New-York tribune., 1920-03-31
House Accused
OF BuryingP Pay
Raise i'm Army
Crago Charges Leaders With
BAD Faith in Sending the
Bill to Committee, To
b. Held Up Indefinitely
Foreign Standards Cited
War Department Shows How
French and British Ofii-
:. GERS Have Been Advanced

From The Trtbxne's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, March 30.--Repre-
sentative Crago. Republican, Of Penn
sylvania, charged to-day that the House
leaders acted in bad faith and sought
to kill legislation providing an increase
in pay for enlisted men and officers Of
the army, navy and marine corps by
sending the Kelley bill as amended by
the Senate to conference committee
that would hold it up indefinitely.
Representative Crayo is member
of the Military Affairs Committee of
the House and the author of bill in
troduced last fall increasing the. pay of
enlisted men and officers of the army.
When the service pay legislation was
taken up in the House, Mr.. Crago said
to-day, his bill was laid aside in favor
of the Kelley bill, which provided for
increases only for enlisted men and Of
ffcers of the navy. The House passed
the Kelley bill and when it reached the
Senate the Wadsworth bill for in
creasing the army pay, which had been
passed by the Senate, was added as an
amendment.
Mondell Opposed Increase
Representative Mondell, of Wyoming,
Republican leader in the House, fought
the increase for the army men. Several
weeks after the Senate had appointed
conferees representing both the military
and naval committees, the Rules Com
mittee Of the House on March 10
brought in special rule for the
appointment of House conferees rep
resenting only the House Naval Com
mittee, with instructions that the House
confcrees refuse to accept the Senate
amendment giving an increase to army
officers of the navy. When the House
voted on the rule Representative Crago
led successful fight to have the in
structions eliminated from the rule.
During the ten days since the House
conferees were appointed, Representa-
tive Cra9o said to-day, no formal meet
ings have been held. The conference
committee has charge of the legislation
now. he said, and nothing can be done
until it acts.
"When Congress first took up the ques-
men," said Mr.. Crago, "the Military
and Naval Affairs Committee of the
House met together, with Senator
Wadsworth attending, and the entire
problem was discussed.
Bills Still on Calendar
Later Senator Wadsworth intro
duced bill in the Senate increasing
the pay of officers and men in the army,
! introduced similar bill in the House
and Mr.. Kelley introduced bill in the
House increasing the pay of the en-
listed personnel and officers of the
navy. The Senate passed the Wads-
worth bill and the House Military Com
mittee amended my bill so as to pro-
vide nat increase of 20 per cent to
the army men. Both of these bills are
now on the House calendar, and they
can be called up if the conferees on
the amended Kelley bill do not act.
When the Kelley bill came up, men,
bers Of the House Naval Affairs Com
mittee came to me and suggested that
the Kelley bill be passed at once as an
opening wedge for securing an incrase
for all branches Of the service. The
plan was to have the House pass the
Kelley bill, then have the Senate amend
it to include all other branches Of the
service, and finally have the House
send it to conference.
"Mondell refused to permit a rule to
be brought in for the appointment of
conferees for long time because he
was opposed to increasing the army
pay.
Wanted Military Represented
When the House Naval Committee
asked for a rule, Chairman Butler came
to me and said that was to be one Of
the conferees. I told him that all l
wanted was to have the military COM
mittec represented. so that the Senate
amendment would not be stricken from
the bill. He said he would get a rule,
Then suddenly the other day the
Rules Committee brought in the rule
that we were asked to adopt. We sue
ceeded in having the Instructions to
the conferees knocked out, but then
only members of the Naval COMMITTEES
were appointed to the conference com
mittee. ~"A-
The entire responsibility il now
with the conference committee. Thev
cannot hide behind the rule that was
brought in, because the House elimi.
mated the instructions to have tho
House conferees refuse to accent the
senate amendment. They can bring in
a bill that will increase the nav for
ali branches Of the service. The con-
ference committee has met onlv in
formally since it was appointed. hut T
believe the Senate conferees will .ann
insist upon action" 'oo"
Foreign Officers Given Raise
The War Department TODAY ;ss,od
y statement showing .tha+ pr;t;.