Evening star., 1923-01-28
CLASSIFYING BILL
NEAR FINAL DRAFT
Senator Sterling Calls Meet
ing of Committee to Dis
cuss Amendments.
BONUS ACTION DELAYED
Measure Held Up Pending Possible
Vote on Salary
Legislation.

Agreement on a reclassiflcation bill
for the government employees Is be-
lieved to be near. Senator Sterling,
chairman of the civil service COM
mittee. said yesterday afternoon that
progressed to such an extent that it
now appears likely a bill would be
whipped into shape and put through
A meeting Of the subcommittee OF
the Senate appropriations committee,
now considering the Sterling-Lehl-
bach reclassification bill, will be ask
ed by Senator Sterling to be held
not later than Tuesday. AT that
meeting. 1t is expected, changes in
the bill will be discussed, with the
understanding that they are to be
offered later in the Senate as amend
ments recommended by the civil
service committee. The appropria-
tfons committee deals with the sal
ary allowances. and not with the
ifcation measure, under the rules
of the Senate. The legislative fea-
tvres are the province of the civil
service committee.
Slight SALARY Changes.
1t is understood that in the bill
which will be agreed upon the "un-
derlying principles of the Sterling
Lehlbach bill will be retained, and
that the salaries proposed will, for
the most part, be retained Also
Undcr the Sterling bill
the classifying agency is the Civil
Service Commission. 1t is likely that
this will be changed so that COM
mittee consisting of g. representative
Of the Civil Service Commission, the
bureau of the budget and the bureau
Of efficiency will do the classifying.
The contention has been made in
some quarters that reclassifcation
Of the government employees has
practically been completed by the
bureau OF efficiency under the execu-
tive order issued by the President
that the work of reclassiflcation per-
formed by the bureau of efficiency
under this order, SO far as 1t is
practicable. and so far as 1t conforms
with the provisions of the proposed
reclassification law, will be made use
of when the new law is passed. In
fact, q provision may be inserted in
the bill to this effect.
Another provision will provide that
the classifying agency shall make
use as far as possible of the work
accomplished by the joint commits
sion on reclassiflcation.
So confident are some members of
the Senate that a reclassificat.on law
is to be put through at the present
session that when the legislative ap-
preparation bill, carrying the pay
Of their clerks was before the Sem
ate they did not offer amendments
to that bill which they otherwise
would have presented. They believe
that after the passage Of the reclas-
sification bill there will be de-
fciency bill. and that then they will
have an opportunity to propose in
commensurate with increases pro-
posed in tho reclasslncatton measure.
Boaus Measure Delayed.
II the rehabilitation measure goes
through, providing. a. It will. for in
oreases in salaries Of many Of the
employees, It will be necessary to pass
appropriating the money
to pay these increases.
So far Congress has not put through
any measure providing the s24o
bonus for the government employees
the bonus which they are now re-
and have recstvsd for several
yss1A Il has bsen the contention
q Chairman MADDEN Of the House
committee, that no
bonus lsgisla&ien should be enacted
unless It was assured there would be
no xsolassiflcatten law put on the
statute books, He will not bring in
the bonus legislation. therefore, until
all hope Of the reclassihcation meas
urs at tho present session has been
abandoned.
Tho desire of senators and men,
hers Of tho House IL to get the re-
matter closed up before
MaSnA {. II ressiSla. and to put an
snd 70 hsrisontal bonuses. Every
eleest 70 new. being made to get the
PSsasssiAsasss4 1sssuFA eeasiudsd.