Evening star., 1940-02-16
Opens
Fight on Federal
Budget Cuts
Nationwide Effort
To Keep Workers in
Jobs Is Launched

Jobs Is Launched
The United Federal Workers Of
America today launched a Nation.
wide drive to prevent cuts in the
Federal budget which threaten jobs
Of its membership.
Opening gun Of the drive was
sounded last night at a rally Of
the c. I. o. afiiliate.s Washington
members In the Labor Department
Auditorium, attended by more than
500 persons from many branches
Of the Government.
After hearing three speakers on
the subject Of budget cuts and
their implications, union members
attending the rally unanimously
voted two resolutions, one to be
forwarded to President Roosevelt
and members Of Congress and the
other to be sent out to organiza.
tions throughout the country likely
to make common cause with the
q. F. w. A. in opposing the cuts.
See "Ruinous Economy"
The resolutions branded the bud
get cuts, described by rally speakers
as totaling more than one billion
dollars In the non-defense activities
Of the Government, as "ruinous
economy"
There is growing and disturb
ing evidence that a campaign is
being waged to convince the public.
and Congress that many Federal
services developed for the benefit
Of our people are not essential and
that Federal workers administering
these programs are unnecessary"
the first resolution said.
"The improvement Of conditions
Of employment in the way of salary
increases, adequate promotions,
more adequate retirement legisla.
ton are being junked in this econ.
omy movement"
The second resolution stated:
"The proposed budget for the
fiscal year 1941 will result, If
adopted, in disastrous reductions in
governmental services and benefits
to the American people as whole
and in particular to those sections
which stand in greatest need Of
such services-the unemployed, the
farmers, the low-paid industrial and
service workers, the women and
children. the youth and the small
businessman"
Member Drive Projected.
It is organizations fitting this de-
scription which 1t is the intent Of
the U. F. w. A. to organize through
radio, printed appeals and speeches
into a concerted drive for appro-
priations. A drive for membership
IN the U. r. w. A. Is to be q major
part Of the campaign.
The resolutions were passed after
union members had heard speeches
by Jacob Baker, national president
Of the q. r. w. A.: Len De Caux,
editor OF the G. I. o. News, and
Irwin Elber, national organizer Of
the q. F. w. A. Chairman Of the
rally was Arthur Stein, president
Of the District of Columbia Council
of the union.
A telegram from John l.. Lewis
promising support of the entire
G. I. o. was read.
Congressman, Democrats and Re.
publicans alike, are now possessed
OF fear Of not being elected unless
they turn willing ear to the busi-
ness interests who shout loudest"
IN their districts, Mr.. Baker, the
first speaker, said.
"They are prepared to balance
the financial budget Of the country
while leaving the human budget
unbalanced" he said.
The $45 ,000, 900 900 debt limit has
now become sacred" to these
economizers, he went on. He named
the drive inaugurated today as the
stop ruinous economy drive"
Hits Administration.
Mr.. DeCaux told union members
that the administration and the
G. I. O., using the same statistics,
had arrived at two diametrically
opposite conclusions, the admins
tration deciding to economic and
the G. I. o. deciding that the initial
steps taken by the New Deal to-
ward social reform should now be
expanded and consolidated.
It was TINS diametrically opposed
viewpoint, he said, which caused Mr..
] Lewis to accuse the administration
Of bad faith.
noeoribtn~ &hn >na~>~.S,>.~ -.
''hard-faced tories" and reaction
ary extremists" Mr.. DeCaux &C.
cused the administration Of contem.
plating throwing out $4,000 more
relief workers to be absorbed at
starvation wages" by private indus
try or to be entirely unabsorbed.
Mr.. Elber asked what right the
administration had to cut more
than one billion dollars from the
non-military budget and add on the
military budget, thereby, in effect,
forcing those persons thrown out
of work to foot the bill.
Military defense, he said, is not
the kind Of defense America needs
most. It is the defense growing
out Of high public morale induced
by good living conditions and a high
standard Of living which will win
the day, he said.
"Au We are asking Is that the
Government complete . job well be-
gun," he said.
Let's return some Of these mem.
bers Of Congress to private industry
instead Of the unemployed and the
Government workers." he added.
He concluded by telling union
members they must thoroughly un-
derstand the seriousness Of the sit.
uation and organize to combat it.
Two Are Sentenced
In offerv Cnse ~.