Evening star., 1918-01-05
DEFENSE COUNCIL
PAY ROLL MAY SOAR
Officials Believe That Would
Be Effect of Eliminating
Dollar Experts.
EXPENSE SMALL 81 FAR

Introduction in tho Senat>rT bin bv
Senator McKellar OF Tenrs-ssee. which
would prohibit the Couno- of National
Defense from employing the "do,Iar-a
wear men. IS not regarded by of,cials
OF the council as threatening the fu-
iure efffciency OF that body. should IL
be passed.
"hile men connected with the coun-
CHS advisory commission decline TO
make any formal comment about pend
ing legislation. they are willing TO dts
clss what measures might be taken
should such a bin pass About the only
enect. it was stated. would be TO re-
place some OF the experts now paid =
dollar year. by others equally pro
hcient at salary, and thus the pay roll
OF the council would be Jumped sky
ward
In this connection the remarkably
small expenditure by the council SO far
was disclosed for the first tim. in IN,
annual report made public TODAY. From
Deeemper il. 1916. 20 June 30, 1917. the
counclis total expenditure was hut
: sIs,.i2esl. leaving a balance of s7e.-
s.9.os OF the 100000 appropriated un-
Spent for Salaries.
OF the amount spent only s2o.s4427
va Tor salaries, though the council had
an organization of employees that on
June 20. 1917. numbered 4oS persons.
OF whom but los were receiving COM
pensa,ion For the coming year the
counci has asked but $500 900 with an
additionsi estimate OF 100000 making
ssoo.ooO in all for a branch OF the gov
erhment which has among its workers
paniei Willard. Judge r. l. Loyett.
Juilcs Rosenwald. Bernard NJ Baruch
r. >. Pea body and a whole host of not
able executives and captains of indus
Fy whose services the government
couid not buy in times CT peace.
Already the council mas dispensed
with the committees In industry which
necessarily were made up as an emer-
gency measure, of men who had SUP
pines to sell to the government. though
at no time did these men have the nnal
word about the councils recommenda-
tons on purchases. There remain ex-
perts in various specialized fields. some
OF whom still nominslly are connected
with industrial concerns which seek
government contracts These experts
are utilized in an advisory capacity TO
the advisory commission. which In turn
advises the departments. which place
the orders. about the sources of the
supplies the government needs. Hence
1t is held that the departments are
safeguarded against any influence these
men might exert in behalf of their own
industries. even if they desired to WELD
such influence
Heads Of Leading Plants.
For the most part these experts are
heads Of leading plants of their re-
spectiye industries. Being presidents
or vice presidents of these concerns
they can afford to come to Washing
ton to give their service to the gov
ernment, and have done so willingly.
Were they no longer permitted to do
so the council could get active salarfed
experts from-the> same industries, but
1t would have to pay them, for il their
salaries were continued by their en-
ployers they still would be connected
with those concerns technically, while
if their private pay envelopes ceased
they would have to be paid by the
government to enable them to come to
Washington.
Even where It has ealaried experts
now. the council has avoided criticism
by paying salaries anywhere nearly
comparable with what the service
would be worth in private employ. 1t
has not Rone above the $2.5o0 mark,
supposed to be excellent pay for a gov
ernment worker, even when it engaged
men who could get $4,000 or more
elsewhere. When their worth elsewhere
was much beyond that the council
Compromised" by paying them 81 .
year.