Evening star., 1947-04-14
House Allows Labor
Less Than WiIdIife,
Green Tells Senate

William Green, president OF
the American FederationSof La
bor, chided Congress today for
planning to spend more ''for the
protection of migratory birds
and other wildlife" than to
1protect workers minimum wage
xtandards."
The labor leader said about
5000 900 was proposed to aid Wild
life in the fiscal year beginning
July /, while the House "has ap-
propriated only s4,o57, 400 to pro-
tect workers minimum wage stand
ards"
Mr.. Green's protest was prepared
Tor the Senate Appropriations SUBJ
committee, which Is reviewing some
$4,000, 900 slashed out of operating
funds for the Labor Department by
the House.
Labor Department officials are
scheduled to confer today to decide
when it will be necessary to give
dismissal notices to approximately
$500 Of its employees in connection
with the cut in funds. Labor
officials say that unless the Senate
restores its budget requests it will
be necessary to fire at least that
many of its 1900 employees.
May Get Leaves Now.
1t is expected that many of the
employees slated for dismissal will
be given their annual leaves now in
order to avoid paying them a lump
sum for accumulated leave. About
half the employees to be fired work
in washington, Labor officials said
Mr.. Green did not ask for res
toration of any specific amounts, but
urged adequate" funds because, he
said, the departments function is
to promote the welfare of more than
40 million wage earners and salaried
workers"
Funds Held "Pitifully Small"
Terming the maintenance Of high
production important at this time,
Mr.. Green added:
1T is not economy to paralyze the
services that can assist management
and labor to effect wise adjust
ments."
He said funds for the Labor De-
partment "are pitifully small when
compared with the millions OF dollars
Congress provides for 100000
farmers through the Agriculture De-
partment funds.
1T amounts in all to much more
than sl00 per farmer per year"
Mr.. Green said. compared with a
proposed outlay under House terms
Of '1ess than S2.25 per worker"
"The American Federation of La
Dor favors economy in government"
Mr.. Green said, "but we believe the
cut of 43 per cent below the Bureau
of Labor Statistics budget estimates
is unwise and wasteful."
Sees Only 6 Per Cent Coverage.
Among other points, Mr.. Green
contended that:
Wage-and-hour inspections would
permit "only per cent coverage"
under the House reduction.
The slash in funds for the Federal
Cancellation Service would prevent
attempts to settle abor-management
disputes before strikes and lockouts
occur"
The National Labor Relations
Board may have $500 to II 900 labor
disputes to handle in the IL months
beginning July l, instead Of the
10,500 cases estimated by the board
itself.
Another union official, Edward
Weyler, secretary-treasurer of the
Kentucky State Federation of Labor,
was witNess today and urged that
the departments budget request not
be trimmed.
Warns of Industrial Chaos"
Mr.. Weyler, who was introduced
to the subcommittee by Senator
Cooper, Republican, of Kentuck said
the House action would result in
more industrial chaos and strike
after strike"
Millard w. Rice, a legislative rep
resentative Of the Disabled Ameri-
can Veterans, asked that the Senate
restore the n per cent House cut in
the funds Of the national United
States Employment Service office.
Mr.. Rice said the opportunity of
disabled war veterans to become self
supporting citizens depended a great
deal on services rendered by the