Evening star., 1942-02-09
Lands Confirms
That Actor Douglas
Works Without Paw
$1,000 SoIoy Figure
Was Theoretical Says
Kirby Of o. c. D.

NuOy VI ~. ~ -.
James M. Lands, executive direc.
tor Of the ONCE Of Civilian Defense
today backed up the statement o
Actor Melvyn Douglas that he Wal
serving without compensation anc
not making the 5000 a year which
reused q storm Of protess In Con-
gress.
James Kirby, o. c. D. press ON.
Ger, who had verified reports OF the
$1,000 salary, today said he didn't
know all the details" when he dis
closed the salary.
The question Of salary for Mr.
Douglas arose last Tuesday at Tire
press conference at which Dean
Lands announced the appointment
OF Mr.. Douglas as director OF a
newly formed arts council for O
G. D.
Asked About Salary.
Dean Lands was asked by q re-
porter what salary Mr.. Douglas
would receive and said that had not
vet been worked out, but he assumed
Mr.. Douglas would serve on the
same, basis that he had-travel ex-
penses and subsistence.
He said he did not think Mr..
Douglas would mind that arrange
ment. When q reporter suggested
that Mr.. Douglas living expenses
might be higher than that Of some
other people, Dean Lands said the
subsistence wage was fixed by the
Government.
Thursday morning a Star reporter
called Mr.. Kirby to verify a pub
lished statement that Mr.. Douglas
would not be on subsistence ar
rangement, but would receive $4,000
a year, or $22.50 q day while actually
working. Mr.. Kirby said the report
was correct, but asked the reporter
to use the word disclosed" instead
of announced"
Called Theoretical Figure"
After Mr.. Douglas denial that he
was getting 5000 a year. The Star
reporter who had confirmed the
$4,000 salary report last Thursday
with Mr.. Kirby, today called him by
telephone at his home.
Mr.. Kirby said the $1,000 was q
Theoretical figure" and when 1t
was pointed out that the word
theoretical" had not figured IN pre-
vious discussions, Mr.. Kirby re-
sponded: "Well, didn't know all the
details at the time" and referred to
a statement issued this morning by
Dean Lands on advice from the
Civil Service Commission. He said,
however, that he understood Mr..
Douglas would still get subsistence
while working and travelling, ex-
penses.
The statement from Dean Lands
follows:
"An w. o. G. (without compensa-
tom appointments in the Once OF
Civilian Defense must be classified
t.e., must be allocated to the ap-
propriate salary grade that the
position would carry II salary were
paid This is done because the
salaries of subordinate paid en-
ployes in the same unit are affected
by and have q relationship to the
salary grade level Of the top posi-
ton and unless the theoretical level
of w. o. c. positions is determined, q,
It becomes difficult to appraise the
work of the paid subordinate posi-
tions in the same organization. For
this reason, Mr.. Douglas position
was classified and was theoretically
allocated to the P-8 ($8,000) level
despite the fact that he Is actually
serving without compensation and 1t
was this fact that caused the cur
rent misunderstanding regarding his
supposed Government salary"
MI. Douglas in his statement said:
II don't mind being criticized. But
what began as q personal attack
upon me has grown into an attack
upon a job which needs to be done
a Job which Is an essential part OF
the civilian defense program.
Here is the job which Dean
James Lands, executive director OF
the Office of Civilian Defense, de-
scribed to me, and which I accepted.
All over America there are actors,
writer's, playwrights, radio stars,
song writer's, band leaders and sing
ers who want to do their part IN the
war effort. For weeks their re-
quests have been pouring into Wash
ington. They want to know what
can we do How can we server
Can Contribute Talents.
"The people in the entertainment
world can contribute their talents
and abilities to the civilian defense
program. They can dramatize de-
fense. they can dramatize the war
effort, they can bring home, to COM
munities all over our land, the
meaning OF America at war.
"It is necessary for the ONCE Of
Civilian Defense to have a clearing
house which will help, encourage
and inform the men and women Of
the entertainment world who are
volunteering their talents and who
want to put their talents to use in
our common cause.
This Is everybody's hight. NO
group of citizens can be excluded
from taking part in the war effort.
The personal attack upon me has
broadened into . generalized attack
on q fundamental issue: Whether
or not thousands Of loyal Americans
who work in the creative or enter
tainment world shall, because OF
their profession, be denied the privi-
lege Of helping to win this war.
They want to help win the war, and
they have as much right to con-
tribute their energies and talent as
. businessman or q manufactures.
The Broadway leading man and the
Hollywood extra girl have as big a
stake in this war, and as sincere q
desire to serve their country as the
boomtown businessman and the fac
tory girl.
Don't Have "Glamour."
"A few Of these men and women
are stars. But most Of them are the
folks of the small-town theater in
Kansas, the 100-watt radio station in
Montana, the county fair circuit in
Nou ENGLAND They don't have