The Washington times., 1937-01-30

Relief for an embarrassing sit
uation facing credit unions COM
posed of Government employees has
been promised by Representative
Henry B. Steagall CD, Of Ala
bama.
The Representative, who heads
the House Committee on Bank
ing and Currency, has promised
Luther C. Steward, representative
of a large coalition of employe
organizations, quick action on a
bill which will allow Federal credit
unions to use space IN Govern.
ment buildings for their opera
tions free Of charge.
Credit unions, which exist in
practically every Government de:
partment and agency, had operated
for years within Federal buildings
without any thought to the fact
that they were business enter
prises" and paid no rent for the
space used. Their value in COM
batting "loan sharks" was recog-
nized universally.
About two months ago, however,
a query from officials to the Act
ing Comptroller General brought
q decision from the latter, based
on existing law, that credit unions
actually had no right to operate
within postal buildings to the ex-
tent of using space, whether
rented or received gratis
The big Postal Employees Credit
Union was Immediately partially
paralyzed in most Of its units,
and while G. A. o. officials de-
clared the ruling applied only to
postal structures, similar unions
in other agencies have been tread
ing warily ever since.
Immediate protest to President
Roosevelt was registered by the
National Legislative Council OF
Federal Employe Organizations,
of which Steward is legislative
representative, probably because
Stewards own organization, the
National Federation Of Federal
Employees, has long supported
credit unions among its own
members in several departments
in this city.
Representative steagall, whose
: committee is handling the bill
to give credit unions q semi
official status, assured Steward
and his associates yesterday that
he ''is heartily in accord with the
purpose of the bill" and said
he'd press for "early and favor
able" consideration. With the
exception of a few "get rich
quick" clerks in Sundry depart
ments, credit unions haven't an
enemy in the world. and predic-
ton of the bills passage would
appear quite safe.
The Civil Service Commissions
personnel has contributed ap-
proximately $500 to the Red Cross
for flood relief, despite the fact
pay day doesn't arrive until Mon
day. There also is clothing col
lection being taken up for the
same destination.
Procurement Lodge No. 86, A.
F. G. E., has announced a social
meeting for Friday, February B.
location to be announced. Dane
ing and refreshments, at least one
of them a malt product, are to be
available to be populace for the
negligible tariff of Is cents.
And the A. F. G. E. headquar-
ters today announced that reSerVa-
tions will be made available Mon
day for the District Department
banquet to be held in honor Of
the executive council February 13
at the Hamilton Hotel. James
Baugh, jr., at the Civil Service
Commission, is dispensing tickets
at 50 per person. Guests invited
are:
Senators Bulow, McCarran and
O'Mahoney, Speaker Bankhead,
Majority Leader Rayburn, Repre-
sentativeS Connery, wold,
Jenckes, Mccormack, Mead, Rams
peck, Randolph and Schultz, Pres
ident William Green of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor, Civil
Service Commissioners Harry B.
Mitchell, Lucille Foster McMillin
and Leonard D. White, John
Locher and Frank Coleman, presi-
dent and secretary of the Central
Labor Union, and Miss Theo
Glenn. of the American Fedora.
ton of Labor.
Many clerks are in ignorance
as to the makeup of the Civil Serv-
ice Committees whose actions this
session will have such a strong
bearing on personnel affairs. They
are as follows:
SENATE
William ]. Bulow, South Dakota:
Kenneth McKellar, Tennessee; Walter F.
lucky; NJ. NJ. Neely, west virginia; viii
liam H Dietrich, Illinois; Harry F.
Byrd virginia; Wallace H White,
Maine: Ernest W. Gibson. vermont;
Lynn J. Frazier, North Dakota.
HOUSE
Sirovich, New York; Jennings Randolph.
West Virginia; Virginia e. Jenckes
Indiana; George H; Mahon. Texas; Ed
Ersa Eard WI Curi1X NeW XqTk Frank w.
sas Richard N. Atkinson, Tennessee;
Guy L. Moser, Pennsylvania; Herbert
Alabama: John K Griffith, Louisiana;
Edward L. O'Neill New Jersey; Merlin
Hull. Wisconsin; Henry G. Teigan, Min
nesota; Edith Nourse Rogers. Massa-
Hampshire: Charles A. Hallech, 1ndi-
ana; Melvin ]. Mas. Minnesota; Ed
ward H. Rees. Kansas.
AAA Administrator Howard r.
Tolley has appointed Francis R.