Evening star., 1921-12-14
Falling Between Four Stools.

legislation will fix by substantive law
salary figures the House appropria-
tions committee indicates that it will
not consider proposed salary increases
In the estimates, even those that have
run the gantlet safely of the budget
directors cut. Apprehension is sug-
gested that any increases proposed by
the estimates will be ruled out in the
House on a point of order.
Underpaid employees are by this pro-
cedure buffeted from pillar to post.
They fall to the ground not between
two stools but four stools,-direct regu-
lar appropriations, bonuses and two
reclassification projects.
Everybody comedies that they are
underpaid and is verbally sympathetic.
Increases of pay are proposed in the
regular estimates; bonuses are sug-
Eested and temporarily provided; two
reclassification bills, both recognizing
the equity of many pay increases.
paralyZe each other, and their pend
ency tends to prevent just and de-
the annual appropriation bills.
The advocates of better pay. push
Ing diverse methods OF relief. get in
one anothers way and the evil and
injury of underpay remain uncured.
1t is hoped that the appropriations
Committee will not cease to function
in respect to pay increases which are
needed to bring comparatively under
paid groups of employees up to the ap-
proXimate level of other groups. SINH
larly employed. or to readjust cquitably
the pay of individuals in group. The
appropriations committee may natu-
rally be disinclined to make any
sweeping systematic increase of sal
the reclassification bills has indicated
the lines upon which it wishes this
wholesale increase to be made.
But the annual equitable increases
of individuals. or even of special un-
derpaid groups, ought not in fairness
TO be omitted by the appropriations
committee. which has for years dealt
thoughtfully with such appropriations
and has the accumulated facts and eX-
perience and past records to guide it
to deal justly.
In respect to some municipal func-
tions, like, for example, the Public
Library. the urgent crying appropria-
tive need is for better paid and
larger force in order that the public
may be best served by this useful and
popularity appreciated institution. The
library trustees in their estimates
submitted to the Commissioners give
concrete shape to this need in figures
and pertinent comment. The Com
missioners, having in view municipal
needs as whole and in relation to
available revenues, cut down the trus-
tees estimates of actual needs. This
year the budget director takes another
hack at these estimates. And when
the twice-mutilated estimates get to
the House appropriations committee
the most vitality necessary items that
remain of the original estimates are
arbitrarily barred from consideration.
How can the librarian and trustees
secure consideration and relief of the
actual needs of the library by the Dis
trict's legislature when presentation
OF these needs is thus by successive
cuts whitfield down to nothingness?
The library's case is only sample.
The District Commissioners are SINH
larly handicapped In respect to other
proposals. They are now explaining
and defending estimates from which
over $3,000,000 have been cut by the
budget director, and other millions are
barred at the threshold by the ap-
preparations subcommittee. They now
have the difficult task of advocating
not their own estimates but those sub
stituted by others.
Every one will hope that the appro-
priations committee will function as
usual in respect to these needed pay
increases, and if it becomes necessary
will protect its salary increase pro-
posals from the point Of order by Sc
curing an appropriate rule from the
rules committee. The powerful appro-
priations committee has not suddenly
become impotent. The device which it
has used to enable substantive legis-
lation, which does not belour to 1t, to
be enacted as a rider on an appropria-
tion bill is surely available to protect
against points Of order needed items
Of appropriative legislation, which, in
accordance with precedent and rea-
son. have heretofore been recognized
as falling within its Jurisdiction.