Evening star., 1924-06-13
Decision Gives 1000 District
Workers New Salaries e.
fective July 15-Bars Ex-
ira Men to Permit Day Off.
APP0INTEES TO PLACES
VACATED ALSO BENEFIT
Controller Generals Action Follows
Appeal by Commissioners When
Failure of Deficiency Bill
Threatened Loss Even of $24O
Bonus-Gratitude Widespread.

Policemen, fremen and school
teachers of the District will get their
increased salaries beginning with
July Is, Controller General ]. R. Nc
Carl ruled today
In written opinion forwarded to
Commits sioner Rudolph, president OF
the board OF Commissioners, the
controller general holds that the in
creased salaries have been duly au-
thorized by law and may be paid.
This decision saves 1900 employees
of the three branches of the service
from the prospect of having $40 a
month taken from them at time
when Congress had decreed that
they already were underpaid.
How Crisis Developed.
Here. in a nutshell. is what hap
pened: Congress passed two pieces
of legislation. definitely raising the
salaries of the policemen, firemen
and teachers. The District appro-
priation act for next year already had
been written, however. and carried
only sufficient funds to pay the old
salaries. The additional funds need
ed to pay the new salaries were then
incorporated in the second deficiency
bill. In the closing hours of the
session last Saturday a filibuster pre-
vented passage of the deficiency bill.
Since the new salaries were in
tended to take the place of the dis
continued s240 bonus, it appeared at
first that these three groups of faith
full public servants had lost both
their Increases and sthe bonus until
cember.
Commissioners Make Appeal.
Commissioners Rudolph. oyster
and Bell, realizing what a hardship
1t would be TO the families of the
employees, appealed to the Treasury
Department with this gratifying re-
suit, while The Evening Star through
its editorial and news columns, sup
ported the Commissioners in their
effort to save the policemen. fi-emen
and teachers from an unintentional
cut in pay.
Under Mr.. McCarrs Interpretation
of the law. the Commissioners will
not be able to employ the new po-
i1cemen and firemen needed in order
to give the men the one day off
week authorized in the salary in
crease legislation. However, the
bluecoated guardians of the law and
the men who protect the city against
fire were so grateful for receiving
the increased salaries that they were
not concerned today over this phase
of the ruling.
Larger Force Next Winter.
1t is expected that when the de-
ficiency bill finally passes in the fall
the day-off provision will be carried
out
The controller general advised the
Commissioners that if an existing
employe of any one of the three de-
partments leaves the service his or
her place may be filled at the in
creased salary. holding that.the money
is available for the position and not
the individual.
The meat of the controllers opin-
ion is found in the following excerpt
In the light of all conditions ap-
pearing l can only view the matter
as one in which the Congress, hav-
ing made appropriations for salaries
for the three services involved, dis
closing no clear intent that payments
therefrom should be otherwise than
pursuant to the basic law fixing such
salaries, as found in the enactments
of May % and June 4. 1924. the appro-
priationS will be available July j.
1924, for payments in accord with the
basic law maintaining at the time
service is rendered. True, the appro-
priations were originally estimated
for on the basis of the basic law as.
heretofore existing. but the basic
law having been changed, the conclu-
sion is justified that the funds so ap-
propriated are for use toward pay
ment of the basic>salary as fixed by
law at the time services are rendered.
prior laws being now no authority
for payment"
Opinion Given In Full.
Mai. Daniel J. Donovan. auditor, as
sisted the Commissioners in present
ing the situation to the Treasury De-
partment officials. Mr.. McCarls
opinion follows in FULL
II have your letter of June 9, 1924
submitting for decision the question
of the uses of the appropriations made
for the fiscal year 1925 for the sal
aries of teachers and other personnel
of public schools, and the officers and
members of the police and fire de-
partments of the District in connec-
tion with the provisions of certain
enactments making increases in the
basic compensation of the personnel
of the said services.
The basic salaries of teachers and
personnel of the public schools were
revised upward and fixed by the act
approved June 4, and those of the
police and fremen by the act ap-
proved May 81. both effective July /.
1924. The appropriations for these
services for the fiscal year beginning
July |, made by the act approved June
z, 1924, follow the basic salaries fixed
by law at the time such appropriation
measure was under consideration by
the Congress and prior to the enact
ment of the statutes revising and fix
ing such salaries. effective on and
after July /, and the question pre-
sented arises because of the failure
of enactment Of the deficiency appro-
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