The Washington times., 1937-05-28
BY ], EARLE MOSER

by the current SCaII TeQuCUlOu
will be allowed furloughs if they
have records of merit has been
officially announced by the Gen
eral Accounting Office.
The action was at first refused
by G.. A. o. when organized en-
ployes of the agency asked that
furloughs. as more humane and
a guarantee against purely politi-
cal turnover, be substituted for
outright dismissalS.
Officials declared that the reduc-
ton of 325 emergency clerks would
be carried out on the basis OF
efficiency and need OF the Job,"
and were not enthusiastic about
ever taking back those whom they
discharged for being below par in
their production.
After a second conference, how.
ever, it was decided to give fur
loughs to all who must go that
have efficiency ratings Of better
than fair or unsatisfactory. Thus
they will remain on the rolls Off
cially until December, and while
they won't be receiving pay the
time will count for purposes OF the
civil service reinstatement register
for those who have civil service
status.
The current reduction, at first
announced as probably $50, will
not go much over 325, officials
estimate. 1t has been alleviataed
in some slight degree by resigna-
lions and deaths, and few with
civil service status have reported
luck in being able to secure new
Jobs in other agencies. Many,
however, do not know where to
turn.
An additional slice of 300-odd is
expected July !, but officials today
said that with a good break" it
will not occur and that if it does
take place it is unlikely that the
dismissal list will reach 200. The
good break" would be congress
sional backing of projects that
would throw additional work on
G. A. o. Particular hope is held
that a new Soil Conservation pro-
gram at Agriculture will erase any
need for further firings. If G. A.
o. should face additional tasks I'M
der such, it would then ask funds
under a deficiency bill and fur
loughees would be brought back to
work and additional firingS for
gotten for the time being.
OPPORTUNITY - Samuel Gal.
anty, washington head of the Co
lumbia motion picture circuit, has
made a move that should endear
him to the hearts Of many Of this
city'S $4,000 Federalites.
Realizing that the Decoration
Day holiday will give clerks al
most three days of time off, and
that they will not receive their
pay checks until Tuesday, CALAMITY
has thrown open the doors of the
National Theater to them and
says they may purchase reserved
seats to see Lost Horizon" on
credit!
Confident in the honesty and
integrity of Uncle Sans person
mel. CALAMITY will require that they
do nothing to see the famous mo-
ton picture except to sign their
name and department on an II.
o. u" card and receive their re-
served tickets. Employees can
even phone the National and re-
serve seats for themselves, signing
their cards when they arrive.
No effort will be made to collect
from those who renege in paying
Tuesday, it has been announced,
and the pay when you get paid"
program instituted at the Ma
tional is expected to bring re-
Spouse from hundreds of grateful
workers who might otherwise have
been forced to twiddle thumbs
during summers first real recrea-
ton interlude. The day before
pay day is dry time for the
average Federal rank-and-filer.
Incidentally, Andy Kelley and
other dramatic experts write that
Lost Horizon" is an unusually
fine picture, if memory serves US
correctly.
Hearings on veterans preference
were suspended after yesterdays
session by the House Civil Service
Committee until further notice"
Before they ended, however, E.
Claude Babcock-whose statistics
have been the backbone of testi.
mony offered by several witnesses
managed to get in a strong blast
IN favor of his "juniority" method
OF reducing Federal agencies.
Chairman Ramspeck allowed the
former Civil Service Commission
secretary to submit for the record
a bill, the most important pro.
visions Of which read thusly:
Section l. That any reduc.
ton in personnel in any civilian
service of the United States, of
the government of the District
OF Columbia, or of any CORPORA
ton owned or controlled BY the
United States; employees shall be
released in the inverse order of
the length Of their total Federal
service; provided, that any en-
pIOye with not less than 80 years
Of annuitable service under the
retirement act, on his voluntry,
written request, shall be retired
In the next reduction of force at =
an annuity equal to the annuity
he would receive were he then
subject to compulsory retire.
ment for age"
Section 2. Whenever an en-
AaLnNA IL A h. nnlI