Evening star., 1941-07-08
First Checks Go
Out utTodaYU Under
4Payday Plan
10000 Federal
Workers to Get
Port of Salaries

With scarcely creak in the
governmental machinery, the first
checks under the four-payday-a.
month system for Federal employees
went out today.
Last-minute threat to the smooth
working of the new system was the
possibility that all the credits neces-
Sary to release the checks wouldn't
come through on time
BY noon today. the credits for all
but the Federal Security agency
were in and the checks were being
distributed. Checks for Federal Sc
curity Agency employees were being
held up pending the arrival OF the
credit, but Treasury officials said
there was some possibility the credit,
now on its way, would arrive in
time for distribution of the agency S
checks today.
Although appropriations have
been passed late other years, there
has been no problem getting them
through the Treasury, the General
Accounting Office and back to the
Treasury in time for payday on
the 18th of the month.
10000 Affected.
The Disbursing Office of the
Treasury, where the actual work OF
the four -payday-a-month plan goes
on, estimated yesterday that $4,000
Federal employees would be getting
paid today. These were employees of
War, Navy. Treasury, Agriculture,
Commerce and the Federal Security
and Federal Works Agencies.
They we're to receive eight
thirtieths of their months pay to-
day and half a months pay on the
23d of the month. After that, their
paydays will fall regularly on the
9th and 23d while the other Federal
employees paid from the Disbursing
Office will receive their checks as
usual on the 18th and last of the
month.
Because the first payday was for
only half the regular salary of the
employees, it meant some extra work
for the Disbursing Office, but not as
much as might be expected to re-
arrange paydays for 10000 people
The Disbursing Once uses ad-
dressing machines for all the ma
terial that goes on checks. The
plates are segregated by depart
ments so 1t was no job at all to
pluck them out and run them
through.
Stores Make Arrangements.
The only difficulty was the differ
ence in the salary figure. Instead of
using machines, the office had to
call into service adding machines.
typewriters and writing ma
chimes for the half-pay figures.
After the first payday, the Dis
bursing Office expects no trouble at
all. Some days previously devoted
to preparing periodic paychecks due
on the first of the month-such as
pensions, retirement outlays and
compensations-will be used to work
on checks for the two added pay
days.
Department stores and banks
made special arrangements to take
care of the first reduced payday
rush. In most department stores
extra sales clerks as we'll as cashiers
were taken on, following the regu-
lar payday system. A department
store official predicted, however,
that q reckoning at the end of
the month would show that not
many more people were brought in
for the four smaller pay loads than
for the two big ones.
The majority of the banks fol-
lowed the same schedule of hours
that they do on the 18th and last
of the month. 1t was emphasized.
however, that this was a temporary
arrangements to test out the de-
mand for the longer hours. A bank
official pointed out that it was i'm
possible to 60 over the thousands of
depoSitors to determine which were
in the affected departments and
agencies.
Banks Weigh Longer Hours.
From a months experiment, the
banks will determine whether longer
hours should be in force four times
a month or only twice month and
on which days, if twice a month.
the longer hours were required.
Possible rearrangement of the
days on which notes fall due, in
the cases of Federal employees whose
paydays have changed is a matter
of private negotiation between in
dividual banks and borrowers, John
A. Reilly, first vice president of the
District of Columbia Bankers As
sociation, asserted.
Each case will be studied on its
merits. he said, and if the borrower
requests it, decision will be reached
this month to suit the convenience
OF bank and borrower. No policy
can be worked out to cover all
banks. he explained, since notes are
a matter of private contract.
No problems were expected to
arise In payment of utility bills be-
cause the bills can be paid within
20 days after they are received. but
Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone
Co. Official said some shifts would
be made in the force to put more
employees to work in the cashier
of1ice today to take care of bill
paying Federal employees.
Banks List Schedules.
The schedule of temporary hours
OF active member banks and asso-
clate member banks of the District
OF Columbia Bankers Association
follows:
Remaining open until $50 pm
all four paydays-American Sc
curity and Trust Co. main Office
and all branches), Anacostia Bank,
National Savings and Trust Co.,
Riggs National Bank (main office
branches will close at 2 pm, re-
open at 4 pm. and close at $50
PM; Union Trust Co., Washing
ton Loan and Trust Co. (main Office
and branchO, East Washington Saw
ings Bank.
Remaining open until 5 pm. all
four paydays-Bank of Commerce
and Savings tmain ofice and
branch, McLachlen Banking Corp.
(main ONCE and branch), Munsey
Trust Co., National Bank Of WASH