Evening star., 1924-01-09
Schedules Will Be Followed in
Fixing Salaries of All
U. S. Workers Here.
1925 INTERIOR DEPT.
APPROPRIATIONS STUDIED
Representative Cramton Explains
Apparent Large Increase Ask
ed Over This Year.

mlttee today adopted a policy in re-
gard to the classification of salaries
In the District of Columbia on the
basis of the classification act an
proved March 3, 1923, in accordance
with ALLEGATIONS established by the
personnel classification board.
Ihis policy was adopted in report
ing out the Interior department ap-
preparation bill, but Chairman Mad
den said that the same policy would
apply generally to all the appropria-
tion measures.
The classification act of 1929. an
proved March 3. provided that the
estimates OF appropriations contained
IN the budget for the fiscal year 1925
should be submitted in conformity
with the rates of salaries in the com
pensation schedules set forth in that
act and that the rates in the new act
l, 1924
The classification act changes the en-
tire method of fixing salaries for per
sonal services in the District of Colum-
ola, Chairman Cramton of the sub
committee reporting out the first appro-
priation bill, explained. 1t takes from
the administrative officers the power
they had heretofore had to determine
the rate that may be paid under lump
sum appropriations and changes the
existing law with reference to salaries
fixed by specific statutory law except
Tor statutory salaries permitted 10
stand by the classification act
Uniform For First Time.
In previous years, no uniform rule
has prevailed in appropriating for sal
laries in the District of Columbia. Rep
resentative Cramton pointed out. The
larger percentage of such salaries has
been carried under lump sum appropria-
tons and the rates Of pay were de-
terminable by the head of the bureau
or department while the smaller per-
cehtase or salaries has been carried
under specific statutory appropriations
either at rates fixed by statutory law
or at rates established from year to
year in the appropriation act.
The House appropriations commit
tee, IN adopting it's policy and III
preparation of the Interior Depart
ment appropriation bill, has departed
from the statutory appropriation
method and has appropriated in lump
sum as recommended in the budget
for the Offices that have heretofore
peen on a Statutory basis. While this
a marked deviation from the former
practice in connection with statutory
salary appropriations, Representative
Cramton says. it is necessary and
fully warranted in connection with
the putting into effect Of the classi-
hcation act by which duties are made
the basis of pay. The classification
act, provides, in determining the com
pensation to be established initially
FOR employees under the act, that the
he he
Plus any bonus the employe Is re-
ceiving.
TT will be observed" said Repre-
sentative Cramton. lin the case OF
several appropriations in this bill
that the amount recommended for the
fiscal year 1925 shows a considerable
increase over the sum appropriated
in the Interior Department apprc-
priation act for the fiscal year 1924.
This. is attributable to the fact that
so-called bonus. is appropriated in
one sum for the entire departments
in separate act for 1924 and is
allotted by the Secretary of the In
terror to the several bureaus and
Offices.
Explains Increase.
THE actual increase. therefore, un-
der the classification act is not the
difference between the base pay for
1924 and the amount recommended
for 1925. but the difference between
the combined amounts for base pay
and bonus and the amount recon-
mended for 1925.
The increase for the department OF
the Interior due to the enactment of
the classification act is $5l0,9S8. This
sum is not all reflected in the appro-
l.,
personnel and other reductions have
absorbed the major part of the in
crease, so that the amount finally re
f1ected in the appropriations in the
bill on account of the classification
act is approximately S200.000.'
The hearings on the Interior De
partment appropriation bill contain
statements showing by bureaus and
offices the salaries in the District for
the fiscal year 1924, separated accord
ing to base pay and bonus and com
pared with the initial rates fixed for
the fiscal year 1925 in accordance
with the classification act.
In connection with the appropria-
tion for salaries to carry out the pro
visions of the classification act, and
the conversion of the statutory ap-
propriations into lumpsum appro-
riations the House appropriations
committee is of the opinion that some
reasonable restrictions should be
placed upon the appropriations recon-
mended in the bill to safeguard their
expenditure under the authority
granted in the act to administrative
officers to make automatic promo
tions from one salary rating to an
other within the classification grades
and that such restrictions be imposed
by Congress were contemplated by
the act in section z.
New Law Studied.
considerable study and thought
has been given to the method to be
pursued in making appropriations for
salaries under the new law" Repre-
sentative Cramton said. "The general
conclusion arrived at is that any
method of appropriating for such sal
aries different from the one recon-
mended in the bill, would encounter
difficulties during the first and ex-
perimenta1 year of the law that
would probably result in embarrass-
mems and confusion that would not
permit a fair and reasonable func-
tioning of the law.
"The committee has concluded,
therefore, that 1t would be more adj
visable for the coming year to appro-
pirate by the lump sum method to
pay the salaries fixed under the law
and to accompany that method of
-. H.. a.