Evening star., 1920-11-21
PROBLEMS OF j. S.
EMPLOYEES FIRST
BEFORE CONGRESS
Money Bill Hearing, Cover
ing Salaries, Will Start
Tomorrow.

The actual work Of the short session
Congress will not formally open for an
other two weeks. Questions of surpass-
ing interest to the majority residents OF
the National Capital. the government
employees, viii get first consideration
These include the problems of reorgani-
1aoon OF the federal departments and
tne Reconsideration Of federal employees
ana suggestions for an increased bonus
IN lieu OF reclassification at higher statu-
tory salaries.
House Leader MondeD, Speaker Gil
lett Chairman Campbell Of the rules
committee, members OF the republican
steering committee and other Leaders
are agreed that passage Of the appropri-
ation bills will be the essential and
probably tho only work Of the incoming
session. Hearings on the first Of these
appropriation bills are to start tomor-
row noon. when James NJ Baker, from
the internal revenue Office. Col Ciar-
ehce S. Ridley, from the Office of the
public buildings and grounds: George
W. Hess, director of the National Ro-
tanic Garden, and others have been in
vited to testify.
Wouid Rush Bills.
Representative William R. Woods
OF Indiana, chairman of the subcom-
mittee on the Legislative. executive
and judicial appropriation bill, Will
be IN charge of the hearings Rep
resentative James w. Good of Iowa.
CHAIRMAN OF the general appropri3-
tons committee. will be present Al
the hearings and will keep the vari-
Gus subcommittees at work from
now on framing the supply meas
ures- He feels that il is a drive to
ynf nf f..Il
tinized. approved in committee and
passed before March ..
The questions affecting the govern
ment employees will come up thus
early in the committee because the
legislative. executive and judicial
appropriation bill is practically all
devoted to allocating the salaries
for the army of government workers
throughout the various departments.
The work OF the various other sub
committees can be expedited IL these
questions are first decided and a gem
eral policy adopted.
The republican leaders are prac-
tically unanimous in their belief that
such drastic legislation as a complete
overhauling Of the government de-
partments cannot be put through In
the short session. They believe that
the appointment of commission to
make 4 thorough investigation, and
report a working basis for reorgani-
zation. They feel, also. that reclassi-
f1cation should wait until conditions
are more settled and that reclassi-
fication and reorganization should be
co-ordinated.
In lieu of reclassihcation of the
salary rolls. the members of the ap-
preparations committee are practically
agreed that the bonus to the govern
ment workers will be continued and
some OF the leaders are pledged to
work in committee for an increase to
either $3.50 or to $3.50.
All OF the departmental estimates
have been checked up by the clerks
OF the appropriation committee and
compared with last years estimates
and appropriations. SO that the sub
committees can see at a glance just
how much increase and for what
specific work the federal bureaus are
asking.
Chairman Good and the members OF
the appropriations COMMITTEES have
stated that they are going to use ex-
traordinarily close scrutiny this time
in checking up the expenditures of
the executive. departments and that
each item Is carefully covered in the
law. to guard against "scandals7 in
the expenditure Of appropriations
during the fiscal year which ends
-une 80, 1922