Evening star., 1924-01-29

/ 1t is believed by tho House appro-
priations committee that the adop-
ton Of q standard policy in all ap-
preparation bills toward personnel
appropriation under the classification
law will result in a very favorable
operation of the law on a uniform
scale in all departments"
This is the conclusion of Chairman
Madden's discussion Of the classinca-
tion OF salaries in presenting the
Treasury-Post ONCE appropriation
bill to the House today. in which the
committee recommends the same lim-
itation on salaries to be paid in the
District of Columbia under the
classification act as is carried in the
Interior Department appropriation
''bill.
Madden said that the classification
act provided that the estimate OF ap-
propriations in the budget for 1928
| for the greater part of the employee
! in the District OF Columbia should
be submitted in conformity with the
rates in the compensation schedules
set forth in the act and that the rates
in the new act should not become ef-
fective until July /, 1924.
Based on New Law.
The appropriations made in the bill
reported to the House today for per
soral services In the District of CO.
lumbia are therefore recommended on
the basis of the new law in accord
ance with ALLEGATIONS established by
the personnel classification board.
That the classification act changes
the entire method of fixing salaries
for personal services I'm the District
Of Columbia Is emphasized by Chair
man Madden. He calls attention that
Il takes from the administrative
officers the power they have hereto
fore had to determine the rates that
may be paid under lump sum appro-
priations and changes the existing
law with reference to salaries fixed
by specific statutory law, except for
statutory salaries permitted to stand
BY the classification act.
No Uniform Rule Before.
In previous years no uniform rule
has prevailed in appropriating for
salaries In the District Of Columbia,
he says Most such salaries have
been carried under lump sum arpro-
priatiCns and the rates OF pay are de-
terminable by the heads of the bu-
reau or department, while the small
or percentage Of salaries has been
Carried under statutory appropria
tions.
He says that the classification act
provides, i'll determining the com
pensation to he established initially
for employees under the act, that the
existing pay shall be base pay plus
any bonus the employe is receiving.
1t will be observed in the case OF sew
eral appropriations in the Treasury
Post ONCE appropriation bill that the
amount recommended for the fiscal
year 1925 shows considerable in
crease over the like sum appropriated
in the annual appropriation act for
the fiscal year 1924.
Bonus Included.
This is attributed to the fact that
the $24o additional compensation. or
so-called bonus. Is appropriated in
one sum for each of the departments
In a separate act for 1921, and is
Treasury or the Postmaster General
to the several bureaus and offices.
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 recommended
for 1928. Chairman Madden advises
The increase for the Treasury De-
partment due to the classification of
personnel in the District is s592 l23,
The increase for the Post once De-
LII s.
The hearings on the Treasury De-
partment and on the Post Office De-
partment contain statements show
ing, by bureaus and Offices, the SAL
aries in the District of Columbia for
the fiscal year 1924, separated &C
cording to base pay and bonus. COM
pared with the initial rates fixed for
the fiscal year 1926 in accordance
with the classification act
Considerable study and thought has
been given by the appropriations
committee to the method to be pur-
sued in making appropriations for
salaries under the new law, Chair
man Madden says. The gen eral con-
clusion arrived at is that any method
of appropriating for such salaries
different from the one recommended
in the Treasury. Post Office and In
terror Department bills would en-
counter difficulties during the first
and experimental year of the classi-
fication act that would probably re-
suit in embarrassments and confu-