Evening star. [volume], December 24, 1942, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
. . ....
Weather Report
Little rhange In temperature tonight, with low
est to be near 34 degrees. Temperatures today—
Highest. 46. at 3:45 p.m.; lowest. 34. at. 12 55
a m Full report on page A-12.
Fuol oil consumption should bo 7£ nor ocni
ot allotment for period endms January i
_Closing N. Y. Markets—Soles, Page 13.
I NIGHT FINAL
LATEST NEWS AND SPORTS
CLOSING MARKETS
i/P) Mon* A»»otl*Ud Pratt
91st YEAR. Xo. 36,0:51.
WASHINGTON, 1). <\, THURSDAY. DECEMBER 24, 1942—TWENTY -EIGHT PAGES, x
Washington TTTT?I-'I<’ ('KYTS
and Suburbs IHKhh ' FIVE CENTS
RUSSIANS CAPTURE MORE COSSACK TOWNS
_ _ (Story on Page A-1)
President Hails
War Gains in
Yule Message
Sees Forces of Evil
'Not So Confident'
Of Final Victory
(Earlier Story on Page B-l.)
President Roosevelt this after
noon wished the country good
cheer for the Christmas season
and stated that “this is a happier
Christmas than last year in the
sense that the forces of dark
ness stand against us with less
confidence in the success of their
evil ways.”
Tire President delivered his mes
sage from the south portico of the
White House as the feature event
of the 20th consecutive national
community Christmas tree celebra
tion here. Crowds gathered about
the Christmas tree placed on the
south lawn of the White House.
The tree stood unlit on the White
House lawn because wartime pre
cautions forbade illumination. How
ever. the tree was decorated with
hundreds of ornaments donated by
the child! en of Washington from
supplies of other years. Tire orna
ments were collected through the
recreation centers of the city. No
new ornaments were purchased for
the decorations this year.
Message for Allies.
"This year I am speaking on
Christmas eve not to this gathering
at the White House only,” President
Roosevelt said, "but to all of the cit
izens of our Nation, to men and
women serving in our American
armed forces and also to those who
wear the uniforms of the other
United Nations.
“I give you a message of cheer. T
cannot say ‘Merry Christmas' for I
think constantly of those thousands
of soldiers and sailors who are in
actual combat throughout the world
—but can express to you my thought
that this is a happier Christmas
than last year in the sense that the
forces of darkness stand against us
with less confidence in the success
of their evil ways.
“To you w'ho toil in industry for
the common caus^of helping to win
the war. I send a message of cheer—
that you can well continue to sacri- i
fice without recrimination and with
a look of Christmas cheer—a kindly
spirit toward your fellow man.
Good Will Toward God.
“To you who serve in uniform I
also send a message of cheer—that
you are in the thoughts of your fam
ilies and friends at home, and that
Christmas prayers follow you wher
ever you may be.
“To all Americans I say that lov
ing our neighbor as we love ourselves
la not enough—that we as a Nation
and as individuals will please God
best by showing regard for the laws
of God.
“There is no better way of foster
ing good will toward men than by
first fostering good will toward God.
If we love him we will keep his
commandments.”
Lauds Men in Uniform.
The President made special men
tion of our uniformed men “who
guard remote islands and bases and
will, in all probability never come
into active combat with the common
enemy.” Of these men he com
mented:
“They are stationed in distant
places far from home. They have
few contacts with the outside world,
and I want them to know that their
work is essential to the conduct of
the war—essential to the ultimate
victory—and that we have not for
gotten them.”
President Roosevelt remarked that,
in this year of war, Christmas is
really the only holiday because it is
the one day of the year on which
the factories “will be stilled."
“I like to think this is so * be
cause Christmas is a holy day," Mr.
Roosevelt concluded, "may all it
stands for live and grow through
out the years.”
Late Races
(Earlier result’s, entries and selec
tions for tomorrow on Page 2-X.)
Tropical Park
FOURTH PACE P'; ' r «mhi olaiimnc.
^-year-olds maidens (i furlong*
hav Flight 'Young) . 1 in hi ; oi
Rrx-Aue <Jemas> 4 in •; so
'
T.mc 1 ; J 1 4 %
Also ran- -Leicester. Masdala. Panthorn.
I • n, H°'ij FLarp Rewaid Camp Liberty
and Whit* Ford.
FIFTH RACE—-Purse 'siki claiming
.-year-olds o furlongs i chute»
"Udell (Gorman* ton •.'tin •; tn
Prominent -McCreary 4 ;n ; ;<u
Guerryion tWinn> -'mi
I :me ill -j
Also ran- Short Shrift Moment iio
Betty Leon Rocky rra.c Worsted Goods
l uiisan Sam Mammy E Hap Spam n
Sun.
SIXTH RACE- Purse. M non allow
n (rs .’{-year-olds and upward 1 l-io
m lies
I • pnv Family <F/?.ds* u.Tn •; *o -• tn
I Question -Stevenson- •’ 71» ■; ;n
G'-’d Teadv 'Ad'm ' 10
Time 1.15 :;-.Y
Also ran—-Jamerica Shin Bi cun.
New Orleans
P' "he Associated Pretc.
FIRST RACE.Purse Ginn claim in?
’-vfftr-olb ond uowovd • furlong.
C'iudy Weather 'Swain' ~ on »>n ■’ 1 < 1
Wise Deci.-ion tChngman* in 1 \’n
i vchia t isi < Pa stum a • no
Time 1 l ; - -
Also ran -Yellow Ma.-k Hiuhbiow.
■1r>hn s Dream Windy Smith Auld Lang
Svne Flag Poll. Elliel Belie.
SECOND RACE Purse non claiming
N-vrar-olds a id upward u furlongs
High Plaid fClingmam i* nn i 4n .5 tin
Mad Bunny 'Crowthen S no ;t 40
Royal Marlboro i’Ouenn) H t>u
Time j j;t 4-5
Also ran Blossom Queen Memph ■ Lad.
Compton. Cannons Banner Pitch n Toss.
Bucket Shop Csnigo
THIRD RACE Purse *unn claiming;
"-year-olds and upward J J-lrt milcr
Masculine 'Clingmant 5.40 'l bn ■? »>n
Broi'er 'Madden* ,*0 ’ 4n
Jump Bid < H Kiev ) H.Mi
Time 1 1 s 3- ’>
Aleo ran -Ch-lla Nation Cagol Mmo*
Anna Coveil Ophelia *.’d
a c
Gas Ban Rumor
Denied by Ickes
And Henderson
The Office of Price Admin
istration and the Petroleum
Administration this afternoon
issued a joint statement deny
i ing current rumors that an
other order was planned sus
pending sale of gasoline to the
public and urging motorists
not to start “runs” on filling
stations.
The statement follows:
“There have been in circula
tion rumors to the effect that
the Office of Price Administra
tion is about to issue another
order suspending sale of gas
oline to the public.
"These rumors have no basis
In fact. No such order is pres
ently under consideration by the
Office of Price Administration.
The Petroleum Administration
for War had not recommended
any such action.
“Gasoline supplies could be
seriously drained, however, if the
public were to start runs upon
the filling stations. Such runs
would be the quickest and best
way of creating a situation which
would make a freeze order nec
essary.
“The public can best serve its !
own interest by confining gaso
line purchases to necessary re
quirements.”
Conciliator'Hopeful'
As Striking Busmen
Hold Mass Meeting
* I
Navy Uses Own Vehicles
To Take Workers to
Newport News Yards
By the Associated Presa.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va„ Dec. 24.
—A mass meeting of striking
transit workers was called for 3
o'clock this afternoon, the first
development since an all-night1
conference at which efforts were
made to end a walkout that crip
pled the peninsula’s regular bus
and trolley service.
Previously Thomas B Morton. De
partment of Labor conciliator, said
he hoped “a little progress” had
been made in efforts to settle wage
increase differences between the
Virginia Public Service Co. and
transit workers who struck yester
day.
Tlie Navy stepped into the breech
and used its own buses to carry
workers to the Newport News ship
yard and Army establishments saw
to it that their military and civil
ian personnel got to and from work,
but there was no immediate relief
for housewives, domestics and others
who depend on public transporta
tion.
Rear Admiral Ormond L. Cox. in
charge of naval construction at the
shipyard, estimated that 65,000 man
hours were lost on vital ship con
struction yesterday as a result of the
failure of this area's transportation
network. He said that absences
from work ran about 30 per cent
above normal.
The Navy's action in shifting 32
buses and other vehicles to Newport
News from the Navy Mine Depot at
Yorktown and the Naval Operating
Base at Norfolk helped relieve the
situation considerably.
Admiral Cox said that today's ab
sences were only about 10 per cent
above normal.
Second D. C. Operator
Barred From Gas Sales
(Earlier Storv on Page A-R.)
Price Administrator Henderson
i today nut two out-of-town filling
station operators out of business
for the duration because 'both deal
ers reneatedlv sold casoline without
requiring coupons from their cus
tomers.” it was said. The cases
were two of six acted on by Mr.
Henderson under a new program to
curb gasoline bootlegging.
Meanwhile, a temporary suspen
sion from business of a second Dis
trict dealer was announced. The
dealer. Antonio Tornatora of the
Red Devil Service Station, 452 New
York avenue N.W., was prohibited
from retailing gasoline for 90 days
on charges of selling without re
quired coupons.
A nress release from the OPA said
the dealers suspended for the dura
tion from the sale of gasoline were
Milton Wohlgemuth, operator of a
station in Buffalo. N. Y , and Albert
P Caron operator of an Adams
' Mass.i station.
Slasher Unidentified
As Second Woman Dies
B> hr A. o< iated Pre v
LOS ANGELES. Dec. 24 -Mrs.
Jessie Mack Hamilton. 53, second
victim of a knife-wielding torch
slayer, died todav without naming
her assailant.
The music teacher—whose com
j panion, Anna Dreyfus, 83. former
! Washington French teacher, died of
injuries in an attack last Satur
day—regained consciousness shortly
before her death. However, she
could only say that she was attacked
by a man she did not know.
Police earlier had advanced a
theory that an acquaintance had
slugged the two women and set their
apartment afire during a robbery.
Mrs. Hamilton's son Volney of
Waukegan, 111, is en route here.
t
Ickes Demands
Miners Act on
42-Hour Week
Sees 'Very Critical'
Situation Unless Coal
Output Is Speeded
By the Associated Press.
Fuels Co-ordinator Ickes said
today he had told both sides in
| the stalemate over extension of
the five-day, 35-hour work week J
in bituminous coal mining that j
they had “better get together
again and get busy.”
Mr. Ickes told a press conference
that, his three-month-old request :
for speedy adoption of a 6-day, 42- '
hour week to gain a production in- j
crease which he said was necessary i
to the war effort, now appeared to !
,be "getting nowhere fast.’’
He said he had no authority to
“force” an agreement between op
erator and union representatives in
a dispute involving hours and wages,
but remarked that "there must be
power somewhere in the Govern
ment” under the War Powers Act to
attain his object.
Sees Crisis Threatened.
“I want them to get the men
working more hours and producing
more coal,” he said. “We're going to
run into a very critical situation,
and then the people won t like it at
all.”
The bituminous coal operators j
and President John L. Lewis have \
split over the question of whether j
the sixth day should be voluntary j
with the individual miners, as Mr. I
Lewis wants it, or whether it should
be mandatory, as the operators want
it. so that penalties could be in- ,
voked against absenteeism.
Anthracite operators and the
UMW. Mr. Ickes’ aides said, have :
agreed tentatively on a six-day i
working week if the sixth day is
necessary to fill orders already sub- \
mitted to the operators, but not to ;
build up stockpile supplies. Miners
absent on the sixth day would be
subject to penalties, they said.
67,000 Workers Lost.
Mr. Ickes said the bituminous and
anthracite industries had suffered a
net loss of 67.000 men since last
January 1 and were having diffi
culty getting equipment as well as
manpower, which he said would
mean a “pinch’’ in coal which would
be felt early next summer.
He said bituminous production
would have to be Increased from
576.000,000 tons this year to $600,000.
000 next year to meet wartime needs
and anthracite production would ,
have to be increased from 60,000.000
to 65,000.000 tons.
Four Are Again Convicted
Of Trying to Kill Von Papen
By the Associated Pres*.
ANKARA. Turkey. Dec. 24—Two
Russians and two Turks were con
victed today for the second time
of complicity in the unsuccessful at
tempt to kill Franz von Papen, the
German Ambassador, with a bomb
in February, 1941.
The Russians are Georgi Pavlov
and Leonid Karnilov, both minor
functionaries at the Russian Em
bassy, and the Turks are Suleyman
Sagol and Abdurahman Sayman.
The Russian.? received sentences
of 16 years and eight iribnths and
the Turks 10 years after their first
conviction which was reversed by
the appelate court a few months
ago.
Russian-Turkish relations cooled
perceptibly after the first convic
tion, but improved after the re
versal.
Sagol at the last session of the
trial two weeks ago repudiated his
confession in which he implicated
the Russians.
Ickes Expresses Regret
On Henderson Quitting
Ey the Associated Press.
Secretary of Interior Ickes said
today he regretted “verv much" the
resignation of Leon Henderson as
price administrator and expressed
belief it would be “hard to fill his
place."
"I think Henderson has done a
whole lot better than he gets credit
for ” Secretary Ickes said. "He will
get the credit later, but that’s like
cecting a beautiful monument to a
man after he dies.”
Remarking that he was “in a posi
tion to realize what punishment is
inflicted on a public official,” at
times for action that later draws
praise. Secretary Ickes described the
price administration post as “a devil
of a job." and added:
”1 think Henderson, all things
considered, has done a very good
job and I never once doubted his in
tention to do a good job.”
Markets at a Glance
NEW YORK. Dec. 24. (,re
Stocks mixed: peace stocks fav
ored. Bonds steady; rail loans
advance. Cotton even; trade and
mill price-fixing.
CHICAGO. — Wheat higher;
short covering. Corn higher;
short covering; shipping sa les.
No Night Final
Edition Tomorrow
The Star will observe Christ
mas Day as usual tomorrow
by eliminating the Night
Final Edition. Subscribers to
this edition will receive the
regular Home Edition.
*
STREET SCENE FROM A WORLD AT WAR—Three American soldiers stroll through the streets of
Occupied Oran, in North Africa, after Allied forces landed. The normal activity of the city had
been resumed.
Wounded in the fighting during the occupation, this French colonial soldier received first-aid
treatment from two Americans. —Signal Corps Photos.
Roosevelt Greets
All Allied Soldiers ,
In Congress' Behalf
Yule Message Conveys
Hope of Quick Victory
And Lasting Peace
By the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt sent Christ
mas greetings today to all the
‘ soldiers of those nations large
and small which are united in
defense of freedom and justice
and human rights.”
Addressing his greetings to the
armed forces of 28 United Nations,
the Philippines, Ethiopia, the
Fighting French and to Gen. Henri
Giraud. commander of French
forces with American troops in
North Africa, Mr. Roosevelt said
I he was communicating with Allied
forces at this time at the request
of Congress in expression of that
body's ‘‘deep and abiding sense of
gratitude ”
Text of Message.
The text, of the President's mes
sage follows:
“Struggling side by side against
powerful foes, thousands upon
thousands of soldiers of those na
tions large and small which are
united in defense of freedom and
justice and human rights, face the
holiday season far from home,
across oceans or continents, in
fields of desert sand or winter snow,
in jungles or forests, on warships
or merchant vessels, on island
ramparts from Iceland to the Solo
mons, in the old and new worlds.
“They strive to the limit of their
strength without regard for the
clock or the calendar, to hold the
enemy in check and to push him
back. They strike mighty blows and
! receive blows in return. They fight
the good fight in order that they
may win the victory which will
bring to the world peace, freedom
i and the advancement of human
I welfare.
Speedy Victory Besought.
"Wtih a deep and abiding sense
of gratitude, the Congress of the
United States, has by a joint reso
lution, asked me to transmit, on
behalf of the people of the United
States, to the armed forces and aux
iliary services of our Allies on land,
on sea and in the air best wishes
and greetings of the season to them
and to their families and a fervent
hope and prayer for a speedy and
complete victory and a lasting peace.
"Accordingly, I shall be grateful
to you if you will convey to your
armed forces and auxiliary serv
ices. in the name of the Congress
of the United States, in my own
name and in the name of the peo
ple of the United States, the cordial
wishes and greetings and the hope
and prayer expressed in the joint
resolution."
Late News Bulletins
French Army Mission Arrives
A French military mission, headed by Gen. Marie Emile
Bethouart, arrived in the United States by plane today to co
ordinate the supply of equipment for French forces fighting
with the Allied troops in North Africa. Bethouart, recently
liaison officer with Gen. Henri Honore Giraud, was accom
panied by several French officers and Brig. Gen. Shepler W.
Fitzgerald, commander of United States forces in Central
Africa. His sympathy for the United States and Britain has
been consistent and well known, the War Department added.
Russians Continue Advance
MOSCOW (Friday (£*>.■—The Russians announced early
today their troops advanced 15 to 16 miles yesterday in con
tinuation of their Don offensive. A special communique
declared the third winter offensive had swept forward more
than 85 miles since it began nine days ago. They have
captured 42,200 men, the communique added.
U. S. Flyers Bomb Jap Base in North Burma
NEW DELHI, India (JPk—Fighter aircraft of the United
States 10th Air Force in India set fires among Japanese
installations at Maingkwan in Northern Burma while on
offensive patrol yesterday, a United States communique said
today.
Fragmentation and incendiary bombs and heavy machine
gun fire were spread liberally on the target area. One of the
planes was damaged.
Nazi Counterattacks in Tunisia Futile
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS. North Africa 0P>,—The Ger
mans have launched repeated counterattacks in a vigorous
reaction to French attacks south of Pont du Fahs and west of
Kairouan on the central Tunisian front, but made no progress,
a French communique said today. “We held the terrain,
taking many prisoners,” the communique said, adding the
American air force strongly supported the French.
Three Girls Foil
Bandits Who Use
Gas in Holdup
By thf Associated Press.
CHICAGO. Doc. 24.—Throe men
wearing gas masks fled empty
handed from a currency exchange
: today when three women employes
! outwitted them by using wet towels
to protect themselves from tear
gas which the men pumped into the
cage.
When the masked men entered
i the T. and N. Currency Exchange,
I Inc., at 819 West Thirty-fifth
i street and shouted “Open up; this
! is poison gas.” Miss Mary Kerwin,
23, pulled Miss Dorothy Alroth, 16.
and Miss Lillian Polyonskas, 16, to
l he floor.
One of the men, carrying a 10
inch container with a short rubber
tube, thrust the tube under the
money slot of the window and be
gan pumping gas into the cage.
Another pumped gas under a door.
The women crept into an adjoin
ing washroom, moistened towels and
used them for improvised gas masks,
i After frying for five minutes to enter
the cage, the men fled.
t
Hull Wishes Americans
'Christmas of Confidence'
By the Associated Press.
Secretary of State Hull today
wished Americans a "Christmas of
supreme confidence” in victory and
expressed the hope that the “bur
dens and sacrifices of today will
bring mankind a brighter and no
bler tomorrow."
His message said:
"This second Christmas since an
armed attack was launched against
our country is an occasion for all
of us to rededicate ourselves fer
vently to a unity of purpose and
to unremitting effort in the accom
plishment of the two great tasks
which are still before us: To over
throw. as speedily as possible, the
forces of evil, now on the defensive
but still formidably arrayed against
us, and to make this world of ours
truly worthy of the inspiring light
which came to mankind when the
Prince of Peace was born.
"May I wish all a Christmas of
supreme confidence that we shall
defeat and destroy the forces seek
ing to conquer and enslave us. and
that the burdens and sacrifices of
today will bring mankind a brighter
and nobler tomorrow.’’
President in Signing
Pay Raise Bill Asks
6-Day, 48-Hr. Week
Asks All U. S. Agencies
To Cut Down on
Personnel
By J. A. FOX.
President Roosevelt today signed the joint resolution
raising the pay of more than 1,000,000 Government em
ployes, and at the same time called on all executive agencies
to establish a 6-day, 48-hour work week, cut down on their
personnel requirements and do away with non-essential
activities.
The measure, rushed through Congress in the closing
days of the last session, provides time and one-half overtime
for employes working more than 40 hours weekly, and gives
a 10 per cent flat raise to those whose work does not lend
i |-1 itself to an overtime schedule.
Jeffers Denies
U. S. to Seize
Spare Tires
(Earlier Story on Page A-3.)
By the Associated Press.
1 OMAHA. Dec. 24.—Rubber Admin
! istrator William Jeffers said in a
; statement today “There is no likeli
i hood, in my opinion, that the fifth
j tire of automobilists will be taken
by the Government.”
He issued the statement to clarify
remarks attributed to him yesterday
that owners may have to give up
their spare tires. No such plan is
contemplated, he explained.
Mr. Jeffers stated that in response
to a question at a conference here
yesterday as to what would happen
in the event the synthetic program
did not work out as anticipated, he
said that "because of the absolute
necessity that the maximum of farm
production must be carried out and
that if there was any indication of
any shortage of tires, then there was
always the reservoir of the fifth tire
on autos and those of cars in
I storage.”
He added “Our every effort is to
keep America on wheels and the
spare tires are much better in the
j possession of the autoist than stored
in some warehouse.’’
......
Nine Coast Guardsmen
Rescued From Yawl
After 21 -Day Search
Craft Blown to Sea
In Gale Off Nantucket
Covers 3,100 Miles
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. Dec. 24.—The
; rescue of the nine-man crew of
! a Coast Guard yawl, which was
sighted and lost several times
during a 21-day search after she
was blown to sea off Nantucket
in a gale, was announced by the
Navy today.
The men. all members of the
Coast Guard Reserve, were landed
today at Ocracoke Inlet, N. C.
The Navy said heavy storms, fog
and poor visibility hampered rescue
efforts since the 58-foot-long aux
iliary yawi, the former yacht Zaida,
sent out a distress signal Decem
ber 3. She was in command of
! Chief Boatswain’s Mate Curtiss
Arnall of Townsend Manor, Green
! port. N. Y.. a former amateur yacht
I man who has participated in many
i Bermuda races.
I Arms and Navy planes. Navy and
i Coast Guard surface craft and the
| British Navy took part in the search,
j The yawl was sighted several times
! and once was taken in tow by a
British destroyer, but the lines
parted in the darkness and con
tact could not be regained in the
heavy wind blowing off Cape Cod.
The yawl covered about 3.100 miles
before Ihe crew was taken aboard a
Coast Guard cutter off North Caro
lina late yesterday. The men. all
i reported in good condition except
one who suffered rib and arm in
juries, were being flown to New
York.
The rescue was accomplished by
blimps, planes and surface craft
which went to the vicinity after a
report that the yawl was sighted
shortly after midnight Wednes
day only to lose contact with her
during a rain squall. A blimp finally
! sighted the shin, dropped food and
remained in position until surface
l craft arrived.
Freight Cars Reported
Carrying Heavier Loads
E> the Associated Press.
The Office of Defense Transporta
tion said today that shippers are
• making substantial savings of rail
i road cars and motive power'’ by
packing freight cars with heavier
1 loads.
1 Samples taken out of a recent
survey showed that one steel com
oanv has increased Its loadings per
car in recent months from an aver
! age of 44 8 to 49.9 tons. Another
! company has increased its average
per car from 48.2 to 54.3 tons. Some
I Florida fruit companies reported in
i creases of 22', per cent, and certain
midwestern feed mills had gains of
14.2 per cent.
t
“For many departments and
agencies, the adoption of the 48
hour week will represent a four
hour increase in the working
schedule,” the President said in
announcing the signing. “Ob
viously, this will permit reduc
tion of personnel in some
agencies and eliminate the ne
cessity of filling vacant positions
in others. I am expecting you to
take immediate steps to bring
about a reduction in your per
sonnel requirements.”
1.277.000 Affected.
According to the best estimate
available from the Budget Bu
reau, approximately 277,000 de
partment workers here and more
than 1.000.000 in the field are
beneficiaries of the new legisla
| tion, which, for the first, time,
recognizes the principle of the
overtime pay for “white-collar
workers.”
Legislative and judicial employes
in the Federal Government and Dis
trict of Columbia employes—with
exceptions that include policemen,
firemen and school teachers—also
come under the law. Another meas
: ure, affecting policemen and fire
men. has not yet been signed.
Per diem employes whose wage is
I fixed by wage boards or other
| authorities: elected officials, heads
of agencies and those outside the
I continental United States are ex
cluded.
The overtime rate is based on the
first $2,900 of salary earned by an
individual, as is the flat increase.
No raise will be permitted where it
would put a salary over $5,000. In
other words, an employe receiving
$4,800 could only earn $200 over
time, irrespective of the number of
hours worked, or could get no more
than a $200 flat increase.
The legislation was passed as a
war emergency proposition to off
set increased living costs and will
. be effective only until April 30. In
; the meantime, congressional leaders
plan to work out a permanent pro
! gram.
White House Statement.
The following statement was
I issued by the White House:
‘‘The passage by the Congress of
the temporary war pay resolution
! (S. J. Res. 170) is a major step
toward setting the Government
' personnel situation in order. For
j the employes it removes inequities
| and meets the rise in the cost of
: living by providing increased earn
ings for more work and longer
hours. It also recognizes the acute
manpower shortage and. as a war
time necessity, removes the peace
time luxury of the Saturday half
I holiday.
j "While Saturday thus becomes a
; full work day. with a legal minimum
of seven hours in the departmental
service, it is my desire that the head
of each department and agency es
tablish, upon my approval of the
resolution, a general minimum work
schedule of a six-day, 48-hour week
for both the departmental and field
service. I realize that there may be
certain necessary exceptions to this
general practice in order to meet the
needs of a peculiar work condition,
but I am requesting that you report
to the director of the Bureau of the
Budget all instances where regular
! hours of work are established at less
i than 48 per week.
"For many departments and agen
cies the adoption of a 48-hour week
will represent a four-hour increase
in the working schedule. Obviously
this will permit reduction of person
nel in some agencies and eliminate
the necessity of filling vacant posi
j tior.s in others. I am expecting you
| to take immediate steps to bring
about a reduction in your personnel
requirements.
"The legislation places an added
responsibility on the executive de
partments and agencies to make full
use of manpower, to dispense with
every surplus employe and to reduce
personnel wherever possible. We
will accept that responsibility and
act accordingly.
"The Federal Government must
concentrate on one task—the win
ning of the war. At this time we
must measure all Government ac
tivities against the grim standards
j °* total war. Many activities desir
able in peacetimes must be elim
j inated. provided only that such
i eliminations do not result in per
| manent harm to the future health
and security of our individual cit
| Izens; many services must be pro
i vided at a reduced standard: all
agencies, military and civilian, must
j take all necessary measures to or
ganize their work for maximum ef
ficiency^ Although we have mads
I <See PAY-BILL, PagT^XJ