughed.
The President also said at his press
conference there can be no collective
bargaining between the Federal Gov
ernment and its employees because the
law prohibits the Government from
entering into contracts with employees
Moreover, he explained compensation
Of employees and administrative off,
GERS is fixed by law.
His comment on collective bargain
ing was made by the President in
view OF movement which has started
to bring Federal employees unions into
John L. Lewis Committee for Indus
trial Organization
The President also said that anv
group or individual employed by the
Government had the right to present
its case before board representing
the Government He added that. be-
cause the Government enters into no
contract with its employees, the latter,
therefore, do not have the right to
strike
While discussing his money-saving
program, by which he hopes to i'm
pound approximately S400, 900 900 by
the end of the present fiscal year, the
President emphasized for the purpose
of relieving the minds of large num-
Der of Federal workers that he has
no intention of reducing personnel in
the old-line departments or the in
dependent establishments and emer-
gency agencies The President said
| there are many other ways Of effect
ing savings which will be sufficient to
reach his goal of balancing the
budget, except for the extraordinary
spending in the name of relief.
The President explained he is hope
full of effecting substantial savings by
not filling vacancies when they occur
| in the Government service. In addi-
ton. huge savings can be accom-
plished by reducing or slowing up GER
tain activities, he said. In other
words, he has given instructions to
delay certain work. which could be
| accomplished within the present
| year and extend it over into the fol-
lowing year.
In discussing his economy aims the
President pointed out that considera-
| BILE savings should be effected in travel
expenses and by reducing the numbsr
of telephone calls and amount of
| public printing done each year He
! declared there is entirely too much
printing done by the Government,
much of which, in his opinion, is a
waste of money He added that most
! Government officials seem to want to
print anything and everything con-
nected with their department or
| agency.
Aid Pledged at Conference.
The subject of money saving was
discussed thoroughly yesterday after
noon at his conference with the rep
resentatives of % independent estab-
lishments and agencies, the President
said. He indicated the conference was
a great success and, judging from the
response to his appeal, he will be able
to accomplish the desired savings.
| A similar conference will be held
at the White House this afternoon
when the President meets with men,
bcrs of his cabinet. He has indicated
he is not as hopeful of affecting any
great savings in the old-line depart
ments as in the case of the independ-
ent esta blishments and agencies.
| When asked for an opinion on the
possibility OF employees bringing pres
sure to bear in the matter of wage
scales, the President said this would
be a matter for Congress and is gov
erned to some extent by civil service
rules.
Old Ruling Recalled.
In rela ting a story Of his connection
with Navy contract jobs while he was
Assistant Secretary of the Navy. the
President recalled that 1t was his job
to set wage scales for Navy contracts.
He said dat under an act of Congress.
the Navy was to pay the scale of
private industry in the vicinity of the
Navy Yard in question. He added that
in the matter of arriving at a definite
| scale and in fixing other details deal
ing with working conditions. he had
the local boards hold hearings to
listen to any one who had anything to
| saw and then reach decision and rec
ommend to him their findings. The
President recalled that the question
once arose whether the Navy would
enter into a contract agreement with
the draftsmen's union. He disposed
of this problem by making ruling to
the effect that the Government does
not make contracts with its employees.