CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - HOUSE

navigation, flood control, and for other purposes;

H. R. 9987. An act to amend certain provisions of title XI of the Merchant Marine

Act, 1936, as amended, to facilitate private

financing of new ship construction, and for

other purposes; and

H. R. 10051. An act making appropriations

for mutual security for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1955, and for other purposes.

BILLS DISAPPROVED AFTER SINE

DIE ADJOURNMENT OF THE

HOUSE

The President of the United States,

subsequent to the sine die adjournment

of the House of Representatives, on September 8, 1954, transmitted to the Clerk

of the House a list of bills disapproved,

together with his reasons for such actions, as follows:

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES COMPENSATION,

H. R. 7774

H. R. 7774. In order that Federal

workers may not have to undergo a period of uncertainty as to my action on

H. R. 7774, "An act to increase the rates

of compensation of classified, postal, and

other employees of the Government, and

for other purposes," I wish to announce

that I shall withhold my approval from

this bill.

The American people desire to reward

properly, even generously, dedicated and

faithful service on the part of their Government career employees. In return for

the taxes they pay, they expect to have

a civil-service system that is free of partisan politics, encourages efficient operation, rewards merit, and provides steady

pay increases as the value of each employee increases with service and experience. I am wholeheartedly in accord

with those desires.

Since taking office, this administration has developed a personnel program

applying the best practices of progressive

employers to the requirements of public

service. In furtherance of that program,

recommendations were made by this administration to the Congress for reasonable pay increases and adjustments in

pay scales. H. R. 7774 is inconsistent

with these principles. Unfortunately,

the general pay increase proposed by this

bill ignores and therefore tends to perpetuate the inequities we must correct.

On February 24, 1954, I approved and

promptly submitted to the Congress the

program to which I have just referred.

It is the broadest and most constructive

of its kind ever placed before the Congress. Most of its important provisions

were passed at this session and these

measures, in themselves, are so important as to constitute a milestone in the

Improvement of the civil-service system.

These provisions include:

I. For the first time an inclusive system of group life insurance and unemployment compensation benefits similar

to those enjoyed by workers in private

industry, have been provided for Federal

employees.

2. Restrictions on permanent promotions and reinstatements of former career employees have been removed.

3. The statutory limit on the number

of employees in the executive branch has

been adjusted to meet present day needs.

4. The Incentive awards programs

have been liberalized and made applicable to all employees.

5. Arbitrary restrictions upon the accumulation of annual leave have been

repealed.

6. Longevity pay increases have been

authorized for all except the three highest classified service grades.

7. An equitable system for overtime

pay has been established.

These measures not only will benefit

our Federal career system and its employees, but also will improve the sound

management of the Federal Government,

to whose efficiency this administration is

resolutely dedicated. H. R. 7774 is not

a part of a progressive and efficient

program.

An important part of the administration's program that was not enacted into

law involves general pay increases based

upon the purposes of correcting inequities, promoting efficiency, and rewarding

merit and experience.

In withholding my approval from this

bill, I want to make it absolutely clear

that the administration is not departing

from the principles and purposes which

it has hitherto advocated. I shall continue to urge the enactment of the remaining parts of the personnel program

which was submitted to this session of

Congress so that obvious distortions in

the pay scales of both the postal and

classified services can be corrected; so

that adjustments and more equitable relationships between grades and steps

within those grades can be made, and

so that a proper and effective relationship between pay and work performed

will be established and maintained.

Legislation is obviously unwise that

disregards these principles of sound personnel management and ignores the

necessity of revenue to pay for salary

increases.

This measure, because it ignores the

administration's recommendations for

postal-rate increases, would add $11Z

million to the cost of operating the Post

Office Department which is operating at

a deficit of $400 million this year. It is

well to remember that since 1945 the

accumulated postal deficit has reached

the staggering total of $4 billion. Likewise, this measure would add more than

$200 million to civil service pay without

providing any revenue to meet it.

My remarks in Washington on June 10

are now particularly pertinent. I then

said:

We hope to uproot the Ingrained habit of

operating the vast Post Office Department

in an extravagantly wasteful and unbusinesslike manner. We cannot permit the

deliberate operations of our Postal Department at a gigantic loss because a few are opposed to adequate postal rates. And we must have classification and promotional

procedures for postal personnel that will

serve the best interest of the Government,

the public and the postal workers themselves.

Legislation for pay increases and classification adjustments related to work

performed is still vital and urgently

needed. The inequities presently existing in pay scales must still be corrected.

I shall therefore resubmit to Congress

when it convenes in January the recommendations previously made by the administration, together with such additional recommendations as any change

in conditions then existing may warrant.

While this bill is limited to civilian

personnel, I must observe, parenthetically, that consideration of a complete

Federal personnel program must eventually meet certain imperative needs of

the members of the Armed Forces. These

patriotic men and women, whose morale,

skill, and dedication to service are so important to us all, now lack adequate medical care for dependents and reasonable

survivorship benefits for their families.

It is most important that these needs

of Armed Forces personnel, serving their

country often in remote corners of the

world, engage our serious consideration.

I am confident that the Congress will

consider all of these recommendations

promptly and that the American people

will regard them as fair and just.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER.

THE WHITE HOUSE, August 23, 1954.

NINA BERBEROVA, H. R. 692

H. R. 692. 1 am withholding my approval of H. R. 692, for the relief of Nina

Makeef, also known as Nina Berberova.

This alien entered the United States

as a visitor and has not departed within

the time permitted. She is now unlawfully in the United States. The bill

would grant her the status of a lawful

permanent resident upon payment of the

required visa fee. The alien is a native

of Russia, 53 years of age, who apparently is stateless. She entered the

United States in November 1950. Prior

to that entry she had been a long-time

resident of France. It appears that she

can return to France.

Upon the alien's failure to depart

when her period of lawful stay expired,

deportation proceedings were instituted.

She was accorded a hearing and ordered

deported. However, the Board of Immigration Appeals granted the alien the

privilege of departing voluntarily from

the United States, and alternatively ordered that in the event she failed to

depart the order of deportation should

be reinstated. She has failed to depart.

This alien has been permitted to remain in the United States beyond the

period of time authorized by law and she

should be required to depart in accordance with the terms under which she

was granted admission to this country.

There are many other aliens in foreign

countries who are awaiting an opportunity to come to the United States for

permanent residence but who are required to follow the regular meanti of

obtaining permanent resident status.

There are no facts present in this case

justifying the enactment of special ligislation granting this alien preferential

treatment over others seeking to enter

the United States.

The enactment of this bill undoubtedly would encourage other aliens to attempt to enter the United States as

visitors for a temporary period and

thereafter seek exemption from requirements of the immigration laws through

special legislation.

Accordingly, I am constrained to

withhold my approval from the bill.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER.

THE WHITE HOUSE, August 24, 1954.

1954 15565