Evening star., 1940-12-19
Dirksen Plans
Study for D. {.
Personnel Cut
To Follow Up
Figure Showing
1000 on Leave

lican, Of Illinois said today he plans
to make an exhaustive study of the
District government before the new
Congress convenes in January to
find out whether a substantial re-
duction can be made in employe
personnel without interfering with
the efficiency of the municipal ma
chine.
A report of the Commissioners,
showing that nearly 1000 of the
$4,000 District employees were on
leave December 10, served to indi-
cate to Mr.. Dirksen that perhaps
the municipal government could
function in regular manner with
out so many workers on the pay
roll and at the same time save tax
payers about $1,0OO,OOO a year.
The report was prepared by the
Commissioners at the request of
Representative Hoffman, Repub-
lican, of Michigan, who wanted to
determine how many District en-
ployeS took leave to earn extra
money working on defense projects
at military camps in nearby Mary
land and Virginia. According to
information given Mr.. Hoffman,
only five of the employees on leave
were working on other jobs.
amazed" at Figure.
If the figures given Mr.. Hoff-
man are correct" said Representa-
tive Dirksen, ranking minority mem
ber Of the House District Com
mittee, Il am amazed that the Dis
trict government can function. If 1t
can with 7 per cent of its person.
mel off on leave, there is some
reason to believe it can function
regularly without the entire number
now on the pay roll 1t would indi-
cate that very substantial econo-
mics can be made in the field of
personnel and might afford an op-
portunity to save as much as
$l,000,000 a year.
This is a matter that deserves
careful and sustained attention, and
l propose to explore the possibility
of substantial economies.
Il am confident also that this sit
uation deserves the best attention
Of the House subcommittee on Dis
trict appropriations as we'll as the
District Legislative Committee"
Young Defends Figure.
Reports from the District Ruild-
ing are to the effect that Repre-
sentative Dirksen has taken an lex
aggerated' view of the situation
Commissioner John Russell Young
told newspapeermen that an alb
sentee list of 1000 a day for the
municipal organization of $4,000
employees is about normal, since
about 200 fremen and about 200 po-
licemen are off duty every day of
the week. Commissioner Young also
said he believed the ratio of en-
ployes in the District service off
on any particular day is not any
higher than in the Federal service.
Representative Hoffman, who is
not a member of the District Com
mittee, did not view the report of
the Commissioners from the angle
which Mr.. Dirksen did, since he was
concerned primarily in learning
how many District employees took
leave to work on other jobs.
For two weeks Representative
Hoffman has conducted a cam
paign against Federal or District
employees holding two jobs while
thousands of men and women are
out of work. He has introduced a
bill which would prevent all Federal
or District workers from taking two
jobs if their combined income is in
excess of $4,000 year, if the money
comes out of public funds.
Hoffman Comments.
His only comment about the report
he received from the Commissioners
was: The proportion of District en-
ployes on leave and working on
other jobs, if carried throughout the
Federal Government, shows that we
can't get rid of unemployment this
way
Later. Mr.. Hoffman went on the
House floor and charged that be-
tween 700 and 1000 District or
Federal employees are driving taxi :
cabs in Washington to earn extra
money.
He said he based the charge on
information given him by Chris
Panagos, president of the District
Cab Drivers Mutual Benefit Club.
These Federal or District employees
driving cabs, Mr.. Hoffman declared,
are "either on leave of absence from
the Government while receiving pay,
on leave of absence without pay or
after they had finished their daily
work with the District or Federal
governments"
Says Figures Inconclusive.
THE District of Columbia" he
said, "has sent up a list of those in
the Districts employ who are paid
in part from the appropriation of
public funds which shows that as
of December 10 approximately 1000
of the District employees were on
leave. How many of these are
driving cabs, working for private
employers or working on jobs where
they are paid in part out of the tax
money, no one seems to know
Nor is there any reliable evidence
showing the number of Federal en-
ployes in the City of Washington
or elsewhere who are drawing pay
on two jobs while several million of