The Washington times., 1920-03-05
Score of Senators Believe House
Hasty in Killing Employees
Bonus.
KANSAN DENOUNCES ACTION
Proponents of Issue Will Insist
On Record Vote in
Upper House.

A ''last ditch" fight will be staged
in the Senate to restore to the Fed
eral employees the $240 salary bonus
which the House cut from the legis-
lative bill yesterday.
In the upper chamber are more
than a score of Senators who believe
that the action of the House was
hasty, arbitrary, and cruel in view
of the present cost of living level
in the District of Columbia.
They refused to see any union or
anti-union issue before them, but only
the fact that many thousands of
underpaid workers in the Govern
ment employ are to be reduced in pay
at a time when commodity prices
are not falling, but still going up.
Capper Opposes House Action.
"l'm dead against the action
/ that the House has taken,- said sena-
tor CaVper Of Ksnsas tedsy. 'Thers
IN NO good reason for II. The bonus
In more needed now than Il was 1t
the time that It was started. There
IL absolutely no relief In sight from
high prices in the District of CoIuu-
bin. The clerks should have the
bonus until prices come down at least.
AOf course the Government agencies
nre promising us that prices will
come down, but ] don't see my signs
OF II. They are Just ns high md
even higher now than they were n
year ago. I don't see how the Gov
crumcDt workers can exist without
IT,
Senator Capper believes that when
the fight comes on the floor of the
Senate there will be no question
where the great majority of Senators
will stand.
There is little doubt that the s24o
bonus for Government employees will
be restored in the Senate. Practically
no opposition to the bonus is to be
| round, and the universal opinion
seems to be that the action Of the
House yesterday was a mistake
| senator's Smoot. Chamberlain, Ken
yon and Overman are among those
who are in favor of the restoration
OF the bonus. Senator Smoot is the
ranking Republican member in the
Appropriation Committee and will
personally see to it that the item is
put back into the legislative, exccu-
tive and judicial bill.
Fate In Senate Doubtful.
| The fate of the bonus in the SEN
late Appropriations Committee, how
| ever, is doubtful. The subcommittee
which has in charge the legislative,
executive and judicial appropriation
| bill, comprises number of Sena-
tors, including Reed Smoot of Utah,
who are avowed enemies of the Gov
eminent clerks and their organiza-
ton.
This subcommittee is composed Of
Senator'S Warren. chairman; Smoot.
| Kenyon, Gronner. Spencer, Overman,
Underwood, Smith of Arizona, and
Harris.
| or these men Senators Jenyon.
| Gronner and Harris can be counted
upon with certainty to advocate the
restoration of the bonus.
Even should the subcommittee re-
fuse to restore the bonus to the bill.
however the fight on the floor of the
Senate against the committee action
will be vigorous and drastic.
Want Record Vote.
Senators fighting for the bonus will
insist upon a record vote so that the
nation will know just where to place
| the responsibility for the action that
| is taken. Politics will come into the
| foreground, particularly with the
Presidential campaign coming on.
Not many Senators coming up for
| reelection in doubtful States will
care to be placed on record as oppos-
ing "a living wage" to Government
employees In these days OF the high
cost of living.
The Federal employees union IL to
| be made the goat" for the action Of
the House and in many quarters IL
is believed that the elimination OF the
bonus Is part OF a plot to smash or
ganization, and to force the Govern
ment employees to leave its member
ship.
May Have A. F. l.. Backing.
| Luther G. steward and other Of
icials OF the union have accepted the
gauge OF battle nung down by tho
House, and probably will be packed
up by the American Federation OF
Labor in their night In ss much as
| the federation II going to make an
intensive political hght In the coming
! campaign. II Us possible that every
| Senator who votes against the Gov
ernment clerk and the bonus issue
will be placed upon the labor black
| list
| \, A.. .At. .b... ~ tbn uaattpr a. hlCh