The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-27
FEDERAL SALARIES
MEASURE PASSED
Congress Approves Measures
Expending SIPS, 900, 900.

WASHINGTON, FEB. 2b.-Flnal action
was taken to-day on two bills carrying
total appropriation OF $3.50 900,
while committees of the House and the
Senate reported favorably on several
other important measures. chief OF which
was the naval appropriation bill. with
its three year building programme and
its $4,000, 900 appropriation The bills
passed were the $4,000 900 legislative
executive and judicial appropriation bill
which provides for the salaries of most
Federal officers, with an increase OF s240
yearly for Government employees. and
the s32 000 rivers and harbors ap-
preparation bill. providing for seventy
Ave new projects. Both measures are now
ready for the Presidents signature.
The naval appropriation was ordered
favorably reported by the Senate Naval
Committee without a dissenting vote. al
though Republican members reserved the
right to oppose a provision empowering
the President to suspend the building
programme at his discretion This pro-
vision was retained in the bill by a strict
party vote of S to {. and was originally
written into the House bill with view
to its use in the event of International
disarmament. 1t was announced that the
President had again urged members OF
Congress to incorporate this provision
into the bill.
Increases Navy to 100000.
The bill as agreed upon by the Senate
committee has many important changes
from the House bill. The permanent
strength of the navy was increased from
225, 1000 to 100000 at the request Of the
Navy Department. and that OF the
Marine Corps from 1900 to $4,000
This increase in personnel was required
Senator Swanson said. to permit the
manning of sufficient ships to bring the
army home from Europe. Appropriations
amounting TO S21, 100000 were added by
| making permanent during the fiscal year
, the present war pay of enlisted men OF
the navy and Marine Corps
To develop the naval air service the
committee increased the House appro.
priation from SIS 200. 900 to $36, 0o0, 900
Items for additional navy yard con
| struction were added as follows: Boston
81 100000; New York, $4,000; Phila
| delphla, $4,000, 900: Washington. So,
500. 900; Norfolk. 100000.
The Senate was informed by Secretary
Daniels to-day that increased eXpendi
lures of the Navy Department due tC
the war amounted to 1851 ,970.SS4, Fol
| the fiscal year of 1919 the cost of thu
|
4RecIama ton of Lands.
| The Senate Public Lands Commute,
! reported favorably the bill to appropri
ate 800. 900, 900 TO make reclaimed pub
| lie lands available for settlement b!
| discharged soldiers and sailors afte
Secretary Lane had said It was a grea
reconstruction measure. 4 similar bill
| has been reported TO the House. b,
means of this measure Secretary Lane
said Jobs could be assured to 10000
persons within sixty days and at leas
| 25, 900 farms in forty States could b.
made ready for permanent occupancy.
The House and Senate conferee
reached an agreement to-day on the lonl
pending water power bill. placing tn
administration OF the measure in a com
mission composed OF the Secretaries o
War. Interior and Agriculture. who will
be empowered to grant fifty year per
mits for the use of water power, witt
preference given to municipal corpora
lions.
The deadlock between the House an,
Senate over the bill legalizing informa
war contracts was broken to-day with
compromise agreement, This limits tn
amendment providing for settlement o
claims growing out of the stimulation O
mineral production to manganese
chrome, pyrtes and tin tungsten. Min
,eral claims adjusted by the Secretary @
the Interior are to be limited to $500
900. The bulk OF the contracts whic
will be validated by the bill were mad
by the War Department. and total NOR
thas $500. 100000