Evening star., 1947-01-22
CiViIServiceUnit
1oUrgeS|ashin in
US. Agencies
Senate. Group PIons
To Bare Overstuffinq
After Hearings
By Joseph YOUNG

By Joseph Young
The Senate Civil Service Com
mittee today decided to broaden
its investigation of alleged wide
spread overstafing of personnel
in Government agencies by sub
mitting at the conclusion of it's
hearings specific legislative pro-
poSals to Congress for abolishing
unnecessary Federal bureaus and
consolidating others.
Chairman LANCER and the other
committee members agreed the
group should take the necessary
steps to cut Federal expenditures
as much as possible to allow the
Government to run on an efficient
basis. All instances where agencies
are found to have excess employees
will be turned over to the appro-
priation committees of Congress for
their consideration in acting on
appropriations requests, it was de-
cided.
Senator Langer's decision to
delve more deeply into all phases
of Federal expenditures won the
unanimous backing of both Demo-
cratic and Republican members OF
the group. The Republican Sena-
tors present at the meeting were
Ecton of Montana, Thye of Mime
sofa and Baldwin of Connecticut
as we'll as Senator LANCER. The
Democrats included Senators
OConor of Maryland, Umstead OF
North Carolina and Chavez of New
Mexico.
Budget Testimony Deferred.
Budget Bureau officials were called
today to testify before the commit
tee, but their appearance was de-
ferred until tomorrow because the
committee failed to finish its ques-
tioning of Interior Department wit
nesses. The Interior Department
was the first agency investigated
by the group in its plan to look into
the personnel and operating prac-
tices of every Government depart
ment and agency.
During today's hearing, William
Zimmerman, acting commissioner OF
the departments Office of Indian
Affairs, was questioned closely on
the bureaus activities. Questioning
brought out that it employed 5000
school teachers and other employees
to teach $4,000 Indian pupils.
Various committee members eX-
pressed the belief that there were
too many school employees engaged
for the Job at hand. Mr.. Zimmerman
answered that one of the problems
involved was the fact that Indians
are scattered in so many different
places, but promised he would study
the situation further and give the
committee a more complete report
on what could be done.
. Krug to be Called as Witness.
Senator LANCER declared the Gov
ernment could save millions Of dol
lars a year by gradually giving up
it's supervision of Indians. The In
dians Affairs Offices budget last
wear was approximately $40,OOO,000,
the committee was told.
The committee will meet again to-
morrow to hear Budget Bureau Oh
ficials and also continue its question:
ing of Interior Department chiefs.
Secretary of Interior Krug is eX-
pected to be called as a witness.
Civil Service Commissioner Ar
thur S. Flemming told the commit
tee Yesterday that as of December
81 the Federal payroll numbered
2,236 900 employees, 100000 Of them
in the continental United States.
This marks a total reduction OF
1,483, 100 Federal employees from the
wartime peak of 3,770,000 in June,
lo45, Mr.. Flemming added.
All Agencies Obeying Rule.
He declared that as far as he
knew all Federal agencies were
obeying the quarterly personnel
slashes ordered by the Budget Bu-
~reau and pointed out that the Fed
eral payroll has been reduced con-
sioerably since the personnel CELL
ing was set by Congress last June.
Although he did not venture a
prediction on whether a sufficient
number of additional Government
workers will be fired during the next
few months to reach the 1,61l 600
goal, Mr.. Fleming pointed out that
the Post Office Department and the
Veterans Administration already
had exceeded the personnel ceilings
tentatively scheduled for them for
next July. Also, he cited that Con-
gress, after passing the personnel
ceiling provision, later gave the
Budget Bureau discretionary power
to approve additional employees for
agencies in the interest of public
welfare.
In the case of VA and the Post
Office Department, Mr.. Flemming
said the VAS employment ceiling
for June 80, 1947, had been set at
10000 employees, but that the
agency's employment total already
had reached $4,000 workers by last
December 81.
Likewise in the case of the Post
Office, it's June 80, l947, employment
figure had been estimated at 433,-
450 workers. but by last December
81 alone, it had 457,574 employees on
. it's payroll, Chairman LANCER and
.his committee were told. Both the
tentative estimates had been in
cluded in the 1,611,000 employe goal,
Mr. Flemming said.
Bubv Saved in Carton