Evening star., 1922-06-20
S24O CLERK BONUS
!. REDUCED TO $3.50
IN HOUSE REPORT
Decline in Cost of Living Re-
sponSibIe for Committee
Action.
TOTAL OF S2S,335,8e0
FOR ALL u. S. SERVICES
Reduction of $12,4s1,s1 Over Es-
timated Cost Is Noted-Madden
Explains Provisions.

| The $240 bonus. which civilian en-
| ployes of the governments of the
| United States and the District of Co.
lumbia, have been receiving for five
years, in lieu of adjusted compensa-
| tion TO meet the increa sing cost of liv-
| ing. is cut 10 $3.50 a year in the report
| made TO the House today by the House
| appropriations committee
| The terms of the bill are practically
! the same as those of the law for the
| current fiscal year with the exception
Of the reduction OF the rate from S24O
TO $50. which the committee believes
| is justified.
| The temporary increase has not
been regarded as a scientific adjust
ment OF pay on the basis of the cost
| Of living" the report said. 1T was
| increased from time to time until it
reached the present rate. Reductions
in the principal elements entering into
| the cost of living since the fixing of
| the $40 rate actuated the committee
| in recommending the decrease of s6G
| a year
The report made to the House by
4
| sreSS, commencing with the fiscal year
! 1913 had provided additional tempor-
AIRY compensation al varying rates 10
CIVILIAN employees in the lower pay
| grade through provisions in the an
nlal appropriation bills The need for
! some relief of this character first was
emphasized shortly after the declara-
ton of war, when the cost of living
! beean TO rise sharply. The report
emphasizes that no general Increase.
! in basic salaries of civilian employees
have been made. and practical ily the
! only relief granted has been in the
torn OF the temporary increases.
Applies to Civilians
The bonus applies to all civilian
| employees of the government of the
United States and the District of
Columbia who receive a total com
pensation at the rate of $500 year
or less. 1t specifically provides that
| those employees who receive a total
of annual compensation at the rate
of more than $500 and less than
! S2,6s0 shall receive additional COM
pensa ton at such rates per annL n IS
may be necessary to make then SAL
aries plus their additional cOmpenSa-
tion at the rate of S2.6e0 per aanum,
and NJ cmpioye is to receive addi-
tional compensation at a rate which
is more than 40 per cent of the rate
of the total annual compensa zion he
receives.
The bill provides that where an em,~
ploye In the service on June 80. 1921,
has received during the fiscal year
! 1922 or shall receive during the fiscal
year 1923 an increase of salary at a
! rate in excess of S200 q year. such
empioye shall receive the $3.50 bonus
only upon the certification of the
officer in charge Of the ability and
! ployes as would justify this increase
! in compenSa ton.
| The bill as reported today specifical-
! ly excludes from participation in the
! $3.50 bonus, the following:
Employees paid from the postal
revenues. except employees oi the
Post Office Department in the District
! OF Columbia, who shall be included.
| Employees whose pay is adjustable
! from time to time through wage
! boa rfs or similar authority.
Eml 1oyes of the Panama canal and
! the Canal Zone.
Employees of the Alaskan engineer
! ing commission in Alaska.
| Employees paid from lump sum ap-
! propriations in bureaus, divisions.
commissions or any other govern
| mental agencies or empioyments ere
ated by law since January !. 1916. eX-
/ cept employees of the United States
! Tariff Commission. the United States
! Veterans Bureau. the bureau of the
budget the general accounting office
! and the bureau of accounts of the
Post Office Department. who shall he
included but the additional compensa-
/ tion of $3.50 a year shall not be paid to
any person in the United States Vet
erans' Bureau who did not receive the
S240 during the present fiscal year.
Employees whose duties require only
| portion of their time except char
women. who shall be included.
Employees whose services are EtiliZ-
ed for brief periods at intervals.
Various Employed Persons.
{ Persons employed by or through
| corporations. firms or individuls act
! ing as agents of the United States for
any establishment of the United States
government in connection with con-
struction work or the operation of
plants.
! Employees who receive a part of
their pay from any outside source un-
der cooperative arrangements with
either the federal or District govern
! mentS.
Employees who serve voluntarily or
receive only a nominal compensation
and employees who may be provided
with special allowances because of
| their service in foreign countries.
| Relief from the cost of living has
been permanently provided to en-
ployes of the postal service and to
| the commissioned and enlisted person
mel of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps.
coast guard, coast and geodetic sur
vey and public health service by gen.
| eral reclassification legislation. A gen.
| eral recla ssification of salaries OF
civilian employees has been passed by
the House and is now pending in the
Senate. Even if legislation should be
| passed at the present session. the re-
| port points out, the temporary relief
| granted in this bonus bill will be nee
| essary for some portion of the COM
| ing fiscal year until the ALLEGATION OF
| position can be made under the re-
classification bill.
The bonus bill reported out todaA
| carries definite appropriations for
each department and independent es-
| adjustment. and for the Legislative
branch in lieu of the indefinite ap-
Dropriations heretofore carried, with
| the requirement that sums granted
| shall not be exceeded.
! The amounts recommended are COM
| puted on the basis of estimates fur
nished to the House appropriations
| committee by each of the services af-
| fected, and are included in full ex-
| cent for the proportionate reduction
from S240 to $3.50.
The estimated cost for the fiscal yeas
1922 on the basis Of expenditures during
the first six months Of the year for an
services is approximately Sal 500. 600.
CONTINUED on Page 2. Column %