Evening star., 1946-09-16
Truman Favors
Caution in j. ).
Job Reduction
Cuts Must Not Hurt
Essential Services,
President Tells AFGE
BY Joseph Young
Sfor Stoff Correspopdent

ST. PAUL, MINI, Sept. 16.-
President Truman today ex-
pressed his opposition to indis-
criminate f1rings of Government
employees during the current re-
duction-in n-force program, in a
message sent to the national
convention of the AFL American
Federation of Government En-
ployes.
Mr. Trumans message to the
opening session of the convention
here cheered AFGE officials, who in
terpreted the Presidents statement
as meaning that he is opposed to the
arbitrary personnel ceilings on indi-
vidual Federal agencies imposed by
the Budget Bureau as part of the
observation-disclosures program.
In his message, Mr.. Truman de-
clared that reductions in Federal
personnel "are an absolute neces-
Slty,' but he also declared. yet, at
the same time, we must make sure
that we distribute those reductions
in such a way that none of the
essential services of government are
crippled"
Burns Is "Gratified."
Mr.. Truman made no specific
mention of the. necessity of cutting
Federal employment to 1900 900
workers by next July as provided un-
der the Federal Pay Act of 1916, con-
tenting himself with the statement,
I'VE must see to it that we do not
have any surplus personnel"
James B. Burns. president Of the
AFGE. declared that I'VE are very
gratifled by the Presidents state
melt because that's exactly the same
position we have taken for months.
We know that sharp personnel cuts
must be made and we don't want ex-
cess baggage on the Federal payroll.
But we contend that the arbitrary
personnel ceiling system works hard
ships on many agencies that can't
operate efficiently with less person.
mel. If We are to have efficient gov
eminent, we can't slash our payrolls
Unfortunately"
The Federal Pay Act Of 1946 con-
tains a provision which authorizes
the Budget Bureau to set up per-
sonnel ceilings in government on q
quarterly basis in order to fire ap-
proximately 100000 employees by
next July.
Budget Bureau Discretion.
However, Congress later passed
the Third Deficiency Act which
gives the Budget Bureau discretion
not to drastically cut personnel in
some agencies if it decides that to
do so would be against the public
interest" To date, however, the
Budget Bureau has stuck to the per-
sonnel ceiling requirements of the
Federal Pay Act.
In his message, Mr.. Truman said:
Il am aware, of course, that these
are difficult days for the career serv-
ice because of the necessity for re-
oucing the number of persons on
the Federal Governments payroll.
These reductions are an absolute
necessity. We must see to it that
we do not have any surplus per-
sonnel, and yet, at the same time,
We must make sure that we dis
tribute these reductions in such a
way that none of the essential
services of the Government are
crippled"
Must Strengthen Service.
Mr.. Truman also said in his
message: Your convention is being
held at very important time.
Never before in the peacetime his
tory of this Nation have Govern
ment employees been called on to
discharge as difficult and as COM
plex duties and responsibilities. If
they discharge them successfully
they will make a major contribution
to the preservation of our institu-
tions. Failure to discharge them
effectively would seriously under
mine public confidence in our form
of government. We must therefore
work together to strengthen our
career public service"
1ASCi oChCHoiiib tlidt pei sOllllel CutS
must not be made in a way to
cripple the functions of government,
Mr.. Truman declared: Il invite
you and the members of you Or
ganization to do everything in your
power to help us work out solutions
to this and other problems con-
fronting the public service"
Burns Annual Report.
Mr.. Burns, in his annual report
to the convention, sharply attacked
the rival CIO United Public Work.
ers of America and invited discon-
tented members of that union to
join his organization.
While not mentioning UPWA by
name, he made it clear he had the
union in mind by mentioning spe-
officially the Atlantic City conven-
ton of UPWA, at which time the
CIO organization adopted a pro-
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